Mysterious fish disappearance solved

Earlier this summer I posted this:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I have solved the mystery. The fish were being rapidly devoured by my black mystery snail.

I did not know that they eat fish, but they do. I had one more tiny little fish die. Luckily I saw where his little corpse lay when it died. I then watched whenever possible. About a few hours later the mystery snail was on the fish. Within one day nothing was left but a tiny spine.

So if the fish does not float and goes to the bottom, it seems the snails do the dirty work to remove the evidence.

a reply to: Fools

sometimes fish jump out of the aquarium and this time cat eat it.

a reply to: Fools

Wow I remember that thread.

A snail! Crazy. PICS!

It's good to have closure.

a reply to: Fools

I remember this. I also remember thinking it can't be a mystery, the other fish must eat them.

But you knew that wasn't the case all along - it was a mystery snail!

This reminds me of when I stocked a tank with pygmy puffers. They crunch down on snails. After a month, a tank which was full of snails was completely void of all snail activity.

I removed the puffers.

The next day the snails are back! Turns out they hide under the gravel.

Happy fish keeping.

a reply to: and14263

Dam dirty SNAILS .....

originally posted by: scraedtosleep
a reply to: Fools

Wow I remember that thread.

A snail! Crazy. PICS!

PIC of the carnivorous snail? Sure. Working at the moment but I will try to upload soon.

Mystery snails are really weird. They move really fast for a snail and if you own one, you will see why they are called mystery snails. They are everywhere all the time. They get pretty good sized for a snail as well. Mine is about half the size of a silver dollar.

I just did not know they make such quick work of corpses. Sure the other fish would peck and nibble at their dead brethren, but this snail is like the blob or something. It just sits on top and eats and eats.

I remember the disappearing fish thread.

I'm glad that you finally found out what was happening.

I'm getting ready to setup a freshwater tank for my granddaughter. I'm going to make sure to stay clear of mystery snails.


-dex

I have a brother who tried to build his own eco system for tropical fishes. However, it was a half gallon bowl. And everything died the following week.

a reply to: Fools

How can a snail outrun a fish though? Niether of them have legs.

originally posted by: WhatsNextGuize
a reply to: Fools

How can a snail outrun a fish though? Niether of them have legs.

Well the fish dies first. My theory is that if a fish dies and doesn't go to the bottom I see it. If it sinks and then is in some odd corner where I don't see it initially - the snail eats it. Oddly this snail is kind of bigger than any of the fish. I didn't know it would get so large.

www.aquariumcoop.com...

If you get one only get one because if they breed, like any snail, you will run the risk of a nitrate (amonia) issue. But they clean the heck out of the tank. I have a 38 gallon tank and since it has come to live there I haven't had to change out the water nearly as often.