Bladder Snail Info Needed

[alia258]

Have recently acquired a bladder snail from a plant that I got from the petshop, along with my current anacharis plants. I'd like some info on how to keep him in his little separate tank, and if feeding him a little fish food is okay, and if he will really reproduce asexually and when to expect the offspring. I'm pretty sure he's the only one that came in the plants, so I'm hoping I can get babies from just one so that I can put some protein into my fishs' diet. I have guppies, neons, and a cory catfish bottom-feeder. I'm not sure about the neons or the cory eating the snails/eggs, and I know the guppies will, so could you guys also clarify for me? Here's a pic of the half gallon tank that I've got the snail in:


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Here's lots of pics of the snail:


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And here's a pic of what the Internet said the eggs would look like:


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How big should I expect the eggs to be? And one more thing, what should I name him? I was thinking something cute like Tommy, Robby, Robert, Jeffery, or perhaps Scott. Any answer is appreciated ^^

[brunettebaby4571]

The eggs do look like that but they are very small and very hard to spot the eggs in my tank right now are about the size of an eraser on a pencil...mine usually lay them in very hard to spot places but sometimes I get lucky and they are where I can see them without moving stuff. Im not really sure how long it takes to hatch but I dont think to very long. My baby snails like to stay in my filter for a while.

[alia258]

They stay IN the filter? Really? 8O

[brunettebaby4571]

Haha ya the little tiny tiny babies usually stay in there for quite sometime. I guess easier access to food and all that good stuff. Everyone says how these snails take over tanks but I have never had it happen. I even overfeed a lot of times and never seen anything too crazy. So I wouldnt be too worried about them getting out of hand in your ten gallon.

[Alkane]

I have a small tank to raise these guys for puffer food. It sits in the window sill and gets 1/4 day of afternoon sunlight. Half of the tank is shaded so its not getting 100% sunlight. There are daphnia in there as well that I feed with phytoplankton (green water). I don't feed the snails. Though they probably feed on the settled phytoplankton. They reproduce like crazy. I have about 10 clusters of eggs atm.

I would get some more adults if you want to breed them. You can usually get them for free from your LFS if they are willing to fish them out for you.

check this site out too.
Do you want to breed pond snails for your freshwater puffer? | Freshwater Pufferfish

[siva]

They are not asexual, they are hermaphroditc. To be asexual is to have no defined sex, where as these snails are both male and female. This means it will take two of them to reproduce, but any two will be able to. Essentially every bladder snail another bladder snail meets is a potential parter so you don't have to worry about sexing.

[alia258]

Thanks for clearing siva (no one clarified that for me) my mom doesn't want to go to the pet store though, and I don't know if she'll let me get a snail from there anyway. I'll have to check my filter and see. I'm guessing that they came here as eggs and hatched in my tank...?

[siva]

Check your new plants for some of those little egg jelly sacks.

[alia258]

How big are they again? Like dime sized or minuscule, or what?

[siva]

It varies. Shouldn't be smaller than a thumb tac.

[alia258]

Okay, so between my thumbnail and a thumbtack?

[siva]

Yup right around there.

[alia258]

Okay, so do you guys think that if I checked inside my filter there might be snails/eggs?

[siva]

Nope. I doubt it.

[alia258]

Aw well I'll ask for one at the petco. Do you think itd be a batter idea to squish them before I put them in my main tank for food, or should I feed them to the guppies live?