Another Snail Question

lizjamie · Feb 14, 2006

Helloooo,
I was wondering if anyone could tell me how long apple snails will live for?
I was contemplating getting one but if they have a short life-span, I get upset when things die so the might not be such a good idea. Have been searching the net without much success.
If not any other ideas of a "friend" for a fancy gold fish in a 58litre tank?
Maybe i have 2 much time on my hands waiting for the fishless cycle to finish.....
Thanx

morgan · Feb 14, 2006

Hi, they live 2 years in coldwater and about 18months in tropical water. The warmth speeds up their metabolism and therefore shortens their already rather short life. They are still fun though. I am on my second one (it is in tropical water).

PS I have just looked at an Apple Snail website and it says the water temperature should be 18-28c. That has confused me now! I thought they liked cooler water. Best wait until someone else replies just to be sure.

lizjamie · Feb 14, 2006

Ah cheers, can probably cope if they will live 18 months. Also my tank will be coldwater with the fancy goldfish so maybe he/she will last a bit longer then too. Would still be interested in any other opinions.

bustamonkey2002 · Feb 15, 2006

when it does die, the fish eat them as well, u wont have to fish anything out of the tank, aprt from the shell which can make nice decor.

Snick · Feb 15, 2006

Well is was prett weird with me, i have had 2 apple snails and they both lasted less than 4 months... of course they where already pretty big when i bought them. There was something weird in mine though- they seemed to go inside their shells and stay there; after a week i decided to see if they where alive, and they werent; they died inside their shell!

TracyRene · Feb 15, 2006

Snick said:
Well is was prett weird with me, i have had 2 apple snails and they both lasted less than 4 months... of course they where already pretty big when i bought them. There was something weird in mine though- they seemed to go inside their shells and stay there; after a week i decided to see if they where alive, and they werent; they died inside their shell!

I have 2 lg mystery snails that stay in their shells! I always think they are dead.....they will stay inside and not move for day! I have a river rock area in my tank that they prefer to "do nothing but sit" in and I also have a sand area that they seem to not like so much......soooo every couple days I move them to the sand part and by the next morning they are back in the rocks!
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