Snail time!

[catnipgal]

I understand they cant be shipped across state lines.

I was just wondering why? Why this type of shrimp?

My curiosity gets the best of me at times.

 

[247Plants]

Its because they could possibly get released during transport and decimate native ecosystems.

 

[vampie]

The reason is because Asolene spixi can crossbreed with another snail, Marisa cornuarietis. The hybrids inherit the destructive habits of the Marisa (eating plants, eggs, other snails, etc), but are impossible to tell apart from pure Spixis.

I think this started being a problem a few years back, when a lot of mass snail breeders kept the two species in the same tanks, and sold the hybrids as Spixis. So today, a lot of Spixis that are being kept are in fact hybrids, and could cause environmental damage if released into the wild. So banning them from crossing state lines is one way of preventing them from spreading around, though it obviously isn't working, since a lot of people still sell them on eBay/Aquabid.

 

[NeonFlux]

what the..

that's interesting

 

[Flaringshutter]

The hybrids actually are distinctive from the true spixies, but I believe they are fertile as well. The F1 generation is fairly easy to tell apart from purebred spixies, but once you start getting into the F2, F3 generation it is much harder - especially if the hybrids have bred with spixies or marisas yet again. Then it's a real genetic mess.

Have a look at this thread:
http://applesnail.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=10524&sid=17a4483d0e42f79af005a0b44a9abf3f

I have a clutch of crossbreeds growing out in the nursery right now. When they get bigger I will post some photos. They're about pinhead size now.

 

[NeonFlux]

:O

 

[tjcher]

wantng to try

MSJ we are interested in trying to breed them, where can we get some?

 

[msjinkzd]

What state are you in?

 

[tjcher]

PA. near york/lancaster

 

[vampie]

The hybrids actually are distinctive from the true spixies, but I believe they are fertile as well. The F1 generation is fairly easy to tell apart from purebred spixies, but once you start getting into the F2, F3 generation it is much harder - especially if the hybrids have bred with spixies or marisas yet again. Then it's a real genetic mess.

Have a look at this thread:
http://applesnail.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=10524&sid=17a4483d0e42f79af005a0b44a9abf3f

I have a clutch of crossbreeds growing out in the nursery right now. When they get bigger I will post some photos. They're about pinhead size now.

As I mentioned, people have started hybridizing these two species years ago, at this point, most of the Spixis in the hobby do have Marisa in them, and are virtually impossible to tell apart.

I've always thought they should have some sort of permit for this snail though. I never understood why Pomacea bridgesii needs one.