Snails

**MA Machine** · 09-23-2009, 12:56 PM

I'd like to get a population of snails going in the lake. I plan on putting some Redears in and thought that may help out a bit. Any ideas of where to get snails. The lake is located in GI. Any disadvantage of having snails? I just think they would be a nice extra food source for the fish. I have no idea why there are not any snails right now. Plenty of rocks and cat tails.

Omaha · 09-23-2009, 03:45 PM

Do you subscribe to PondBoss mag? You should if you don't already.

They have a great article in this current edition exclusively on snails. I just kind of skimmed it for now. Are you local (near Omaha)? I'd let you borrow it if you want to read the article. It's not an extensive article, so maybe I'll read it thoroughly and give you the rundown. I know nothing about snails so this is my only contribution.

EDIT - I guess I can add a little bit more, just for discussion purposes. From everything I have read about snails, which admittedly has been little, I get the impression they'll show up on their own, no need to stock them. But if you have an established pond and aren't seeing any, well then, I'm stumped too.

**MA Machine** · 09-24-2009, 02:43 AM

That's one magazine I should get. I'll check them out.

Omaha · 09-24-2009, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MA Machine

That's one magazine I should get. I'll check them out.

Yeah you should. The only thing that sucks is it's bi-monthly. I've read it front to back 4 times before I get the next one.

ADV1 · 09-24-2009, 03:43 PM

I Dunno much about snails but my best freinds folks live on Hedgefeild lake and a few years back some people introduced these larger snails to it and they freaking took over! seriously! they where everywhere! Then periodically you'd see those people down there harvisting them! Pissed me off because it's illegal to introduce new species to an environment.

If I remember correctly I don't think anyone ever found out what species these where either!

Omaha · 09-24-2009, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADV1

I Dunno much about snails but my best freinds folks live on Hedgefeild lake and a few years back some people introduced these larger snails to it and they freaking took over! seriously! they where everywhere! Then periodically you'd see those people down there harvisting them! Pissed me off because it's illegal to introduce new species to an environment.

If I remember correctly I don't think anyone ever found out what species these where either!

By 'took over', you mean they were detrimental?

ADV1 · 09-24-2009, 04:07 PM

Oh yeah! there where THOUSANDS of them! I'm not even kidding... most where 2-3" in Dia and 1-2" wide... Some kind of Asian snail. I wonder how they are going to be assured of having them all gone after the lake is done? I would think that there is a chance you could miss one or Two in the mud somewhere and end up having the same problem.

Omaha · 09-24-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADV1

Oh yeah! there where THOUSANDS of them! I'm not even kidding... most where 2-3" in Dia and 1-2" wide... Some kind of Asian snail. I wonder how they are going to be assured of having them all gone after the lake is done? I would think that there is a chance you could miss one or Two in the mud somewhere and end up having the same problem.

Oh, yeah, I would think it'd be very difficult to eradicate them all. How are they 'fixing' the problem?

ADV1 · 09-24-2009, 08:46 PM

Nuke?

Omaha · 09-25-2009, 06:43 AM

Ha, yeah I don't have the slightest clue how you would get rid of an army of snails. But you said they were doing something to the lake to fix the problem? What was it they were going to do?

ADV1 · 09-25-2009, 11:11 AM

The lake is drained for rehab right now and I assumed the eradication of them darn things would be on the list of To-Dos!

Omaha · 09-25-2009, 12:36 PM

Man, I would think the only way to get rid of them would be poison. Jeez, that was a stupid thing to do. Send them the damn bill.

Omaha · 09-28-2009, 12:26 PM

Looks like draining will fix the issue. Phew.

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitetips

In Reply to your post #250048

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADV1

I Dunno much about snails but my best freinds folks live on Hedgefeild lake and a few years back some people introduced these larger snails to it and they freaking took over! seriously! they where everywhere! Then periodically you'd see those people down there harvisting them! Pissed me off because it's illegal to introduce new species to an environment.

If I remember correctly I don't think anyone ever found out what species these where either!

They are Chinese Mystery Snails, no I do not mean they are a "mystery", that is actually their name. They are an exotic species. I cannot tell you what detrimental impacts they might have, but we would rather not have them around. A fish pox on whoever is transporting them!

