The Puffer Forum

I would like to start breeding Ramshorn snails to feed a Figure Eight Puffer.

Day 1
Bought a Tetra Aquarium Cube Tank (1.5 Gallons), leaving it bare bottom.
Added the supplied air pump powered filter.
Added ~30 Ramshorn snails (the seller included a lot of extras).
Feeding them algae wafers and fish flake food.

Day 2
The next day, I noticed some eggs on the wall, tested the ammonia which was 0.
Did a water change. I planned to do a 50% water change, just didn't think about how fast the water goes from a 1.5 gallon, so it ended up being an 80% water change. Added Prime.
Right after the water change, all of the snails closed up inside their shells. I started worrying about it, but left them alone to see how they do the following day.

Day 3
The ammonia is still 0.
The snails are lethargic, with some hanging out of their shell and attached to the floor, but on their sides. Some are still inside their shells. <5 are actually on the walls, the rest on the floor.
Did another water change, 50% this time, added Prime.

Should I have cycled this tank as well? Is 1.5 gallon too small for a snails only tank?

Am I just slowly killing my snails? What am I doing wrong?

Yes the tank should be cycled and I think the minimum that people use is a 5g.

I think a 5g to 10g would be more beneficial. I added 25 snails to a 10g and in about a month have easily over a 1000 snails. Really hard to kill though so may be ok.

Snail tanks do not require pre-cycling without livestock. neither common pond nor ramshorn snails are sensitive to ammonia.

I agree that larger is better for snail production.

I have read that if the water quality is poor, they are able to breath out of water. With smaller tank, the die off rate are much higher.

Not attempting to hijack anyone's thread here but I have about 30 ramshorn in a 10 gallon, and they never breed. I feed them calcium rich foods such as spinach, and some algae wafers, and then stuff like shrimp pellets. However, I don't ever see eggsacs or babies. It's heated, and filtered, as well.

Do you need an air pump for a snail only tank?

Arny wrote:Do you need an air pump for a snail only tank?

Some people use them, some don't. I believe you need some source of oxygen, but if you have a filter, and it's slightly above the water line this offers some oxygen. I am not claiming it's better than an air pump, but it keeps the water from being stagnant as well. Just my opinion, of course.

Try putting in a few flat leafed plants, thats where mine always seem to lay there eggs.

Anothernewb wrote:Try putting in a few flat leafed plants, thats where mine always seem to lay there eggs.

Thanks for the tip =]

I do not heat my snail tanks and keep them in the dark. Room temp is fine for successful breeding. Lettuce is their main diet.

I haven't had my pink ramshorns that long but their tank is in my f8's cabinet so don't get much light. I do have a heater on there but only cos it came with the tank and I have just had a baby snail explosion lol. The eggs were everywhere, on the glass, on the filter and especially on the sealant around the inside of the bottom of the tank. I've fed them a bit of everything but they love cucumber and courgette

I keep my snail tank at 78 and feed old fish food or some greens. The breed like snails,