Saltwater & Reef

maddybrat · 05-19-2011, 10:34 PM

Any advice for breeding apple snails?! Please and thank you.!

**fort384** · 05-20-2011, 04:01 PM

Moved to Freshwater & Brackish - Breeding

dollabill420 · 05-21-2011, 04:31 PM

I got one from a petstore and surprise got baby ones now, I keep them in with my guppy fry tank so they help keep good water, it seems hard to feed em without algae in the tank, if you have gravel it's hard to clean too I gotta gently get them out of the bucket afterwards and it's heart breaking cuz there cute as he'll lol, wish had sand like some of my other tanks, they grow pretty slow too. I use cuddle bone strapped to a rock for some calcium and the cling right too it I think some in the filter would help too not right sure, hope this thread takes off I'd like more advice too I want em too grow up and be in memory of their mother which died of calcium deficiency from the pet store (pets unlimited shame on them). Funny story I thought it was a male and named her Ralph and when saw babies had to call her ralphette bahaha hope you have good luck mine seem to be doing good they gotta be pushin 2 months old and are still pretty small

dollabill420 · 05-21-2011, 04:33 PM

Forgot to add this liquid calcium is the best but if you over dose it can choke out ur bacteria in the filter somehow by clinging too it, anyone know if you can use pure calcium powder for reptiles? Been wondering this for a while

Ashes2ashes · 05-21-2011, 05:00 PM

I breed a LOT of apple snails. Lately I have been trying to isolate ivory alone just to see if I can get some clutches that produce mostly ivory. Anyway, they will definitely do the do no matter what, but they seem to really get giong if you feed them a lot of fresh veggies like fresh blanched zuchinni and green beans. They also need hard water or and/or calcium for their shell health, especially breeding mothers who will most likely get fissures on their shells or some not so healthy shell growth after they lay a clutch as it takes a LOT of vitamins from them to lay eggs. I like to feed them calcium tablets/vitamins, or you can feed them regular old tums, or calcium rich foods. You can even make "snello" or snail jello which is a mix of veggies, calcium, and fish food.

When the female is ready they lay their clutches right above the water line of the tank if you leave the water a few inches down from the top, otherwise they will go onto the hood or sometimes even leave the tank to find a dry place to lay them. Once the clutch has been laid you can either leave it in the tank and let humidity and nature take it's course, or you can incubate the clutch. I usually incubate mine in a small plastic container with a damp paper towel on the bottom, then several layers of dry paper towels, with the clutch on top, the lid on the container and the container floating in the tank. If the clutch is fertile it starts to turn a dark ish color the first few days and eventually blue, then it starts to look sort of moldy on the outside. When it is blue and moldy it is time to pop it open. I usually pop mine open into a breeder trap so I can feed them and keep an eye on them there until they are big enough to survive large tank life. I can supply some pics of my breeding projects if you want to see what the stages of the clutch look like before it is ready to hatch. Good luck.

Ashes2ashes · 05-21-2011, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dollabill420

Forgot to add this liquid calcium is the best but if you over dose it can choke out ur bacteria in the filter somehow by clinging too it, anyone know if you can use pure calcium powder for reptiles? Been wondering this for a while

Yes, you can. I have used that as my calcium to make snello for them before. I imagine it would cloud your water if you just dumped it in though. I would def add it to some sort of gel to keep it from dirtying the water.

dollabill420 · 05-21-2011, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashes2ashes

Yes, you can. I have used that as my calcium to make snello for them before. I imagine it would cloud your water if you just dumped it in though. I would def add it to some sort of gel to keep it from dirtying the water.

