Snails for GSP when juvenille?

[GP]

I'm looking to start a snail breeding lair to feed my puffer with. I was wondering, what kind of snail I'm going to need, how much lettuce, what size bucket, and so forth..

 

[Zombies]

I've been trying to breed snails too, the pet store gave me some little pond snails that come in with the plants for free. I have a plant and three snails in a critter keeper for over one week...waiting for somthing to happen.

 

[TorPeteO]

Here's a useful link for how to breed snails;

Tom's Place

He suggests you use an actual tank rather than small containers. I've read somewhere else, though, that you can do it in 500 mL containers (sorry, I don't have a link for that one). Basically, you have a bunch of 500 mL containers and you have a pair in one, let it lay eggs, and move the eggs to a new one to start a new colony.

HTH

 

[Nethius]

not much water is needed, i've read people breeding them in cups(but i find having a filter helps out), i use an old 10 gal tank with an internal fluval filter

snails will eat anything, just feed other veg's or fish foods, or even algae will do

i find they breed best in warm water about 82 F

if you have any real plants you can put them in, but they'll eat them pretty quick... i have plastic plants, in my snail breeder, and they will lay their eggs on them. they also lay in filters, and on the glass. shouldn't take too long to for them to reproduce

good luck!

 

[GP]

How many do I start out with? Lettuce a good choice of food? What kind of snail? Salt level?

 

[Stryker]

Snails are pretty prolific in my tanks. Any reason you cant just have a planted corner in your community tank and leave them to it?

EDIT: oops, you dont seem to have one.... oh well.

 

[Nethius]

How many do I start out with? Lettuce a good choice of food? What kind of snail? Salt level?

as long as it's not iceburg lettuce, it has virtually no nutrients. i dont really feed mine(in an established tank theres lots of food already). every once in a while i'll throw in a peice of cucumber or a couple peas. snails will eat basically anything

a lot of snails are asexual (meaning the can reproduce by themselves) so technically you can start with one, but i'd say try to get atbout 10 or so, so there will be lots of babies!

no salt, even if the snail doesnt get eaten right away when put into you gsp tank they seem to be able to torerlate a brackish environment

as for the type, i honestly have no idea what kind mine are. they came in with some plants. they look like very small apple snails with a dark shell. i have yet to see one bigger then bb for a pellet gun. if yo go but a couple amazon swords, and pop them in your tank without rinsing them, your bound to get them too!

this is all from my own experience

 

[GP]

Well, it's hard for me because first off I can't find any java fern in the area, second off, they don't sell snails straight up, and third, I don't have a tank to breed them in. All I have is a bucket and some containers.

 

[Nethius]

the bucket will do. but you definitely want a heater in there! i find when the temp is low, the snails will just hide, and not lay eggs

filter is probably optional

i got my snails off amazon swords... but i'm sure they live on all types of plants

your lfs should have some snails in some of their planted tanks... so even if they dont sell them, maybe you can ask to have a couple

you can also feed your puffer ghost shrimp, but they're like a buck a peice where i live... next time i go to get frozen blood worms, i am gonna grab some frozen krill too, i want to see if they'll eat that (the shell might be hard enough to help wear down their beaks)

 

[GP]

Ghost Shrimp here are 25 cents a peice, so hah! lol, but I think I'm going to the store in Pheonix to get some snails with black shells...

 

[ilovegsps]

You should try the nerest river. me and my freinds see snails and there eggs all the time when we go fishing. by the way does anybody have any tips on catching big flattheads? i normally use live bait but no such luck yet