Say hi to "Speedy"

[smallfry]

Here's my new Ivory snail, Speedy. I've grown attached to him already....

Does anyone know how to add crushed egg shells to the tank (to strengthen Speedy's shell)?

Thanks!

[lmw80]

he is cute!

I never heard of the crushed egg shell for strengthening snail shells...

[Jchillin]

Hi Speedy! Welcome to AA...the best snail keeper's forum on the 'Net.

I heard about doing this in a goldfish tank...combo of nutrients for the tank and somehow strenghtening the snail shell...but this was many years ago...may have been an "old wives tale"?

[Meredith]

How cute! He does look speedy

[Felf]

i've heard that it's good to add a calcium source (ie eggshells, cuttlebone, sea shells) to help snails make their shells.

[smallfry]

so I guess you just grind em up and dump a little bit in the tank??? do they sink???

[TankGirl]

Do not laugh, but here are some recipes for "snail cookies" that contain everything your favorite inverts need for their shells (I KNEW this would come in handy sometime ):

http://endlersr.us/modules.php?name=...iewtopic&t=395

[Toirtis]

Originally Posted by smallfry

so I guess you just grind em up and dump a little bit in the tank??? do they sink???

Yes and yes....you can also use bits of cuttlebone, although that takes a bit to sink.

[smallfry]

Thank you everybody for the helpful suggestions on eggshells and for the warm welcome to Speedy!

Now I have a NEW question....over the weekend I lost control and bought a black mystery snail (named "Gonzalez" - Gonzo for short). He was soooo cute, I couldn't refuse! I put him in the tank with Speedy. A few hours later Speedy finally notices Gonzo and heads over to him...he immediately slithered on top of Gonzo's shell and "enveloped" him... 8O 8O (Speedy is bigger than Gonzo). Speedy's whole body was wrapped up in Gonzo! 8O Was this enemy behavior, or...uh...um...you know??? Soon they fell off the side of the tank and landed on the gravel as "one" snail....completely wrapped up in each other.... staying that way for a looooong time. 8O

I know this sounds really naive and stupid, but should I be worried or is this just Speedy's "super friendly" way of welcoming Gonzalez??
I haven't read anything about mixing snail species....I guess I assumed they would get along. I finally managed to separat them (after 30 minutes or so) and neither one seems the worse for wear. This morning they were on separate sides of the tank looking completey normal.
Speedy's an Ivory snail and Gonzalez is a black mystery snail....I just don't want WWIII in my tank....(but babies are ok, I think?).

[TankGirl]

I may be mistaken, but I believe both the ivory snail and the mystery snail are considered Pomacea bridgesi, so what you observed is likely to be.... um..... what you suspect.

If you have not been there yet, applesnail.net has tons and tons of info about apple snails as well as other aquatic snails.

[smallfry]

Great....

[Fluff]

If you do get eggs from them, they are easy to discard if you have no desire for more snails. They lay their eggs above the water line. They will even hang upside down to lay them on the hood and are known for leaving the tank in search of a good spot. Within minutes of laying them, they will become firm to the touch and can be scraped off in one neat little package. Sounds like breeding behavior to me as well.

[smallfry]

I wouldn't mind some babies....I just don't want 200! 8O

[Fluff]

lol They are quite prolific but I think the average egg sac is about 60 eggs. Baby snails are really cute.

[smallfry]

Help!!! I won't home last night to find that Gonzo's shell is cracked...(an almost complete horizontal crack). I think the culprit is Speedy...he has been a bit "rough". I don't know if I should separate them....the behavior really does NOT seem to be friendly....

Is it possible that Speedy is trying to eat pieces of Gonzo's shell and/or that he "squeezed" him so hard is shell cracked???? 8O

Gonzo's actual body is in tact...no antannea missing, etc. The shell is still functioning as one piece but I'm afraid one more session with Speedy will break it in two! (It almost broke last night)

What (if anything) can I do for the cracked shell? :| This is wayyyy to much drama for my liking....

[TankGirl]

Here is a page taken from the site of one of the expert snail people at applesnail.net regarding shell damage:

http://free.hostultra.com/~applesnails/health.htm

[smallfry]

Thanks, Tankgirl!
Upon doing further research...I believe that Speedy and Gonzo WERE mating...but Gonzo has a thin shell...and it cracked due to Speedy's "aggressiveness". So I think I need to separate Gonzo so his shell will have time to heal. Hopefully this and calcium supplement will work...frequently snails with large cracks will die.

Hoping for the best! :|