Mystery Snails!

[Pleco]

Hiya all!

I have a few questions on Mystery Snails.

I was thinking to add one to my tank but i am apprehensive of adding a snail to my tank.

I heard they dont reporduce like other snails, i didnt want to get one and end up with 30,000 in my tank 6 months later I use a similar mentality and wont put livebearers in my tank

Can they live totally under water, i have space above my waterline, but not a whole lot of it. My waterline isnt visible without opening my eclipse hood.

Are they brackish?

Is their diet similar to my Pleco?

I think thats all the questions i had, i just wanted to be sure that i would be providing it a good home if i got one.

My current Stock (40 Gallon)
1 L-18 Pleco
1 Austrailian Rainbow
8 Beacon Tetras
8 Neon Tetras
1 Blue Dwarf Grouami

Thanks!
-Pleco

 

[toddnbecka]

They are sexually dimorphic (either male or female), unlike most snails, that have both m/f reproductive organs. They lay egg clutches above the water, easy to remove if you don't want baby snails. They are completely aquatic, but do occaisonally come to the surface for air. They don't need to get out of the water to breathe, just to lay eggs. They will eat whatever leftover food they find.
Australian rainbows are schooling fish, I'd add 4 more to the tank. 3m/2f is a good stocking ratio for rainbows.

 

[Pleco]

Australian rainbows are schooling fish, I'd add 4 more to the tank. 3m/2f is a good stocking ratio for rainbows.

As much as i would like to do this i dont think my tank can support 4 more of them.

Pleco

 

[toddnbecka]

A 40 gallon should be big enough for them, is it a 40 long? What kind of filtration do you use?

 

[Pleco]

its a 40 tall, and i have a 250 gph hood integrated eclipse filter with bio-wheel. pretty much the same as a HOB but its just built in to my hood

 

[Mosaic]

They aren't brackish, but they can tolerate small amounts of salt if you add it slowly and acclimate them to it. I don't quite know how much salt they can handle though. Check www.applesnail.net

They'll eat pretty much anything in the tank - leftover fish food, dead plants (mine never touch the live, healthy plants), and mine have eaten a few krib eggs, I'm sure. But what's cool is they'll also take floating food from the water line. They lean back and use their foot to funnel into their mouths.

I have two, and they're great additions. Some of my favorite inhabitants.

 

[Pleco]

Thank you for the link, i think i will pick one up tomorrow at my LFS I wanted a crab until i realized that it would probably eat my tetras when they sleep, so a snail would be a interesting less common addition to my tank.

-Pleco

 

[Musket]

Pleco, your snails need more than just left over fish food. Yes, they will survive on it, if enough is given. Shrimp pellets, algae wafers, fish flakes are all good. However they also like the greens (which your pleco will too). I've feed carrots, green beans, romain lettuce, kale, spinach, peeled grapes, oranges and apples all with success. Here is a link of other foods - fresh fruits and veggies that are good for our critters. Our fish like them too.
http://www.applesnail.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3988
Enjoy your new snail, they have some very interesting antics to watch.

 

[guppy12]

Their just apple snails...
different name
G12

 

[Pleco]

Well i went to 2 different LFS's and i found this snail that i liked

Now it needs a name

Thanks for all the links and advice

-Pleco

 

[toddnbecka]

You might want to determine the sex before you name it

 

[joannde]

I was thinky either blue-boy or blackie-babe

 

[Mosaic]

Very cute! Looks like a little guy, compared to your decor.

It's hard to sex snails. Mine, at least. But the apple snail website has diagrams. You could give it a unisex name.