FW Inverts Profiles

[Lupin]

Photo by Lupin.

Scientific Name: Melania sp.; Thiara sp.
Common Names: Malaysian Trumpet Snail; Malayan Trumpet Snail
Care Level: easy
Adult Size: 1-2 inches depending on the species
pH Range: 6.5-8.0
Temperature Range: 18-30 degrees Celsius (64-86 degrees Fahrenheit)
Origin: cosmopolitan
Temperament: peaceful
Compatible Tank mates:
Like all other snails, they tend to do well in a community tank provided there are no fish that will harass or eat them. Most of the loach species are unable to destroy these snails due to the shell structure and operculum (trapdoor) however there are species that have elongated snouts enabling them to penetrate through the defenses of the MTS. Puffers are still one of the top threats as they are capable of crushing through hard shells with their powerful beaks.
Diet:
MTS are not fussy eaters. In fact, the more abundant the food supply, the faster they reproduce. They will take well to vegetable matter, decaying organic matter, commercial foods and meaty foods with no problem.
Tank Size For Adult: As these proliferate rather quickly, there is no set guideline on stone as they will add up to the bioload faster than anything else can.
Lifespan: 2-3 years
Narrative:
Malaysian trumpet snails are one of the snails found to hike amongst plants, woods and other decorations. They have a potential to overcrowd a tank due to their ability to reproduce rather quickly beyond the aquarist's control as they are livebearers and are asexual therefore not requiring long incubation periods in comparison to other species.

Despite the fact these snails are considered a pest by most aquarists, they can prove themselves rather beneficial to planted tanks where they burrow around the substrate thus aerating it and preventing the substrate from getting compact which can choke the plant roots. They have been dubbed by some hobbyists as "earthworms of the aquatic garden". They are in general nocturnal and tend not to show up until dusk so if you really want to get rid of these, leave a lettuce overnight and you can simply drop the bait loaded with snails to the bin.

There are actually several species of MTS however due to various colors, patterns and shell structures, it has become increasingly difficult to properly identify the actual species of MTS. Thiara winteri is one of the rarely available species of MTS although there are a few more species that are often seen around but no one bothers too much identifying them anyway since almost all MTS have a similar disposition.

References/Links:
http://www.poppe-images.com/images/search_results.php?category=Shells&species=Thiara%20species&family=THIARIDAE

 

[Lupin]

Scientific Name: Physas sp.
Common Names: Bladder Snail
Care Level: easy
Adult Size: 0.8 inch
pH Range: 7.0-8.0
Temperature Range: 22-30 degrees Celsius (72-86 degrees Fahrenheit)
Origin: Cosmopolitan
Temperament: peaceful
Compatible Tank mates:
Bladder snails will work almost perfectly with all community setups provided the water conditions required are met. They should not however be mixed with fish that will constantly harass or harm them to death such as loaches of the botiine genus and puffers.
Diet:
These snails will eat anything from algae, carrion to commercial foods.
Tank Size For Adult: As these proliferate rather quickly, there is no set guideline on stone as they will add up to the bioload faster than anything else can.
Lifespan: 1-2 years
Narrative:
Bladder snails are one of the snails found to hike amongst plants, woods and other decorations. They have a potential to overcrowd a tank due to their ability to reproduce rather quickly beyond the aquarist's control as these are asexual. They are observed to start reproducing at an early age by laying several egg sacs each containing dozens of baby snails. Incubation period takes one to two weeks and the newborn snails reach full grown size in less than four weeks.

Despite the fact these snails are considered a pest by most aquarists, they will readily eat decaying organic matter and will not eat healthy plants as alleged by most planted tank enthusiasts. It is purely coincidental that they could simply be feeding on the plants due to the absence of vegetable matter in their diet or the plants are dying from nutrient deficiency.

There are actually several species of bladder snails however due to various colors, patterns and shell structures, it has become increasingly difficult to properly identify the actual species so most people do not bother to identify them anymore.

 

[Lupin]

Scientific Name: Lymnaea stagnalis
Common Names: Giant Pond Snail
Care Level: easy
Adult Size: 2 inches
pH Range: 7.0-8.0
Temperature Range: 41-81 degrees Fahrenheit (5-27 degrees Celsius)
Origin:
It is widespread throughout Europe, northern Asia and North America although it has been found to be scarce in Wales and Scotland.
Temperament: peaceful
Compatible Tank mates:
They work well in community tanks although they should not be kept with anything that will harass them to death.
Diet:
Giant pond snails are not fussy with their diet and will readily eat commercial foods, algae, biofilm and decaying organic matter.
Tank Size For Adult: 2 per gallon.
Lifespan: 2 years
Narrative:
Giant pond snails prefer stagnant water hence the scientific name, Lymnaea stagnalis. These snails have been found to be widespread throghout Europe, northern Asia and North America although they have been found now to be scarce in Wales and Scotland but they are not on the IUCN Red List which would indicate their status of existence.
They ingest grains of sand deliberately which stay in their gizzards to help break down tougher plant material. They are also seen floating upside down to collect air thus enabling them to stay underwater several months. Their survival instincts during winter are enhanced by burrowing through the soft mud to hibernate. They then secrete a thick seal over the mouth of the shell called an epiphragm. This helps to protect them from the cold until spring when they emerge again.
These snails breed readily laying egg sacs around just like the bladder snails (Physas sp.) They seem to use a seminal product to manipulate their partner and mate in the male role when enough seminal fluid is available in the prostate gland. Receipt of semen not only initiates egg laying in virgin animals, but also feminizes the mating partner later in life. This increases in the female function have been shown to go at the expense of growth and seminal fluid production of the sperm recipient. Although in Helix, and probably also Lymnaea, the sperm donor benefits from the induced changes through increased fertilization success, the sperm recipient may experience injury, imposed reallocation of resources, and altered sperm storage. These findings support the existence of sexual conflict in simultaneously hermaphroditic snails, and its importance for the evolution of mating behaviors and reproductive morphologies is discussed.
References/Links:
http://www.arkive.org/great-pond-snail/lymnaea-stagnalis/range-and-habitat.html
http://icb.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/c...alk.com/popup.asp?type=s&AnimalWebsiteID=2354