Malaysian Trumpet snails

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Onikun

AC Members
Jun 25, 2005
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MTS have pointy shells right? I'm afraid of my cories crashing into them or getting hurt from the sharp points.
 

TetraBotia

AC Members
Nov 23, 2005
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Trumpet snails can tend to be nocturnal, although you will see them out in daylight as well.
Breeding should not be a problem. I have hundreds now. When they do finaly have a big outbreak, you will know... they will be EVERYWHERE. I don't worry about them though. MTS don't eat live plant material (at least nothing I have in my tank) and I have heard the same from others as well. They are great scavengers.

As to puffers- If I recall, they will eat them. So do clown loaches (although they seem to prefer common pond snails).

The only problem I can see with MTS is that they will compete with your various shrimp and other things that require calcium for shell making... but on the other hand, when they die, their shells decompose (slowly), and I am assuming this puts it "back".
 

reiverix

Aye
Sep 4, 2004
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Columbus, OH
I could never get my skunk botias to eat MTS. They couldn't suck them out of the shell the way they could with pond snails or ramshorns. The shells are also too tough for my figure 8 puffer to crunch through.

Onikun said:
MTS have pointy shells right? I'm afraid of my cories crashing into them or getting hurt from the sharp points.
Nothing to worry about. I keep cories and a lot of MTS.

windeindoiel said:
based on the thin looking shell I think maybe from lack of calcium?
Calcium is essential for shell development. Pond snails are a good indicator. Their shells go white, pitted and brittle quite quickly if there's a lack of calcium.
 

daveedka

Purple is the color of Royalty
Jan 30, 2004
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Columbus, ohio
Calcium is essential for shell development. Pond snails are a good indicator. Their shells go white, pitted and brittle quite quickly if there's a lack of calcium
Just to add to John's comment, MTS's in particular do not seem to show calcium defeciancies like the other two common hitchhikers. But IME MTS's will not reproduce in a low calcium tank. Pond snails and Ramshorns will reproduce but not survive to a large size. Before I figured out my lack of calcium in my tank water, I simply could not keep MTs's in any of my tanks.
Dave
 
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