snail breeding failure!!

baily · Post by **baily** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:55 pm

I need help! i have tried to breed practically every type of snail out there by using at least 4 different methods and it keeps on failing. Could anyone please tell me the easiest set up with the easiest snails to breed so i can not screw this up, thanks

yellow · Post by **yellow** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:19 pm

Did you try pond snails?
How didyou try to breed them?

Post by **Myaj** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:25 pm

A ten gallon tank with a filter (AC 150 is about perfect although a sponge filter would probably be fine as well), preferably some live plants such as java moss, anacharis, hygro, najas grass (basically anything that will grow with little attention from you). A heater is optional, I don't bother with one.

Some healthy ramshorns or pond snails to start off with. Then feed daily (fish food, algae wafers, zuchanni) an appropriate amount. If the water is getting nasty, you are feeding too much.

I don't do water changes as religiously on my snail breeding tank, but I do pretty much 100% changes when I do do them. Since the snails will be fine out of water for a few minutes, or with only a half inch or so, I just drain and refill the tank.

Then of course you have to wait. The more snails you have, the more you'll need to feed them but again, you dont' want the water getting all nasty.

Oh yes, toss in a cuttlebone as well, for calcium.

I don't know why but I never had luck using anything smaller than 10 gallons, even with a filter.

GSPdragon · Post by **GSPdragon** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 11:40 pm

Please tell us what you are doing, so we can figure out what might be going wrong... it took me several tries before I got it right... and now I have TO MANY snails. What is happening? Have you checked your tank (any trace of copper will cause you issues... I kept having mine die after water changes, changed out the tank and no more issues)

For mine...

5.5g all glass little aquarium, standard hood with one screw in bulb (left on 12 hours per day on a timer), AC 20 filter with extra sponge over intake (rinsed as often as needed to keep up flow in filter), heater set to about 78 (lower when I have to many snails, seem to breed slower when its colder), i feed sinking waffers for bottom feeders and standard cheapo flake food. I have a whole mess of java moss, I also have a small amount of gravel on the bottom... most people like barebottom for snail tanks but I have better luck with some gravel. If I'm being good I do a 50% water change a week, I've gone much longer though

I started out with a batch of healthy ramshorms (got some from a member here, and then got another batch from Wilma (google wilma and snails and youll find her))

So if you're having problems make sure your set up is correct, when you do your water changes make sure your temp is close to the tank temp, add your dechlorinator, be sure youre feeding enough....

Good Luck

strike2 · Post by **strike2** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 12:23 am

can apple snails and mystery snails breed easily?

Post by **Myaj** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 12:40 am

I believe they do, but they take a lot longer to grow, and of course they get awful big so you only have a short time span where they are useful for puffer feedings.

They lay eggs by the hundreds though. I think http://www.applesnail.net is a good resource for breeding and care info on them?

Rocker · Post by **Rocker** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:23 am

apple snails are slow. Ramshorns I find are by far the quickest, except of course MTS

GSPdragon · Post by **GSPdragon** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:54 pm

Note to newbies though.... NO MTS for your puffers, shells are to hard and break teeth.

Ramshorn are really ideal if you ask me, breed easily, good sized etc

strike2 · Post by **strike2** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:57 pm

These arent for feeders...more of a living decor.

baily · Post by **baily** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:19 pm

I have mine in a 3 gal acrylic with a small filter and some gravel on the bottom, I have an algae ball in there and a fake plant so i have something to look at haha. I haven't been able to get a hold of any descent ramshorns so i have some common pond snails in there right now, but some are very tiny. I do 50% water changes every 2 weeks or so and i dechlorinate, so i don't know whats wrong, tank size maybe?

Post by **Myaj** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:41 pm

Are you feeding them?

baily · Post by **baily** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:58 pm

yeah, they get fish food and some occasional lettuce, should i be doing anything else, i don't have a light on the tank but they get light from the window they are by

The Fisherman · Post by **The Fisherman** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 3:04 pm

Is there any Copper in your tap water?

baily · Post by **baily** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:52 am

no that i have been able to detect, has anyone found anywhere that sells snails (rams horns) for cheap?

saynever · Post by **saynever** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 11:53 pm

hell i am using a bucket and i am breedin them( i want to add a heater because the house sits at about 65 degrees Fahrenheit and its a tad too cool for them.

water, filter, food. The snails usually do the rest. I do 80% water changes weekly and feed them algae waffers. I got an aquaclear 150 on a 5g bucket.

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snail breeding failure!!

snail breeding failure!!