Are Spixi snails predatory?
- Thread starter ryverrat
- Start date
They can interbreed with the giant columbian ramshorns (marisa cornuarietis). I haven't seen them eating snails or eggs, but other members have reported seeing it.
They can and WILL eat snail eggs, even their own, when hungry. They will also eat snails, but very small snails. Adults/young adults have the potential of eating small newborn spixis and/or other snails like ponds and rams.
They will also eat other tank pests like hydras. I use my spixis as pest control. Great snails!
I have witnessed the acts above many, MANY times.
They will also eat other tank pests like hydras. I use my spixis as pest control. Great snails!
I have witnessed the acts above many, MANY times.
I really don't think pure Spixis would eat plants, snails, etc - or at least a few years back when I was first introduced to them, no one reported this.
Of course, then snails started becoming popular, people started breeding them in the same tanks as Marisas, and now we have ones that eat plants, snails, planaria and hydras. These are things a Marisa would eat, so I do believe any Spixi that does this has a Marisa somewhere above it in it's family tree.
It might also be worth noting that Spixis were legal to transport across state lines until the government recognized that it could interbreed with Marisas.
Of course, then snails started becoming popular, people started breeding them in the same tanks as Marisas, and now we have ones that eat plants, snails, planaria and hydras. These are things a Marisa would eat, so I do believe any Spixi that does this has a Marisa somewhere above it in it's family tree.
It might also be worth noting that Spixis were legal to transport across state lines until the government recognized that it could interbreed with Marisas.
Thanks. Mine seem to eat eggs once in a while (the amount hatching is telling me is is not common- I need to set up a second tank for them- they have taken over the 20g in about 2 mos. since I got them and they started breeding) and they don't eat the Brazilian Sword that is in there. Were a few common ramshorns in the tank originally that where breeding but now they seem to be all dead (have removed alot of shells and don't see any egg clusters from them anymore). Think they ate all the ramshorn eggs and young. Feeding them Hakira algae wafers, little flake (mostly the cherry shrimp are eating that) and a piece of vacation feeder for calcuim. They LOVE Hakira wafers- drop them in the tank and a half hour later there is a ton of snails on them. Going to set up a spare tank for them today using some of the gravel and media from a current tank.