apple snails

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kirkland795

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Mar 7, 2014
Messages
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So I'm new to keeping apple snails and just picked up 2 at my lfs. They are probably close to 3 inches each. I was wondering how big will they get and how long do they live for? Any info would be appreciated.
 
Here is a picture of the two.
 

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I can't get the website to load. I think it might be down or something. Do you know some basic info like life span? I've tried searching for information online but I seem to find different information on websites so I'm not sure whats true.
 
Hi, your guy's look like my cana snail lucky! They can live for 2yrs plus in cool temps and I even spoke to people who've had them for over 5 yrs! In warmer temps they average about a year. Like autumn said applesnail.net is a great place to look I'm a member on there too. Here's a picture of mine see if yours look the same. 1409003514930.jpg

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Your snail does look similar to the ones I have. I finally was able to get the website for apple snails to load and I joined so hopefully my specific species can be identified. These guys eat everything! Algae, fresh veggies, and one of my neon tetras that passed away before I could remove it from the tank! Such great scavengers.
 
Clue me in to where to get these guys. I've been looking for some time,

Thanks and P.M. me.
 
Canna applesnails are the ones that eat plants. They get huge. As big as your hand. Regular mystery snails, Diffusa, are plant safe as long as they get leftover fish food and algae. They only resort to eating live plants when they run out of anything else to eat. The cana ones eat everything.
 
We had two Nerite snails in our 5 gallon tank with one male betta and three GS, but one Nerite "bit the dust", so we started looking for another one. None of the LFS's had any, so we decided to get a Ivory Mystery Snail. I knew very little about them, but got one. After getting it, found out that they can eat live plants, stroll/eat along the bottom quite a bit, poop quite a bit and grow to twice the size it is now. These things our Nerite snails don't do! Thing is, if this Mystery snail eats stuff on the bottom, that will take away food for the three Ghost Shrimp we have.......that wouldn't be good!

They/Mystery Snail is pretty cool looking snail and being able to watch it crawl along the bottom is pretty neat. It has crawled up and down the sides of the tank, but right now is sticking to the bottom.

Because of the things that this Mystery snail does, that the Nerite doesn't, will get another Nerite and get rid of the Mystery. Don't want my live plants eaten or have a bottom full of "poop"!
 
Poor Mystery snail. I hope you find it a good home. I find them fascinating and only once in several years have I seen one eat a live plant. It ate two floating salvinia minima leaves, which took about five minutes.

True, they poop more than smaller snails do, but the substrate needs to be cleaned regardless, so I don't find it much of a problem. I have a few different colours and I enjoy watching them glide around.

They are remarkably clever and dexterous with their foot and truly greedy for food. If they're finding enough on the bottom they leave live plants alone. Mine all rush to grab as much as they can when I put their food in, and I find it amusing to see them try to crawl without letting go of their hoard. They literally curl the foot around a 'chunk' of substrate with the food on it, and try to hold onto their 'handful'. Needless to say, they can't, so they have to drop it & eat it where they are. They all try to push each other off the choice bits.
 
I'm the same as you fishfur, I adore my snail's! Always find if I keep mine well fed i don't and haven't had any issues with them eating my plant's.

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I'm finding the trick is keeping the food supply at a level that keeps snails happy, but doesn't end up messing up the substrate with stuff they miss. Given all the plants vacuuming is tricky.
 
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