Wild Snails

[Almi]

So...my roommates went to the lake the other day, and they brought home a bunch of snail shells...and ten huge snails. I discovered them sitting on the back porch and saw one moving...they were in a plastic container with no moisture. I don't know what the species is, but they are in the same family as mystery snails, at the very least, I think:





So you can get a better idea of their size (I have average sized woman hands):


As you can see, right now I have these suckers in just a tiny 1.5 gallon tank I had laying around.

I do have two other tanks. I have a 55 gallon with five fancy goldfish in it, and I have a 29 with various tropicals, mostly platies and a few tetras.

What I'm wondering is, can snails carry diseases or parasites that would attack fish? Or would I be able to pop these in my goldfish tank and let them provide my fish with fresh snails to eat on a regular basis?

I certainly don't want to just let them die like my roommates were going to do, and returning them to the lake they got them from is not an option for me. =/

[ron v]

They certainly do carry disease/parasites. There may be a way to treat to eliminate problems but I don't know about that. Maybe someone else will chime in. I wouldn't put them in an aquarium untill you fine out.... Nice photo, btw.

[Almi]

Yeah, I want to be sure they're okay before I put them in my goldie tank...it would be very heartbreaking for me to lose my goldfish and it would be annoying to have to sterilize a 55 gallon.

Thank you. :3

[nedla]

I would like to look them up. Can you tell me what state they were found in, so I can narrow down the possibilities of what they are?
Unless you've aready figured it out.

Thanks.

[N0z]

if i was to put them in my tank i would rinse them under a tap a few times then put them in a jar and then put them in a different jar and then rinse them again then put them in my awesome tank :3

[Zakk]

those common snails can and will become a pest in the tank. i dont suggest you keep them if you got live plants. am sorry but they are UGLY!

and yes they will carry infections and diseases. i dont think washing them down well will make a difference to it.

[Almi]

Okay, thanks. I think I'd rather have plants in my goldfish tank than snails. I'll just leave them in the 1.5 gallon and let my roommates do what they want with them. They already had a little pea-sized baby. =P

[Toshogu]

Personally I like the way the look, they are huge!!! Aside from that I have no good way of figuering a quarantine and cleaning cycle for those things. Best thing I could suggest is wait until you find snail eggs, remove the eggs to a sterile clean tank, and then raise them. The baby snails should be free of parisites.