Snail is Biting Pleco

[jessfish]

(not sure i should post this here or invertebrate section - but since it affects the pleco i'm guessing here)

Has anyone ever had a mystery/apple snail that repeatedly bites a (large) pleco?

One of my snails seems to have taken a fancy with biting Peru, the snail is a little more than an inch high, so its not big & Peru is an 8in pleco that I would think would move away when he's being bitten, but he doesn't always!

The snail did this when Peru had the growth on his mouth, but would also bite his fins & today for the 1st time the side of his face!!!!!!!!!!!

This has become such a regular thing I got a freakin video of it...mostly bc i find it kind of funny - unless his face is being bitten.

Why is the snail doing this?
Why is Peru letting it happen?

Is there a way to stop this or does my pleco who thinks he's a goldfish just need to stop being so chill?

here's the somewhat amusing video

[CassieLEO]

Probably because Perus slime coat tastes yummy. I know my snails always are eating stuff off eachothers shells, so whatever is on Peru tastes yummy. Also, with him being in that salt bath, it makes them have a thicker slime coat to help with healing....Your snail just thinks hes a tasty treat LMAO! Peru lets him because the snail isnt hurting him. He is just getting scraped, not actually bitten. Still not very nice!!!
If he hurts Peru, Peru will avoid him...

[Scrup]

Yeah, hes just nibbling him. Fish are pretty tasty. I had an apple snail that managed to catch and eat a live guppy whole. Was a little disturbing seeing a guppy head sticking out of its mouth, the gills still pumping....

I imagine the pleco is a bit too big for that to happen to. If he does annoy the pleco enough hell probably just get smacked off the glass or the pleco will swim away. Plecs can be pretty stubborn fish, not too surprising hes just sitting there.

[jessfish]

If he does annoy the pleco enough hell probably just get smacked off the glass or the pleco will swim away. Plecs can be pretty stubborn fish, not too surprising hes just sitting there.

Ya i guess stubborn is a good way to describe my pleco...at least i can't think of a way for the snail to attach to Peru without Peru being able to knock him off now - when he had the growth on his mouth the snail grabbed the growth & Peru couldnt'get rid of the snail! I worry about his eyes but im sure Peru would knock the snail off if he ever went for his eyes...

thats disturbing about the gubby!

[jessfish]

this snail has 9 lives tho...how long do they live with half a shell?
all my mystery snails end up dying from their shells deteriorating (except the baby born in the tank) but this snail has been trapped behind a rock for two days & lived, climbed out of the tank & was out for 12hrs & lived, half the shell was gone the beginning of Dec & its still alive...i was kind of rooting for it - its a survivor...but bitting/tasting my Peru who i've worked hard to keep alive...i can't have that LOL

holy hell...my big (almost an apple) snail was just tasting peru...peru moved...bigger snail, bigger teeth

Cassie u have a good point with the salt & slimecoat

[CassieLEO]

I have a snail I just moved into my Hex Tank as Sweet Pea is starting to try and eat him. He fell onto a rock and busted his shell and never fully recovered from it. He still eats and everything, hes just a ton smaller than the other snails that were in the tank with him. I figured this could be his retirement home.
I think its luck of the draw. I never have any issues with my snails, and he is the first not so healthy one. People are always nervous when I say I use the liquid calcium for marine aquariums, but I truly believe that is why I never have snail issues with deterioration of their shells. The sickly one I haves shell is his own fault for throwing himself onto a rock.
Im sure Peru will be fine. I have seen my snails eat dead fish before, so they are capable, but Peru has instincts that will tell him to get away from the snail if the snail is hurting him. And you are right, Peru wouldnt let him near his eye.
The old growth he had on his mouth probably looked like a nasty morsel of food hanging from Perus mouth....

[jessfish]

I never have any issues with my snails, and he is the first not so healthy one. People are always nervous when I say I use the liquid calcium for marine aquariums, but I truly believe that is why I never have snail issues with deterioration of their shells.

calcium for marine aquariums! that's safe for marine fish & u have freshwater so im guessing me pleoc & goldies would be ok with that.

I can't even remember how many snails i've had in the last yr, easily over 10 & all have died from their shells deteriorating. At this point i've given up (i've done sea shells & cuttle bone) i only have 3 spple snails left (the zebra is great, the trapdoor snail not so much) but i have one apple snail that is HUGE...

can this liquid calcium help rebuild shells do u know?

[CassieLEO]

It has smoothed them out and allowed them to grow more, but doesnt rebuild the lost shell. Thats what the problem is with the one that I have that broke his shell.
I use the Kents liquid Calcium. I add a tsp every other day to both tanks. Check out this article-

http://www.applesnail.net/forum3/viewtopic.php?t=13959

Also check out this-
http://www.applesnail.net/forum3/vie...hp?f=2&t=19007

The average dosing is one drop for each gallon. I use a tsp every other day and that works for my tank. I have never tested for calcium but from everything ive ever read you can not overdose a Freshwater Aquarium with calcium.

Hope this helps you!

[jessfish]

thanks for the links
i'll check out the prices of marine calcium on tues...here's a pic of my big snail - shell has no holes but is getting close is this the type of thing that the calcium would help or is this too far gone?

& because there is a pleco in the picture it still works in the pleco thread LOL

[Scrup]

Here ya go.

Calcuim in the water prevents shell erosion. Calcium in the diet enables them to repair the shell and is needed for healthy growth. I am guessing you have very soft/acidic water in that tank?