How to hatch eggs? Please explain

[rantsandraves]

Hello, I'm new to the freshwater snail thing. My sister , Dakotagirl, was really into them and we talked about them ALOT. None of it stuck because I figured she would always be around if I needed help with them. If you didn't known she passed away 2 weeks ago. Anyway, when we went back to the midwest for her funeral we decided to releive my parents of about 20 snails and we brought them back to Tacoma and put them into our 55 gal fresh water tank. Now we have 2 clutches. What do we do? Will they survive in our tank with 3 hungry blood parrots? We also have 2 saltwater tanks that I mainly focus on, but I want to keep Barb's snails as a living legacy to her true passion. Thanks.

:help:

[Dangerdoll]

The snails Dakota had usually lay their clutches above the water line. I believe you can leave them there and they will pretty much do it on their own. They do need to be kept most but keeping sure they are not dripping, nor dry... kinda hard to pinpoint but you know it when you have it. The blood parent, I would worry about. They will probably try to snack on the snails as they hatch. I dont know how feasible it is but you may want to set up a tank just for them or for a few of them and small fish. Clutches are usually holding large amounts though, so you would probably leave them there and then scoop them as they hatch...

[msjinkzd]

i ahve an email barb sent to me on how she hatches her snail clutches, i will forward it to you. I know she would make them a set-up and float them either in a breeder box for hatching or in a tupperware. let me go look for it. Nuts, its gone. She used to use styrofoam and make a floating box with mesh over the top. She then would float this "box" in a breeder so that as the eggs hatched they could descend into water but the clutch would stay dry and warm (from the lights). I will get you a link and post it.

[msjinkzd]

http://www.applesnail.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=14648&sid=cb95d087303ba5b99bb06e59cfbf75c7

hope this helps. i think that your blood parrot will probably eat the babies. each clutch has the potential to give you around a 100 babies (i believe)...www.applesnail.net is a fantastic site with really helpful people, i know barb spent alot of time there as well. hope this helps.

[beviking]

My sincerest condolences! Barb was GREAT! She bought some snails from me. I always told her to just float the clutch on a piece of styrofoam in the tank as long as condensation on the tank lid didn't touch the eggs and get them too wet. Or leave them where they are. It wouldn't surprise me if she came up with another way. There are other ways :)

-Bill

[boostnbuds]

I dont have anything usefull to say but i wanted to say sorry about your sister....

[Flaringshutter]

rantsandraves, it's great to have you here as a new member. we are all devastated about barb, she was truly a wonderful person and an active part of the applesnail community.
it's very sweet of you to take in her snails.

i would keep an eye on the blood parrots, they may be aggressive toward the snails. i don't know anyone that keeps them with snails, but i would definitely watch them closely.

of course you know applesnail.net has great information, everything you will need, and we'd love to see you on the forums there. barb was very active on the forums and there are many posts describing how she cared for her snails, which we will be happy to locate for you so you can take care of them as she did.

any questions you may have, feel free to ask.

[rantsandraves]

rantsandraves, it's great to have you here as a new member. we are all devastated about barb, she was truly a wonderful person and an active part of the applesnail community.
it's very sweet of you to take in her snails.

i would keep an eye on the blood parrots, they may be aggressive toward the snails. i don't know anyone that keeps them with snails, but i would definitely watch them closely.

of course you know applesnail.net has great information, everything you will need, and we'd love to see you on the forums there. barb was very active on the forums and there are many posts describing how she cared for her snails, which we will be happy to locate for you so you can take care of them as she did.

any questions you may have, feel free to ask.

Thank you for the kind words about Barb. So should I set up another tank(Gulp) for the snails?

[destined_love7]

You could set up a small (1 or 2 gallon) tank to begin with and see how you do with that. I'm trying to hatch some right now. Here's the link to a thread about how I'm doing it...

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134711

Do you have a clutch already?

[Flaringshutter]

destined_love, he has over 20 snails. I'm not sure they would even fit in a 1 or 2 gallon! :eek: haha.

I'd recommend a 20 gallon, or you might be able to get away with a 16 if you can find one.

If you're looking for a more permanent residence for these guys, I'd go with at least a 40 gallon. But for now, a smaller tank will be fine.

[beviking]

destined_love, he has over 20 snails. I'm not sure they would even fit in a 1 or 2 gallon! :eek: haha.

I'd recommend a 20 gallon, or you might be able to get away with a 16 if you can find one.

If you're looking for a more permanent residence for these guys, I'd go with at least a 40 gallon. But for now, a smaller tank will be fine.

Ditto :grinyes:

[destined_love7]

Oh my. LOL. Well I read somewhere about 2 1/2 gallons per snail.

[msjinkzd]

Keep in mind too, rantsandraves, that if you aren't ready for the babies yet, you could humanely kill the clutches until a time when you are. You are certain to have many more clutches and each one produces alot of babies.