So say I WANTED to breed pond snails...

[FishyMamma]

I am thinking/dreaming of a possible dwarf puffer species tank. I've learned a little here and there and it seems that pond snails are ideal for them to eat. True?

I read a good idea about getting a little colony of free pond snails going from unwanted specimens at the local LFS or chain store. So I have a 14 gallon black sanded tank with lots of fake plants to make the DPs happy. The pond snails would go in there and get established BEFORE adding the puffers.

So how do I do that on purpose? Put them in and add the same food I have for the Nerite snails in my main tank? I put in the occasional Ken's micro veggie sticks with calcium. And maybe some high quality micro-pellets, too? I use New Life Spectrum.

The fake plants are because I understand that DPs will eat live plants.

I love to put three in three since I have enough fakes and silk plants to break up the eyeline. Comments?


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[fish wrangler]

The only thing I have added to my 10 gallon for the pond snails to eat is some fish flake food. Now it is overrun and I am thinking of getting a second assassin snail to cull the population. The amount of poop from the snails is unbelievable you would think I had fish in there!

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[Angela1108]

I would get like a 5g or something just in case. They can get really out of control and they make a mess. If it was a tank just for them at least you wouldn't have to worry about them spiking the levels for something else.

We did that with our guppies and I don't regret doing it but I wish I had just done it in a 5g or even a Tupperware dish or something else


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[FishyMamma]

[i know I posted in the invertebrates section, but I just wanted to refer anyone looking for DP info to go to the profiles section. The DP one explains how the DPs handle invertebrates. http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f29/dwarf-puffer-profile-166924.html ]


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[himdie]

I've got 3 dps and they don't touch plants but as for snails if they're in the same tank expect snails to become extinct no matter how many u have hehe

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[FishyMamma]

How big is your tank? How heavily planted? Real, plastic, or silk? How well do they get along?

Inquiring minds want to know!!!

I found a spot on the wall with a convenient plug for a 30-40 gallon tank. I'm keeping my eye out for a secondhand one about 35" wide. That's the important measurement.


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[himdie]

Not the best picture but that the tank they get along fine they each have they're own territory it looks like and they just come out to eat it's a 40g btw

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[FishyMamma]

Nice! Very pretty. I'd love a 40 gal. by my sofa. I measured the space and something about 35" wide would be ideal.. It's by a plug and the bedside table that's sitting there now is a nice solid piece of furniture with drawers for some of the fish supplies. Hopefully I could use that as a tank stand.

Hubby is not thrilled by aquariums, actually it's more like a natural and innate dislike. At this point he wants me to finish getting my other tank established.


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[himdie]

Ah haha I've got 2 so far a 40 and a 60 it's not too bad =)

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[evil Nick]

I've got 3 dps and they don't touch plants but as for snails if they're in the same tank expect snails to become extinct no matter how many u have hehe

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THIS^

They also dont seem to touch anything bigger than their mouths, at least while young. I see them peck around on plants and wood but I think its because they can see the tiny baby snails we cant.

I have a couple larger MTS in there and they are ignored but good for breeding new babies. They pretty much seemed to eradicate the ponds in no time. My assassin almost made them extinct in my bigger tank as well before it passed but Im seeing a couple here and there again to add to my puffer tank.

Im thinking of making a small dish with a handle like a ladle to drop snails in and feed the puffers so I can watch as well.
I also feed one blood worms as she (I think she) LOVES them. She will come right up to the turkey baster or tweezers and take them. The second has ZERO interest in them but does NOT look skinny at all so I know is eating.
Theyre fun but be aware they seem to hide VERY easy because theyre so small and I hardly see them unless they know its feeding time or I look for them.
I hope they get a bit bigger in time. Ive seen pics where they are side by side with BB Gobies and the same size.

 

[FishyMamma]

The DPs sound like a lot of fun. I hope I can talk DH into the second show tank. I have a 14gal tall (width and depth of a 10gal) for a hospital tank. That pretty much hits the limits of DH's tolerance.

(I know some partners strongly dislike their fishy partner's hobbies. Mine hated it before-hand and he can't explain it. Anyone else have any explanation? Subconscious fear of water?)


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[Coursair]

Pond Snails do not eat healthy plants. Like many snails, they eat decaying leaves. So live plants are good for a snail breeding tank.

This tank has snails. MTS, Pond and occasional Ramshorn



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[Nils]

Well, I go into PetCo every chance I get and just collect some snails from their plant tank! The ones I get I keep in a jar, and they reproduce and everything in there, I would personally start up a jar just for them, it's not that hard because once you put the Dwarfs in there the next day all snails will be gone. Period. Puffers were born to hunt snails, and that's exactly what they'll do. I have mine in a 2.5 gallon, he knows when it's feeding time and he'll come up to the surface and when I drop it in, he'll follow it down all the way to the bottom and even start pecking at it in midwater level. As for a cleanup crew, I have a Dwarf crayfish, they do tend to leave each other alone, but only because the cray will guard his territory with his claws. As for plants, I'd go with real ones and a lot of rock work. I have TONS of Java Moss in my 2.5, it's like a jungle gym and he'll make tunnels and swim through all the tunnels, always on the hunt for something to eat.......like a man looking through the refrigerator These little guys are a handful, need good water quality and they do become bored if you don't provide a lot of stuff for them to explore. Once you've got the basics covered, they're actually really cool fish

Nils

 

[FishyMamma]

Great suggestions. Do you have pics and vids of your DP tank?


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[Nils]

I actually don't, and you're not missing much because my tank is horrible, kind of just threw it together a couple months ago. It's basically a big lava rock in the center, tons of java moss around the back and the front, and an anubias plant on a rock in the back right. Not that great, with black sand. the fish like it so I guess I'm happy too.

Nils

 

[FishyMamma]

Happy fish is the best indicator of a good tank'


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[NatureFish]

Malaysian trumpet snails will breed like crazy so IMO that would be your best bet. Your puffers will eat snails like crazy as mentioned so you need snails with a rapid reproduction rate is needed. Luckily MTS offer that. They are Asexual so you don't need a whole lot to get started on your colony.


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[FishyMamma]

Hmmm, I'll check that one. I thought I saw somewhere that MTS shells were too hard for them.

Great idea if they can eat them, though.


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[Mar23]

I have a green spotted puffer. I try feeding him snails, but he won't even care for any that are bigger than his mouth. He has yet to eat a snail, actually. I keep the snails in a separate tank and I put them in the puffer's tank one at a time. So far, the only things going bananas for the snails are the ghost shrimp that I keep in the tank with the puffer. Go figure. The puffer is mostly eating bloodworms, freeze dried shrimp and the live ghost shrimp in his tank.


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[Mar23]

Hmmm, I'll check that one. I thought I saw somewhere that MTS shells were too hard for them.

Great idea if they can eat them, though.


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That's what my lfs told me. I have a combination of both trumpet snails and the small, round ones (don't know their name). The puffer won't eat either. But it may be because he doesn't want to get in a fight with the ghost shrimp, though. Lol


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