What would you pay for MTS at auction?

[ChilDawg]

For MTS at auction...a lot of 24 of them, to be exact. Would it be better to just purchase 1-2 at an LFS rather than having 24 shipped?

[ChilDawg]

Sorry about the ambiguous title. I tried to change it and/or delete the thread and start a new one, but it wouldn't let me. Any mod wanna change this so people don't have to look at something they didn't want to see in order to ascertain the meaning within the post?

[ChilDawg]

Thanks to whomever changed it!

[Hebdizzle]

Malaysian Trumpet Snail? they are 99 cents at every store ive been to. If you have a big tank (you dont do you?) then it may be more economical to get the shipped ones.

Aaron

I would get them at the LFS

[ChilDawg]

Yeah, I don't have a large tank...20g high is my largest one (I also have two 10s and a 2.5 as well as a 5 that's on its way).

[Hebdizzle]

well we have the exact same amount of gallons (until you get your 5).. so I can sorta relate. I would buy the snails still from the LFS though...

Aaron

[ChilDawg]

That's the option that I'm thinking...

They're parthenogenic, so they clone, and they do so rapidly, but how rapidly would I wind up with an MTS culture?

[clayt101]

I imagine that your LFS would probably just give you a few. Thats I what I did, I got about 10 and now have hundreds. :)

[ChilDawg]

Good idea, Clay! I'll have to ask them if I can take a few free ones...would a free singleton be enough to start a colony, if that's all I can get from them?

[anonapersona]

If you get 4 adults, you won't need any more!

You might want more if they are small.

Heck, if you can't get them free, PM me, I'll send you some for $1 over postage.

[Dahlia]

They're parthenogenetic anyway... which means you only need one. From what I've read they are all female and give live birth to female only snails. Weirdos.

Snails seem pretty diverse that way. Pond snails are supposed to be both sexes, and apple snails are male or female only.

Also, I have never paid for them... they're like pond snails and come in on the plants/with the fish unexpected. Unless there is some larger, prettier species I haven't heard about I'm kind of surprised they would charge you for it. Most LFS will let you collect as many as you want for free in my experience. They tend to be abundant in the plant tank.

[ChilDawg]

There are some male MTS out there, I believe, but I've read that NONE of the ones in the hobby are male because of the prolificacy of the females in parthogenesis.

Anonapersona, if I can't get them for free, I will be sure to pm you! Thanks very much for the offer. :)

[Dahlia]

The only source I had on the parthenogenesis was that apple snail book we mentioned in the other thread. That's interesting about the males. Have you found any good sites on these? They're one of my favorites... make me think of earthworms for the tank.

[ChilDawg]

Well, RTR has some info on MTS in this article from AquaSource at Tom's Place: http://www.tomgriffin.com/aquamag/snail.html

I haven't found any sites with more than a blurb about them, but I'll keep looking.

[ChilDawg]

Here we go: http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/aquainfo/snails.html

[Dapple2]

99 cents for an MTS?! I can't imagine that any shop wouldn't give some freebies with a plant no matter how many you scooped up... That someone would bother to aution them is even more incredible.....but then again, I saw someone put pond snails up once too....:rolleyes:

[ChilDawg]

Hell, if I get a culture going, I'll start putting them up on eBay, too! Someone, apparently, will buy them...

[cdawson]

I pay 15 cents for them at a couple of the local stores here. Your best to culture hundreds of them and sell them like 10 for a dollar.

[ChilDawg]

I might just do that...it'd be competitive with the costs as shown on eBay...