Hedgefield has been drained for dam repairs and some aquatic habitat work. Those snails do not survive out of the water so that should take care of them. But . . . anyone want to bet on how long it takes before someone puts them back in there?

Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
daryl.bauer@nebraska.gov
Barbs and Backlashes

P.S. Please feel free to share this message with others.

Anyway, sorry for the hijack MA. Back on topic...

ADV1 · 09-28-2009, 12:31 PM

If that ended up being a Hi-Jack I'm sorry... Hopefully however it ended up being usefull to show how invaseive species can become!

Good Luck on your project!

**Mako** · 09-28-2009, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omaha

Do you subscribe to PondBoss mag? You should if you don't already.

I've heard a famous forum member who knows something about Pond Boss.

**MA Machine** · 09-30-2009, 12:27 PM

I found the snails I need. They are really tiny black snails. A forum member has offered some to me and I also found a lake that has the right snails so I should be in business. Hopefully they will be another food source for the fish. Maybe, just maybe, our lake will be producing some quality gills in a year or so. There's still a bunch of work to do but it's starting to get better all the time.

Omaha · 09-30-2009, 01:03 PM

Sounds good MA. What are the specifics of the BOW if you don't mind sharing?

bigjigs · 10-01-2009, 08:23 PM

I've seen those little black snails. If you go to a lake that has coontail in it, you can usually grab a handfull of it and its loaded with the snails. It gave me new perspective on why bluegills don't drop into the basin until most of the weeds die in winter.

**MA Machine** · 10-02-2009, 10:21 PM

Yes there is coontail in it. I'm trying to think of a way to plant a coon tail patch. I think I have a plan. If it works I'll post it. I'm not sure of the name of the snails yet but they are very little black snails.

09-23-2009, 12:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
MA Machine MA Machine is Thawing his brain out 2008 Catch and Continue Finalist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lincoln NEFGA Line Recycling Volunteer Posts: 3,006 Thanks: 1,090 Thanked 1,230 Times in 634 Posts	Snails I'd like to get a population of snails going in the lake. I plan on putting some Redears in and thought that may help out a bit. Any ideas of where to get snails. The lake is located in GI. Any disadvantage of having snails? I just think they would be a nice extra food source for the fish. I have no idea why there are not any snails right now. Plenty of rocks and cat tails. __________________ The only 2 things keeping me from going pro are skill and luck.

09-23-2009, 03:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
Omaha Omaha is building a pond. Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Omaha/Springfield, NE Certified Youth Fishing Instructor Posts: 788 Thanks: 333 Thanked 195 Times in 139 Posts	Do you subscribe to PondBoss mag? You should if you don't already. They have a great article in this current edition exclusively on snails. I just kind of skimmed it for now. Are you local (near Omaha)? I'd let you borrow it if you want to read the article. It's not an extensive article, so maybe I'll read it thoroughly and give you the rundown. I know nothing about snails so this is my only contribution. EDIT - I guess I can add a little bit more, just for discussion purposes. From everything I have read about snails, which admittedly has been little, I get the impression they'll show up on their own, no need to stock them. But if you have an established pond and aren't seeing any, well then, I'm stumped too. Last edited by Omaha; 09-23-2009 at 03:48 PM..

09-24-2009, 02:43 AM	#3 (permalink)
MA Machine MA Machine is Thawing his brain out 2008 Catch and Continue Finalist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lincoln NEFGA Line Recycling Volunteer Posts: 3,006 Thanks: 1,090 Thanked 1,230 Times in 634 Posts	That's one magazine I should get. I'll check them out. __________________ The only 2 things keeping me from going pro are skill and luck.

09-24-2009, 03:43 PM	#5 (permalink)
ADV1 ADV1 is thinking about a large rack! :) Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Gretna, NE Posts: 203 Thanks: 13 Thanked 50 Times in 38 Posts	I Dunno much about snails but my best freinds folks live on Hedgefeild lake and a few years back some people introduced these larger snails to it and they freaking took over! seriously! they where everywhere! Then periodically you'd see those people down there harvisting them! Pissed me off because it's illegal to introduce new species to an environment. If I remember correctly I don't think anyone ever found out what species these where either! __________________ "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over!

