MTS explosion

[fishycanuck]

Wow!
I've just had a population explosion in my 25G.
Yesterday evening, I put some flake in the tank and sat down to watch the feeding frenzy. This morning, there are hundreds (I mean it) of MTS of all sizes in the tank.
This is a very stable tank, only two new things in the last several months - last week I added a DAF and scraped the algae off the glass. There are usually some of the round nautilus-type snails and a few MTS drifting around, but this is like nothing I have ever seen.
I'm curious - what would cause such a huge leap in the snail population? And does anybody want some?

[Toss]

MTS doesn't "explode" overnight. I probably have hundreds already without knowing it
They hide in your substrate and out when it is dark. If they all out during daylight, it could be a sign of something bad is going to happen. If they all go to the surface, you might do a quick water change. If they only wondering around on top of the substrate, you just need to do a quick gravel vac. Something in your water column and/or in your substrate that they don't like

[Zoe]

It was like that in my 75g.  MTS seem to come out in cycles - most nights, they would just mill around the substrate and I wouldn't really see them. Occasionally, maybe 1 day every week or two, they should come out on the glass at night by the 100's.

If they bother you, just feed less, and many will eventually die off, but you'll still keep some alive to keep your substrate clean.

[fishycanuck]

I know, they didn't just spontaneously arrive - there were all sizes in the mix - but to go from seeing one or two, here or there, to such a big crowd all on the glass, woot!
There are still 30 or 40 on the glass, but most have retreated. I'm happy for them to do cleanup for me, just surprised.

[beowulf]

I know the feeling, I put 3-4 of them a few months back in my 90g african tank and about a week ago when the lights went on in the morning I was looking in the tank and the whole substrate seemed to be moving.  I could see over a hundred of them easy going back into the substrate now that the lights were on.

[pminister]

are MTS a form of a snail.?

[estuary]

yes
heres a link
http://www.planetinverts.com/malaysian_trumpet_snail.html

[fishycanuck]

Curiouser and curiouser.
I did the water tests yesterday, and everything was as it has been - pH 6.0, no ammonia or nitrite, nitrate 10. There were still loads of snails in evidence, and one of the platys was looking peaky, so I did a 50% water change (usually do about 20% weekly)
Today the mts have gone back into hiding. The platy looks a little better, the rest of the fish and the frog look the same - healthy.

[Toss]

Test kit is only a guide. It doesn't tell you exactly the quality of your tank water. The best way is to "ask" the creature who lives in the tank. They will "tell" you how they like their water

[fishycanuck]

Toss, are you a "fish whisperer"? 
I wish I knew what caused the fish and snails to be stressed. Whatever it is, it appears to be over.
Whew!

[drboeing]

not wanting to thread jack, but are MTS tough enough for Yellow Labs?  I love snails, but after watching my massive out of control population of Pond Snails get reduced to none within a few weeks, Im hesitant to add more crawlers to my tank.

[beowulf]

not wanting to thread jack, but are MTS tough enough for Yellow Labs?  I love snails, but after watching my massive out of control population of Pond Snails get reduced to none within a few weeks, Im hesitant to add more crawlers to my tank.

I added a few to an african tank and now have hundreds.

[DawnMarie81]

Do these types of snails clean the algae from the tank?  Are they salt water or fresh water?  I have never heard of these before.  I somehow ended up with one lonely little snale, looke like a normal round little guy, in my tank somehow...if i add some of these other snails, will it help control my algae problems?

[beowulf]

Do these types of snails clean the algae from the tank?  Are they salt water or fresh water?  I have never heard of these before.  I somehow ended up with one lonely little snale, looke like a normal round little guy, in my tank somehow...if i add some of these other snails, will it help control my algae problems?

yes and no.  They will eat some but if you look at the profile in the link futher up you will see that they tend to hide out in the substrate during the day so they are not the best algea control choice.

[fishycanuck]

They are fresh water snails.
If you want good algae cleaners, get some of the little round ones.
My initial "breeding stock" was provided free by a member who just had to dip a jar in his tank to get dozens of them for me.
In three years, I think I've only had to clean the glass once or twice.