Makeing Wild Stock Safe

[GuppyDude]

Just collected a ton of snails and daphnia from a local river. I plan on feeding my fish with them, but im unsure how long they need to live in "safe" water before my fish can eat them. Right now they are all in a 1 gallon pickle jar with some alge and plants from the river, and a steady current of bubbles. The water they are in is from my tap (same that the fish live in). If there is anything else i should be doing to make them safe, or any info on how long i should od this, it would be greatly appritiated.

Btw, i didn't buy the snails from a lfs becasue the crazy guy there wanted to charge money for the little suckers, besides, the ones iv got here are meatier.

 

[helterskelter]

Dont use wild snails!!!!!!!!

Snails commonly carry fish desieases!!!!

As for wild daphina I used to feed it quite often and never had a problem, but again they do carry desieases, and if they are any ducks in or around the area I'll avode them as well!!!!

At least with shop stock they reared n a way to make sure the they cant come in contact with desieases which is why they have to charge for them.

 

[GuppyDude]

Thanks Helterskelter,

Yep, I've heard the very same from most sources. I wont be feeding them to anybody any time soon, but i would like to pursue possibly cleanseing the snails some how to make them safe. Iv'e no idea how to go about this yet, but ill be researching it extensivly. Meanwhile, they seem to have had an orgy last night, and there are eggs all over the place. Wondering if maybe the bad bacteria in them might breed out, or carry on to the baby snails. Never have I been so interested in snails.....I feel like iv degressed.

Any other info or experience would be excellent.

 

[rdd1952]

Snails put rabbits to shame when it comes to multiplying. I'm definitely no expert on snails and daphnia but it would seem to me that anything from the wild would carry the risk of disease especially the daphnia with all the diseases mosquitos carry.

 

[LennyMansfield]

I have an idea, but take it with a grain of salt...I don't know a thing about snails...

Maybe if you got rid of the snails you had at this point and hatched the eggs in new water (maybe the old water from your tank after you gravel vac) you would have disease free snails. I'm guessing its possible to pass some disease down to the eggs, but I don't really know for sure. Good luck!

 

[davisef]

I would be concerned about heavy metals in the snails. I see you're in Wisconsin. Here in Michigan, we're told that fish caught in inland lakes and streams can be dangerous due to mercury....it really is a shame the condition of our lakes and streams, at least when you get away from the industry it's in good shape.

 

[GuppyDude]

Yea, what we've done to the natural watery environments is really a shame. I live in the middle of no where, quite literally. Our water ways are fairly clean regarding human polution, but disease can still exist in the cleanest water.

Lenny, that was my thought as well, but i really lack the space for such an undertakeing. I probably wont do anything with em, it really would be easier to give in and buy those buggars at the lfs.

Thanks for all the responses, i can always count on you guys.