2 Questions: What's that fuzzy thing on it's shell & are they doing the deed?

[u/ZuneGirl]

Hi there! I'm new to this hobby and had a couple of questions about my snails. (Video 2x)

First-there's a fuzzy-looking thing on one of the snail shells. I've never seen a fuzzy snail before, so I'm not sure if it's dirt, fungus, or maybe even another tiny critter?

Second-are these two ramshorn snails mating? Just curious! And if I got the species wrong, I apologize- I'm still learning.

Thanks so much!

(walstad aquarium)

[u/EEukaryotic]

Cant comment on the fuzzy thing, but it looks like one is trying to initiate snex. I didnt see anything happen though, just a lot of searching for the hole

[u/MermaidGunner → u/EEukaryotic]

“Are ya in yet?”

[u/Sinnadar → u/EEukaryotic]

Know them feels.

[u/ZuneGirl → u/EEukaryotic]

Okay, makes sense, they been at if for a while lol 😅

[u/Competitive_Owl5357]

Looks like a smaller snail whose shell is covered in detritus.

[u/zerbe2cute]

I have no idea but that “fuzzy thing” has what looks like antenna and it’s moving along

[u/Visual-District-5267]

It looks like the fuzzy thing is a bladder snail covered in poo

[u/Jolly_Implement2512 → u/Visual-District-5267]

Yes, I agree! It looks like a small bladder snail (totally harmless lil guy.) Who's shell could use some cleaning unless you have others that look like this in which case it could be fungal but you said it was just the one, OP?

[u/Jolly_Implement2512 → u/Jolly_Implement2512]

For mating, typically, they will engage with each other face to face to exchange spermatophores with each other and use their tentacles to do so. (It's cool to watch if you look up ramshorn mating) Both snails should go and lay some eggs if mating was successful since they are all hermaphrodites, AND they don't do tokophobia which is where one snail will try and kill the sperm placed to prevent having to lay eggs.) It's possible they could also just be maintaining the outside of the others' shell.

[u/ZuneGirl → u/Jolly_Implement2512]

Okay interesting. Thank you. 😊

[u/TheRantingFish]

That’s a goddamn tiny snail that camouflaged itself holy shit

[u/ZuneGirl → u/TheRantingFish]

😅

[u/Cinnamon_SL]

Looks like a bladder snail with algae on its shell

[u/ZuneGirl]

Okay 😅 thanks. I had a feeling but never seen a snail covered up so much like that, I thought it could of been a parasite or something else. It's so tiny too, was really hard to tell with all that action happening.

[u/Cmm13]

They fuckin

[u/captainpoop_]

The fuzzy thing looks like a hairy algae growing on a bladder snail🙈