Apple Snail - Diet/Feeding

[CoolHand]

I put an Apple Snail in my sons tank(5g) to keep his betta company. My concern is what to feed it? He makes his way all around the glass and bottom but I don't have any visible algae in the tank. I have to stop at the local fish store on my way home tonight is there something I can purchase specifically for him or will he make due finding "stuff" on the bottom?

Thanks

CH...

 

[Mrc8858]

Veggies.. toss a leaf of lettuce in there

 

[CatmanDru]

When you bought it did it have any other name information, or was it just called an Apple Snail?

Was it called a Mystery Snail?

 

[CatmanDru]

Apple snails are a whole group of similar snails with many, many species.

However, they all eat about the same things. Apple snails are omnivores so they eat animal-based food and vegetables and things grown from plants. They will eat some algea but that is not their preference. They like fish food floating or on the bottom, betta food, fish food lying on the bottom, shrimp pellets, algea wafers, decaying fish food, dead and dying plant material, spinach. If you slightly soften the food by blanching, microwaving, or freezing, then they will eat zuchinni and yellow squash, cucumber, carrots, green beans, and fresh leafy greens such as spinach, beet, swiss chard, kale, and romain lettuce. Iceburg lettuce doesn't have enough nutrients to sustain snails. When you put vegetables in the tank, use small amounts and remove them after 24 hours or they will promote a bacterial bloom that will endanger your betta and snail and will also make the water stinky and cloudy.

If you have a light colored, including yellow, snail, don't feed it too much algea wafers that have food coloring in them (such as Tetra brand) or the food coloring will eventually become part of their shell, and show up as a very slight green tinge.

 

[CatmanDru]

Also, please don't ever throw out an apple snail because it seems dead because it has not moved.

It is common for apple snails to not move, or float at the top of the tank for 3, 4, or more days, maybe up to a week.

To check if a snail is dead, pull it out and smell it. If it smells horrible, like a rotten egg, then it's dead.

 

[CoolHand]

Thanks for the wealth of information! The snail is an Apple Gold Snail if that helps the "mysterious" part. I was unaware of different breeds. He seems like a cool fellow however. I'll look for some shrimp pellets and algea wafers tonight.

Cheers,

CH...

 

[CatmanDru]

Also snails need a lot of calcium to make strong, healthy, thick, protective shells that won't crack, chip and break later and cause problems.

One thing that helps provide calcium is Cuttlebone sold for birds. Soak it 15 - 30 minutes in water (to 'waterlog' it) then wedge it under the gravel or secure it to the tank side. I buy them for $2 USD, so they shouldn't be expensive.

The other thing that helps provide calcium is feeding them small amounts of "dark leafy greens", yes, the same ones recomended to provide dietary calcium for humans: spinach, kale, dandelion greens, beet greens, turnip greens, Swiss chard, and collard greens. Brocolli is also high in calcium. So if you eat those foods, you could just take a tiny amount off your plate, rinse off any salt, and give it to the snail. But to avoid bacterial blooms, give very small amounts at a time, say the equivalent of one small leaf.

You can feed little bits of frozen spinach. You can also feed canned spinach if you give a quick rinse to remove the extra salt added in the canning process.

 

[CatmanDru]

Thanks for the wealth of information! The snail is an Apple Gold Snail if that helps the "mysterious" part. I was unaware of different breeds. He seems like a cool fellow however....

I'm glad I could help.

I think they are pretty cool too.

in case you ever need to learn more about it on internet sites, your "Apple Gold Snail" is most likely a Pomacea difusa, formerly labeled as a Pomacea bridgesii, and the most common specie of several Apple snail species sold as "Mystery snails".