# Can Someone Explain What's Going On With My Snail? Bizarre Chain Of Events...



## IvanTheTerrible (Sep 23, 2012)

We recently set up a fishtank for my son, and after a few weeks decided to add a Mystery snail named Gary (of course). He's in the tank with 6 tetras. Everything has been fine for the last few weeks. He's active, he eats Algae pellets and fresh spinach, and has been pretty happy. The tank has 2 fake plants, a fake piece of coral, gravel, and a statue of neptune...nothing crazy.

Then starting this morning, we have experienced a VERY strange chain of events. 

1. When we woke up we noticed Gary had a little growth attached to him. Then we noticed the growth was moving! It was a baby snail! Tiny - 2mm long. I should emphasize that Gary is the lone snail in the tank, and there aren't any live plants...I call the baby the immaculate conception snail.

2. At that point I searched the entire tank for snail eggs...found nothing. There were no eggs anywhere. After a while, "Gary Jr" (of course) went down to the bottom and started feeding. 

3. Gary was doing laps around the top of the tank near the waterline. He did this for about an hour, and would lick the glass every lap or so. Then, he would stop every little while, and literally twist his entire body and hang almost completely out of his shell. Almost like he was stretching. He would twist, curl backwards, extend out...super weird, and nothing we had seen him do. Eventually he found a spot at the front-left corner of the tank near the waterline and pretty much sat there all day. Until number 4 happened.

4. We went out for a while, and when we got back, there were white strings with tiny white dots on them all over the tank. Some were at least 6 inches long! Then we saw Gary, who was still sitting in the same spot in the corner near the waterline, release another string with dots. They were tangled all over the plants and poor Neptune, and there were smaller pieces on the gravel.

5. A short while ago I noticed he was a little pale. Then he suddenly released the glass and jumped down to the gravel. He walked around for a while, it looked like he ate some of the algae pellet, then eventually walked to the other end of the tank and climbed back up to the waterline, where he remains as I type. 

Meanwhile, the immaculate conception baby snail is still cruising around the gravel, eating while exploring a very small radius of gravel.

Can anyone shed light on each of the points above?

Thanks in advance for your help!
-I


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## Isrolina (Sep 16, 2012)

I believe snails can reproduce on their own, concluding the fact snails have no gender. I don't know what to add, maybe if Susancat were to chime in and figure this strange mystery.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

A mystery snail needs both sexes to breed. Sounds like Gary is a female and was carrying eggs but with no male she released them. But in a very unusual manner. They usually lay eggs above the water line in a sac that is white more like a cacoon.


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## IvanTheTerrible (Sep 23, 2012)

Here is a pic of the stringy stuff.









Here is a pic of Gary. Although it's not perfect, his color is almost back to normal.









Here is a pic of Gary Jr.


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## IvanTheTerrible (Sep 23, 2012)

Wow - those are some giant pics lol


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## Auban (Aug 8, 2010)

i cant see your pics.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Neither can I


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## Isrolina (Sep 16, 2012)

I can't see them either. Maybe if you're using like a mobile device (iPads are considered mobile devices) you can't see them.


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## enola (Dec 31, 2011)

The stringy stuff sounds like poop. My snail will do that every once in a while. Huge strings of poop all over the tank.


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