Yeh I used it in very little amounts, this snello sounds awesome I gotta figure out a good recipe for it, these calcium tablets ur talking about would "equate calcium & vitamin D3 calcium carbonate" tabs work? It says it's a natural source , is kinda what ur talking about, like a just calcium version of it I'm not too sure if vitamin D3 is any good for em or not lol but if that's the jist of what ur talking about I'll pick some up for em the cuddle bone seems to be a pretty small slow source of calcium for em, cute dog on ur profile pic by the way lol, thanks in advance

Ashes2ashes · 05-21-2011, 05:55 PM

Yeah, that is what I use minus the D3. Just the straight calcium. Thanks, that is Boo Radley my hound mix in my picture.

dollabill420 · 05-21-2011, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashes2ashes

Yeah, that is what I use minus the D3. Just the straight calcium. Thanks, that is Boo Radley my hound mix in my picture.

Nice, I wonder if d3 is bad for em I know it's good for reptiles I'll have to do a search on it see if it's anygood thanks so much for the help

maddybrat · 05-22-2011, 12:04 AM

Ok now I think that apple snails are both male and female for one?? Idk that's what the petco lady told me anyway I got goldfish and they seriously.. Tick me off. I think they are making my snails sick.

I have two black mystery snails and 1 gold snail.. My sister has a different tank and just has small fish and her snails seem much happier.. Idk and how long until the mother lays her eggs because I looked up what breeding looks like and I have seen them doing that. Also Is it safe to have 3 (toolish) goldfish with them. Is that why they won't 'you know what'?!?!?! Ugh. I am frustrated.. HELP.
Btw my sister and I both have 10 gallon tanks if it makes any difference...
I know when my dumb goldfish die I am either Sticking to only snails if they will breed better or getting some small fish like my sisters.
-Maddy

Ashes2ashes · 05-22-2011, 08:25 AM

Apple snails are definitely sexual, that is, they are either male or female. They have a specific gender and must mate to reproduce.

Regardless how how the goldfish treat snails, a 10g tanks is WAY too small for even 1 goldfish, much less 3. Goldfish have HUGE bioloads and get really big really fast and if taken care of, live a VERY long time. Even for just a pair I would not go smaller than a 30g. They are also coldwater fish where as mystery snails do better in tropical temps. If I were in your situation, I would seriously consider either upgrading my tank or rehoming the goldfish and going for a smaller tropical type fish. Schoolers, livebearers etc.. There are a really wide variety of fish that do fine it 10g tanks with snails. Good luck to you. - Ash

maddybrat · 05-22-2011, 10:07 AM

I agree the fish look sick. My sisters tank is much happier and she has tropical fish.

BeavisMom62 · 05-22-2011, 12:42 PM

I would think a 10 gal tank is too small to breed apple snails isn't it? They get huge. My golden apple is the size of a small orange! And LOTS of mess. Either way, you can't keep a goldfish, even one, in a 10 gal tank. See if you can take them back to the store. You obviously don't like goldfish, so it wouldn't be a great loss. To you.

I also use cuttle bone in my tanks for the snails. I have never seen my snails eat it though, but it does seem to be dissolving in the water. I too have also used people calcium without additives and have seen them eating that. In addition, I've seen liquid calcium that is for saltwater tanks (for the coral I guess? I know nothing about SW) and I've used that before as well. Its pretty expensive though.

Are we allowed to mention other websites here? If not, mods please delete this. But I have found applesnail.net to be very helpful. They also have lots of "snello" (I love that!) recipes there.

maddybrat · 05-22-2011, 01:01 PM

Thanks for all the information. Someone mentioned that you could feed them regular tums? Please let me know of this is correct.

BeavisMom62 · 05-22-2011, 03:31 PM

Ive heard that too. I believe that "in an emergency" (dont know what that would be) that you can use Tums temporarily, but I wouldn't because of the sugar. Not good for snails really and I wouldn't want sugar in my tank water. There are other options. Check your other thread.

Ashes2ashes · 05-22-2011, 04:13 PM

yeah. you can feed them regular tums. I give tums sometimes, but more often I use calcium tablets etc...stuff that doesnt muck up the water as much. Crushing up tums works well to make other snail foods though like snail jello.