Breeding Snails

[Mighty Prawn]

So I am going to start breeding a variety of snails for my 2 puffers, and looking for advice from some people.

I was planning on doing a bare bottom tank, and I am going to split the tank up with a divider and also keep 2 Bettas in there if it's no problem. Gonna have it heated for the

Bettas to sit around 80, and I am going to have some light filtration via a sponge filter if that will help.

I am going to be using a 10 gallon tank for this, and hopefully I can breed different kinds of snails in there together. I have 3 gold and 3 black mystery snails right now, and I want to go and get some pond snails, too.

Would you guys advise against the Bettas for any reason? What about the sponge filter?

This would be a constant thing, where I would take the babies out at the right size and drop em in the puffer tank en mass to live/be hunted. And if it works out well enough, I think I will start doing some breeding of crayfish/shrimp if I can. Does anyone have any experience/advice about breeding them?

I figured, if I can get a good stock of snails going (I'm talking like, a 55 gallon tank for breeding them), and when they yield that much, I can either trade them in at the LFS for credit or sell them to members here for dirt cheap, or trade for other snails with members.

-Hideo

[Tanker]

I have a five gallon I breed in, and it provides enough snails for my pair of Figure 8s and my dwarfs. Bare bottom is fine for pond snails and mystery snails, but you'll want sand for Malaysians.

A few things I have noticed: Mystery snails are actually the worst snails ever to breed They lay their eggs above the water line, and only the inner eggs hatch, the outer ones dry out and protect the eggs. It takes a month or so to gestate and there really are not that many that come out. Maybe 30 or so.

Malaysians are prolific... goodness to they go and go and go... sinking pellets and some sand to spend their days in and they will literally run the tank. The problem is that smaller puffers have a very hard time with their shells, they are the thickest and tough to chew. Even my Figs have a tough time with them once the snails get over 1/2" long. This means they don't get all the 'goods' out and it fouls the water, quickly.

Pond snails are my favorite. They breed fast, have shells all puffers can demolish, and eat anything you put in the tank. All you need is two and within 6 weeks you'll seriously have over 100 breeding size. This is one of the snails that you do need two, though... only one and you'll just have one old snail. I use fresh spinach leaves and flake food, with shrimp pellets once in a while and they do well. For some real fun, drop a couple in your canister filter I have a couple that provide a fresh 100 or so every couple weeks when I clean out my Rena.

As for your plans for the 55 gallon... the waste generated by that many snails would require massive water changes and getting rid of the snails will prove to be more difficult than you may imagine. Everyone who keeps a fish already has the means to supply their own snails. LFS give them away for free and so do most hobbyists (anyone is welcome to a baggy of Malaysian or Ponds, anytime they want... I'll even mail out Malaysians as once they dry out they go into a suspended state.) If you were to breed Zebra snails, you may find a market then. I have no info on breeding them but I'm sure it's out there.

Oh, and one last thing... bettas are stupid and will put anything in their mouths... I have seen them chew on a snail for entire minutes before giving up and spitting it out. Fun to see but I'd be concerned of the fish getting 'blocked' and not being able to pass it's food down the path. I have seen my bettas snatch snails right off the side of the glass before...

Just my thoughts and experiences, but hopefully helpful for you.

[Mighty Prawn]

Very helpful, actually.

Everywhere I went today, no one had pond snails. Can you reccomend where to get some? If you have some spare adults, can I buy some from you directly?

Hrrm, good point about the mass breeding of snails. I always get carried away.

-Hideo

[fatpuffer]

I recommend ramshorn...breeds like crazy! I found apple snails to breed to slow for my puffs at least.

js

P.S. According to pufferforum, malaysian trumpet snails shells are too hard, there is a possibility of breaking their beaks.

Edited January 1, 2006 by fatpuffer

[Toirtis]

Very helpful, actually.

Everywhere I went today, no one had pond snails. Can you reccomend where to get some? If you have some spare adults, can I buy some from you directly?

Ask and ye shall recieve.....I can give you a good handful of the small, 'pest' ramshorns (and possibly a few pond snails as well), which breed as quickly as the pond snails and are great as puffer food. Just e-mail me and let me know when you would like to drop by for them (I am in Mt. Pleasant in the NW).

[Tanker]

I was going to include Rams in my 'Snail FAQ' but I find their shells pose no challenge at all for my puffers... they are almost too thin. I can break their shells between my finger and thumb just picking them up, and I am by NO means a 'tough guy'. Maybe I have some thinner shelled rams, of course... I only have the one kind (hitch-hiked in on some plants a month ago or so) and they are still fairly smallish (although I have one in my fry tank that could cover a nickle, now). Given the choice I personally say pond snails are the best bet... although they all have merits. try a couple types and see what you like!

Something JUST so cool about a puffer putting the whole shell in it's mouth... pausing to chew... then spitting out a cloud of dust and shell fragments.

[jvision]

One thing I have noticed about snails... Pond snails in my planted tank only get a certain size. After that, I think they croak. The CO2 makes their shells too thin. In my African tanks, if they survive to a good size, they'll keep growing - lots of Ca in the water from the dissolving shells.