General Care Discussion :: Tank invaders?

[cberg]

I'm at a loss with all these little snail like guys clinging to the tank walls. There are no live plants and the only thing introduced into the tank is his pellet food. I did do a half tank water change a few days prior to these guys popping up. But the water used was from the kitchen tap (using the typical pitcher I use for changing water). I also used water conditioner specifically for aquatic turtles. Anybody have any idea what they are? And more importantly are they harmful to my red ear slider?

[Tampa Bay Turtle Fan]

Water snails in general are indeed eaten in the wild by turtles in general and not harmful at all. I keep a few medium sized captive produced breeder direct water snails in my tank to help clean debris and control algae in which I have been fortunate on my aquarium set up, I only have 4. They are not a good food source for turtles with the fat content however and mine are to big for them to eat yet they spend part of their time trying lol. More or less, it is a tease for them in my tank.

The snails I see in yours appears to be what is known as a baby mud snail. Is your turtle fairly new under your ownership or do you have fish or feed it feeder fish? I can't see with you treating the water with a conditioner and just using tap water, I can't see it coming from the tap but of course I do not know your water system really. If it is coming from your tap, I can't see the water healthy for you to drink steadily yourself as well as your family over time. My gut feeling is had to be introduced another way. Anyways, though a few might be okay to be in there , it is diffidently not something you want in bulk to allow a fatty turtle buffet.

[cberg]

Thanks, I might just keep some in there and see if they survive. Though I imagine Filburt will munch them up soon. Nothing has been introduced into the tank besides what I mentioned. I've had him for almost 10 years and the tank set up he currently has, he's had for over a year. I'm worried it may be the tap. We have city water, and the day I changed the water was one of the days they were flushing the hydrants (didn't know at the time). But still they said the water was perfectly safe to consume.... But now I'm wondering. The flushing is still going on, so I might try to set up a pitcher of water to see if anything hatches from it.

[steve]

You would need to empty and dry everything out for a few days. Some snail eggs are clear and clingy, very hard to find and get rid of once they get in.

[Tampa Bay Turtle Fan]

You would need to empty and dry everything out for a few days. Some snail eggs are clear and clingy, very hard to find and get rid of once they get in.

Exactly !Most snails can be a invasive pain in the back side regarding reproduction in a aquarium / pond / enclosure. But then like my fancy tail guppies on how the produce and if the my snails do the same, they just go into the fish tank out in the back yard and I raise them up a bit and turn them into the pet store in exchange for free turtle supplies.
I never keep to many things with my turtles at all and only a few encase they want to eat them as snacks while the snails and fancy tail guppies help control wasted debris and algae.

The mud snails are common in America and Canada and is a invasive European released pest more than anything in which a few States , I believe Nevada being one of many that had ordered extermination of wild colonies however it has proven to no success and they are everywhere. Pet shops won't take them . It is interesting and good possibility of what was stated on the hydrant flushing. That makes total sense.