Question RE: Snails

[sugarcookie]

Hi...

Someone gave me 3 snails, I don't know the kind but, there shell is circled, round, brown hard shell. What does the snails do for the tank? Would you recommend putting them in your tank? Forgot to ask, what about feeding them?

Thanks,
Sugarcookie

 

[msjinkzd]

do you have a picture perhaps? How big are they?

As for what snails do for a tank, most will eat left over foods, decaying plant matter, etc. If its a common snail they will readily reproduce with a food source. If its a snail like a trapdoor or apple snail, they will need to be fed a calcium rich diet to maintain shell health. www.applesnail.net has some species photos that may help you determine. If you can get a pic, that would help me give you more of an idea of what you have.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/shrimp/40031-snails-how-recognize-them.html

 

[sugarcookie]

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/shrimp/40031-snails-how-recognize-them.html

I think I found a picture...maybe there, Ramshorn Aikuinen

Sugarcookie

 

[msjinkzd]

is it large (bigger than a quarter) or small (pencil eraser sized)

 

[wwg]

What do you mean by calcium rich diet?Because i reckon that's the reason my apple snail died

 

[sugarcookie]

is it large (bigger than a quarter) or small (pencil eraser sized)

I have 1 Large & 2 Medium, sometime tonight I'll try to get a picture, my camera or maybe me, don't take every good pictures.

Thanks,
Sugarcookie

 

[msjinkzd]

well, typically the common ramshorns don't get bigger than say a penny, but the columbian ramshorns (giant ramshorns, marisa sp.) will get much larger. They are also plant eaters. As far as feeding, here is a link to recipes, and also in there is a breakdown of what veggies have high-calcium content: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135871

The calcium is important to promote healthy shell growth. You can feed them blanched veggies, algae wafers, or any of the homemade foods. Also, depending on your water chemistry (you want hard water with snails) you may need to add some cuttlebone or something like a vacation feeder or crushed coral to help buffer the water to prevent shell erosion. This is if they are the giant ramshorn...if they are common ramshorns (the small ones) you don't really need to target feed or worry about your water as much.

 

[thebullit]

what else can be said.....

oh i agree

 

[leoslizards]

Thanks for the link MGamer I always wondered what those FW Limpets were. I've tried many times to take a pic of them to get them IDed but I always got a blurry picture.