Snails In Cichlid Tank

[5teady_2012]

Can i put them big snails in my cichlid tank? dont know what type they are but i have just seen them in my lFS and there pretty nice and big..

 

[kj23502]

Can i put them big snails in my cichlid tank? dont know what type they are but i have just seen them in my lFS and there pretty nice and big..

Labidochromis caeruleus ......In the wild, they have been observed feeding on a variety of invertebrates and snails.

Link to the info.

Like the Labidochromis, they will suck the snails right out of their shells once they put on some size.

Where i got it from

This is what I found when searching the net. Hope it helps. I just googled snails + labidochromis and got a ton of hits....you could try that and then form your opinion. I think one sight might've actually kept them together....i didn't read the entire thing on that one....just the few setences on the search page.

 

[england]

apple snails<sort of amber couple shells

 

[5teady_2012]

Thanks for info

 

[WaterBender1995]

apple/mystery snails would be perfect for your endler tanks since they dont eat plants, just drop in an algae wafer every 3-4 days.
otherwise, cichlids will nip @ the eyes of the snails-pure torture

 

[jakeroberts]

because i breed apple snails i put a few babies in to my afircan cichlid tank and let them grow up in their and i have never had a problem yet

 

[5teady_2012]

because i breed apple snails i put a few babies in to my afircan cichlid tank and let them grow up in their and i have never had a problem yet

How much is it for apple snails?

 

[Larissa]

£1-2 each

 

[jakeroberts]

because i breed apple snails i put a few babies in to my afircan cichlid tank and let them grow up in their and i have never had a problem yet

How much is it for apple snails?

well in pet stores around here they are about $2 - $3 but i am selling mine at $1 that is australians dollars

 

[5teady_2012]

Thanks all, i will get some apple snails i think

 

[WaterBender1995]

because i breed apple snails i put a few babies in to my afircan cichlid tank and let them grow up in their and i have never had a problem yet

hmm thats odd because when I bred them also, any semi aggressive fish that came into contact with them would nip off their antennae.

 

[dthoffsett]

because i breed apple snails i put a few babies in to my afircan cichlid tank and let them grow up in their and i have never had a problem yet

hmm thats odd because when I bred them also, any semi aggressive fish that came into contact with them would nip off their antennae.

I've had the same problem. My mbuna enjoy ripping smaller snails out of their shells, and eating any exposed parts on larger snails.

5teady, I'd just start out with one to see what the mbuna will do.

 

[5teady_2012]

because i breed apple snails i put a few babies in to my afircan cichlid tank and let them grow up in their and i have never had a problem yet

hmm thats odd because when I bred them also, any semi aggressive fish that came into contact with them would nip off their antennae.

I've had the same problem. My mbuna enjoy ripping smaller snails out of their shells, and eating any exposed parts on larger snails.

5teady, I'd just start out with one to see what the mbuna will do.

Ok i will do, thanks for all the advice...

btw way, why do people mbuna? i am new to cichlids so things like that i not understand, sorry

 

[dthoffsett]

btw way, why do people mbuna? i am new to cichlids so things like that i not understand, sorry

Not quite sure what you mean. Are you asking why people call them mbuna?

If so, there are three basic groups of cichlids from Lake Malawi; peacocks, haps, and mbuna.

The “Mbuna” (i.e., rock-dwelling fish) are a large group of Cichlids that live among large piles of rocks along the shoreline. They are usually seen in large groups, but are by no means a schooling fish. In some areas of Lake Malawi, 20 fish per square meter is not uncommon. Both sexes of the more than 100 species of Mbuna are unusually colorful, whereas typically, only males have color. They are very colorful with bright patterns of horizontal stripes or vertical bars. Mbuna are smaller and tend to have flat faces, which enables them to better scrape algae from rocks. These consist mostly of, but not limited to, the genera Pseudotropheus, Labidochromis, Mealnochromis, Labeotropheus and Metriaclima.

Haps, for want of a better name, are basically a non-Mbuna flock that are informally called “Haps” because many of these fish once belonged to the broad genus Haplochromis Hilgendorf. Most Haps are piscivores, unlike the vegetarian Mbuna. There are some exceptions to this generalization, however, but these do well on a piscovore's diet nonetheless. Haps are aggressive, but not as aggressive as the vegetarian Mbuna. They have long, slender, almost torpedo-like bodies, and cruise the open water. Most of these fish are silver or gray when small, and the males become very brightly colored as they mature. Females typically remain without color.

The Peacocks of Lake Malawi consist only of those fishes from the genus Aulonocara. Members of this genus are characterized by a remarkably enlarged lateral line system. The lateral line, or lateralis, is a line of perforated scales along the flanks of a fish which lead to a pressure-sensitive nervous system. Specialized cells within the lateralis, called neuromasts, enable a fish to detect vibrations and electrical impulses in the surrounding water. The lateralis is thus essential in allowing a fish to detect potential predators as well as prey.

Quotes taken from here: [URL="http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/lakes_east_africa.php"]http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/lakes_east_africa.php[/URL] & here [URL="http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/peacocks.php"]http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/peacocks.php[/URL]

 

[5teady_2012]

btw way, why do people mbuna? i am new to cichlids so things like that i not understand, sorry

Not quite sure what you mean. Are you asking why people call them mbuna?

If so, there are three basic groups of cichlids from Lake Malawi; peacocks, haps, and mbuna.

The “Mbuna” (i.e., rock-dwelling fish) are a large group of Cichlids that live among large piles of rocks along the shoreline. They are usually seen in large groups, but are by no means a schooling fish. In some areas of Lake Malawi, 20 fish per square meter is not uncommon. Both sexes of the more than 100 species of Mbuna are unusually colorful, whereas typically, only males have color. They are very colorful with bright patterns of horizontal stripes or vertical bars. Mbuna are smaller and tend to have flat faces, which enables them to better scrape algae from rocks. These consist mostly of, but not limited to, the genera Pseudotropheus, Labidochromis, Mealnochromis, Labeotropheus and Metriaclima.

Haps, for want of a better name, are basically a non-Mbuna flock that are informally called “Haps” because many of these fish once belonged to the broad genus Haplochromis Hilgendorf. Most Haps are piscivores, unlike the vegetarian Mbuna. There are some exceptions to this generalization, however, but these do well on a piscovore's diet nonetheless. Haps are aggressive, but not as aggressive as the vegetarian Mbuna. They have long, slender, almost torpedo-like bodies, and cruise the open water. Most of these fish are silver or gray when small, and the males become very brightly colored as they mature. Females typically remain without color.

The Peacocks of Lake Malawi consist only of those fishes from the genus Aulonocara. Members of this genus are characterized by a remarkably enlarged lateral line system. The lateral line, or lateralis, is a line of perforated scales along the flanks of a fish which lead to a pressure-sensitive nervous system. Specialized cells within the lateralis, called neuromasts, enable a fish to detect vibrations and electrical impulses in the surrounding water. The lateralis is thus essential in allowing a fish to detect potential predators as well as prey.

Quotes taken from here: <a href="http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/lakes_east_africa.php" target="_blank">http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/lakes_east_africa.php</a> & here <a href="http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/peacocks.php" target="_blank">http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/peacocks.php</a>

Great stuff, good read for me and something new to learn