09-24-2009, 04:07 PM	#7 (permalink)
ADV1 ADV1 is thinking about a large rack! :) Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Gretna, NE Posts: 203 Thanks: 13 Thanked 50 Times in 38 Posts	Oh yeah! there where THOUSANDS of them! I'm not even kidding... most where 2-3" in Dia and 1-2" wide... Some kind of Asian snail. I wonder how they are going to be assured of having them all gone after the lake is done? I would think that there is a chance you could miss one or Two in the mud somewhere and end up having the same problem. __________________ "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over!

09-24-2009, 08:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
ADV1 ADV1 is thinking about a large rack! :) Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Gretna, NE Posts: 203 Thanks: 13 Thanked 50 Times in 38 Posts	Nuke? __________________ "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over!

09-25-2009, 06:43 AM	#10 (permalink)
Omaha Omaha is building a pond. Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Omaha/Springfield, NE Certified Youth Fishing Instructor Posts: 788 Thanks: 333 Thanked 195 Times in 139 Posts	Ha, yeah I don't have the slightest clue how you would get rid of an army of snails. But you said they were doing something to the lake to fix the problem? What was it they were going to do?

09-25-2009, 11:11 AM	#11 (permalink)
ADV1 ADV1 is thinking about a large rack! :) Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Gretna, NE Posts: 203 Thanks: 13 Thanked 50 Times in 38 Posts	The lake is drained for rehab right now and I assumed the eradication of them darn things would be on the list of To-Dos! __________________ "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over!

09-25-2009, 12:36 PM	#12 (permalink)
Omaha Omaha is building a pond. Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Omaha/Springfield, NE Certified Youth Fishing Instructor Posts: 788 Thanks: 333 Thanked 195 Times in 139 Posts	Man, I would think the only way to get rid of them would be poison. Jeez, that was a stupid thing to do. Send them the damn bill.

09-28-2009, 12:31 PM	#14 (permalink)
ADV1 ADV1 is thinking about a large rack! :) Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Gretna, NE Posts: 203 Thanks: 13 Thanked 50 Times in 38 Posts	If that ended up being a Hi-Jack I'm sorry... Hopefully however it ended up being usefull to show how invaseive species can become! Good Luck on your project! __________________ "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over!

09-30-2009, 12:27 PM	#16 (permalink)
MA Machine MA Machine is Thawing his brain out 2008 Catch and Continue Finalist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lincoln NEFGA Line Recycling Volunteer Posts: 3,006 Thanks: 1,090 Thanked 1,230 Times in 634 Posts	I found the snails I need. They are really tiny black snails. A forum member has offered some to me and I also found a lake that has the right snails so I should be in business. Hopefully they will be another food source for the fish. Maybe, just maybe, our lake will be producing some quality gills in a year or so. There's still a bunch of work to do but it's starting to get better all the time. __________________ The only 2 things keeping me from going pro are skill and luck.

09-30-2009, 01:03 PM	#17 (permalink)
Omaha Omaha is building a pond. Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Omaha/Springfield, NE Certified Youth Fishing Instructor Posts: 788 Thanks: 333 Thanked 195 Times in 139 Posts	Sounds good MA. What are the specifics of the BOW if you don't mind sharing?

10-01-2009, 08:23 PM	#18 (permalink)
bigjigs bigjigs has no status. Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: fremont Posts: 295 Thanks: 35 Thanked 70 Times in 53 Posts	I've seen those little black snails. If you go to a lake that has coontail in it, you can usually grab a handfull of it and its loaded with the snails. It gave me new perspective on why bluegills don't drop into the basin until most of the weeds die in winter.

10-02-2009, 10:21 PM	#19 (permalink)
MA Machine MA Machine is Thawing his brain out 2008 Catch and Continue Finalist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lincoln NEFGA Line Recycling Volunteer Posts: 3,006 Thanks: 1,090 Thanked 1,230 Times in 634 Posts	Yes there is coontail in it. I'm trying to think of a way to plant a coon tail patch. I think I have a plan. If it works I'll post it. I'm not sure of the name of the snails yet but they are very little black snails. __________________ The only 2 things keeping me from going pro are skill and luck.

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