SNAILS FROM CHINESE MARKET??

[Bad Jeff]

Is it safe to buy snails at local Asian markets to feed my Arrowhead Puffer?? I'm not sure what king they are but at $5.00/lb for live ones it seems way cheap.
thx

 

[FawnN]

I personally would not do it. If you go to your LFS and ask for some pond snails, (which reproduce like crazy) they will give them to you free.

The snails at the local market could be carrying a lot of bacteria and diseases you would be introducing to your tank and having your fish ingest it. And more then likely the shell may be too hard for them to eat. The pond snails are better for them.

The LFS will give them up freely, just ask.

 

[Veneer]

I would not do it either; raw snails possess the distinct potential for parasite transfer to your fish.

 

[TankGirl]

Puffers have to have snails to keep their teeth trimmed down, so I'd go with FawnN's advice and get some "starter" snails from the LFS, as they will consider them pests, and propagate your own. I'd stick with aquarium hobby type snails, though, since who knows where the snails in the market have been. Maybe since they are to be eaten they are even safer than the ones from the LFS, but better safe than sorry!

 

[Toirtis]

I agree with all above on the parasite-risk. BTB, they are likely periwinkles.

 

[Montwo]

I would say buy some put them in a tank see how fast they reproduce watch them for problems then start feeding them to your fish