Asian Supermarket Snails?

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Pond. James Pond.
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Asian Supermarket Snails?

Post by Pond. James Pond. »

My Fahaka has reached an awkward size where he is too big for the pond snails I was breeding (he just swallows them whole), but not big enough for clams or mussels.  My local Asian supermarket sells live snails for human consumption that are just the right size, but there is no indication as to what type of snails they are.  They look like standard escargot snails but smaller, about 1/2 inch or so.  Would it be ok to try feeding him these?  Does anyone have suggestions on other hard foods to try until he's big enough for clams?  Thanks!
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Asian Supermarket Snails?

Post by Pufferpunk »

Are they alive? You can break open clams/mussels/oysters & feed on the 1/2 shell.
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Pond. James Pond.
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Re: Asian Supermarket Snails?

Post by Pond. James Pond. »

They are alive, I just have no idea what type of snails they are. They might be land snails, if that matters.

I tried feeding him Hikari frozen clams on the half shell, but he won't eat them. He's not a picky eater when it comes to other food (his main diet is frozen carnivore cubes for now) but I'm worried he's not getting enough hard stuff to wear down his teeth.
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Pufferpunk
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Posts: 32755
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Asian Supermarket Snails?

Post by Pufferpunk »

I think they might be land snails. Should be fine but if too large you may have to crush them. Try soaking other foods in a crushed garlic clove.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

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Anjin
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Re: Asian Supermarket Snails?

Post by Anjin »

Do you have pictures of the snails? Many asian markets will carry live whelks, a popular asian treat. Some Chinese stores will carry various types of fresh water snails, but due to import rules, most will be cooked or prepared in some way. But with some photos, identification is pretty easy.

How about fresh water clams? There are a variety of freshwater types, from the standard golden clams to things like domestic pea clams. One should stay away from live mussels, especially fresh water ones, as mussels have a parasitic stage in the life cycle. I have read many folks that think clams also have a parasitic stage, but freshwater clams simply dump young out at a prolific rate fully formed.

https://dnr.wi.gov/water/basin/mississi ... Mussel.pdf

This is a good detail on the difference. If you buy a bunch of freshwater clams though, and inoculate a tank up, remember clams still need food, they are not plants... they do not survive by eating the nitrates they filter from water. They are filter FEEDERS, not filters. The water they filter needs to have real food in it :) They can live a long time though while starving to death, so if you raise them, read up on the species and feed them as well be prepared to do a health check on your stock.

There are also dwarf crayfish. I am raising dwarf cajun crayfish now, so I have plenty when the time is right.

Right now Snoop, my little baby fahaka, is happy chasing scuds and chowing down on BB sized snails. I have a set of feeder tanks already going though for future needs. Every tank has lots of snails, but a couple scud cultures, a tank full of golden clams, another for crayfish. And lots of guppies going all over. I am hoping I can generate the right sized food, at the right times, to keep Snoop happy and healthy.

Some pictures though of those market snails will help identify them up!
Pond. James Pond.
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Re: Asian Supermarket Snails?

Post by Pond. James Pond. »

I'll try to get a picture (and probably just buy some snails) next time I go there.

Thanks for the ideas! I hadn't considered dwarf crayfish... I am going to look into that. :)
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