Snails in my tank!

[lou]

I have just discovered a snail in my terranium. I think it must have come from the pet shop as an egg on some plants that I bought recently. Can anyone tell me if it is likely to do any harm or if it can live quite happily in the tank with my Chinese FBNs? As far as I can see there is only one at the moment but thats not to say that there will not be more. Any help will be appreciated as I know nothing about snails.

 

[rob]

Depends on the species if it eat more food or produces more waste etc.

It shouldn't bother your chinese firebelly newts if that's what your worried about but it could increase the waste in your tank. If there is only one (which there is probably a lot more that you haven't seen though) then he can not reproduce unless it mated before you got the plant.

If there is more they may reproduce.

I have some snails in with my Chinese FBN's and they love eating the young ones and the eggs. The eggs mind you I have to scrap off the side with tweezers and feed them to them, but they love them. I imagine that the snail eggs are pretty good for them. ANd I see them eating smaller snails shell and all. Extra calcium in your shells.

I personally wouldn't worry about it unless the snail population gets way out of hand.

Rob

 

[amanda]

My fire belly newt's front leg is bent in the opposite direction of the other one. I think he came like this from the petstore! please help!

 

[nate]

Well, there's no way to fix that other than to amputate the limb just above the problem area and hope it grows back straight.