Local place to find snails?

[pogglywoggly]

Do you guys know if any of the major pet chains would have ramshorns or comparable snails for my puffer to snack on? If not would a local fish store be likely to have any?

[purplecandle]

Welcome to the forum. First what kind of puffer do you have/what size is it?

Next, ramshorns are pest snails in most stores so they don't sell them, you can ask if they will give you some if they happen to have them.

You can order some online from places like aquabid.com and then set up a snail tank a bread your own.

[G S P Freak]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EGG-CLUTCHES-OF ... 4d065a8aa8
Buy these, stuff them in a snail-tank setup and wait a few weeks. It'll be teeming with snails before long. Or if you really need snails fast, they also sell adult ramshorns on ebay too.

[pogglywoggly]

Welcome to the forum. First what kind of puffer do you have/what size is it?

Next, ramshorns are pest snails in most stores so they don't sell them, you can ask if they will give you some if they happen to have them.

You can order some online from places like aquabid.com and then set up a snail tank a bread your own.

Thanks! I have a single figure 8 who is about an inch and a half long.

I was considering doing that and buying them online and allowing them to procreate. What is really necessary to make a habitat environment for them to be able to do that? I'd like to be as economical as possible.

[purplecandle]

Here is an article on snail breeding, and no they do not need extensive decor, sunken pirate ships or any thing like that. BUT, they will require a lot of water changes and maintenance as they poop a lot!

Snail breeding article
library/feeding/basic-snail-breeding/

And here is a basic puffer feeding article
library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/

And just in case you need it, here is an article about your little brackish puffer
library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/

[bertie 83]

Bare bottom tank with a heater and a few greens or fake greens. A bubbler filter or similar is useful. Keep it very clean

[pogglywoggly]

Ok I was actually thinking about buying a new tank for my main puffer and then converting the current tank into the snail farm since it already has everything necessary to keep them.


I really like the biocube http://www.amazon.com/Coralife-15606-Bi ... ds=biocube would you guys thing this is a sufficient home for my puff with adequate substrate and impressive and interesting decor to keep him busy?

[purplecandle]

It says it is only 11 gallons and you need atleast 15 gallons for an f8. To be honest you would come out cheaper going to a pet store and buying a 20 gallon kit. Also check craigslist for used 20 gallons...super cheap

[*GSP*Fan*]

I second getting snails on Ebay. I did not have a pet store near me that had any, odd huh?

But I got I think I got around 20 ramshorn snails for a few dollars on Ebay about a month or more ago.

I have them set up in a 5 gallon tank with some gravel substrate, fake plants, heater, and a sponge filter powered by an air pump.

I started seeing the eggs almost immediately and for about a week or so now I've been seeing tons of baby snails of varying sizes.

[Master of Puffers]

I'm starting a snail breeding factory, too. But a couple of my LFS will gladly give me snails as long as I go on a less busy day.

[pogglywoggly]

Ok got it all figured out. I am in the process of beginning the transition to brackish water from fresh. I have my buckets of water filled and treated with conditioner...added recommended amounts of salt and letting that desolve now before a hydrometer check & 20% water change to get the specific gravity level up to 1.002. Hopefully this goes smoothly

[Pufferpunk]

HUH??? All this for snails?