Breeding all types of snails.

[nathanaldo07]

Hi, I am looking to breed all sorts of snails for me to sell on me ebay shop, but also for the pure enjoyment of breeding.

I am here today to see if anyone has any tips on how to breed successfully and efficiently.

The snail species I currently have are:
- Bladder snails (Physella acuta)
- Ramshorn snails (I think they're Planorbis rubrum but I could be wrong)
- Pond snails (Lymnaea stagnalis)
- Apple/mystery snails (Pomacea bridgessi)
- Malaysian trumpet snails (Melanoides tuberculata)

I currently have these snails in 3 set ups:
- A 105L tank containing many ramshorn snails, 10 apple/mystery snails and a few malaysian trumpet snails. This tank is also home to two bristlenose plecos, a few otocinclus and shrimp.
- A 45L tub containing just bladder snails (about 40)
- A 45L tub containing just pond snails (about 10 medium sized with many babies)

All setups are filtrated to accommodate the large bio load of snails (especially when there are vast amounts of babies) so water quality is perfect in all set ups. Also, they are all heated to 23 to 25 degrees celsius (73 to 77 degrees fahrenheit.) They also all have plants in them.

I aim to feed a varied diet of hikari algae wafers, regular fish food, blanched spinach, blanched cucumber, blanched courgettes (zucchinis)


My ramshorns are breeding fine but if you have any tips please let me know as all advice is useful and greatly appreciated.

My bladder snails bred a little bit when they first went into the tub (the walls were covered with eggs, I'd say around 40 different egg clutches.) However, I have not noticed any eggs since and am unsure as to why they may have stopped laying them. So if any of you have any clues then I would really appreciate it.

My pond snails have layed many egg clutches, and I would notice all of the babies would congregate at the water line so I stuck some food at the water line to ensure they got food as I was unsure if they were eating. Is this normal? The older, larger snails would go all over the tub and eat food wherever I put it. Recently I have noticed less and less baby snails at the water line but cannot really see them anywhere else, could they just be hiding or could something have happened to them?

I have only just recently got the mystery snails and malaysian trumpet snails but I have already noticed some baby malaysian trumpet snails around the tank. If any of you have any tips on breeding either then again I would greatly appreciate it.


Sorry for all of the questions, just looking to see others opinions on the matter. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Colin_T]

People actually buy snails?
Mystery snails maybe, but Malaysian trumpet snails, death to them.

One species per tank/ container.
Have light on tank for up to 16 hours a day to encourage algae.
Feed 2-3 times a day.
Do big water changes and gravel clean substrate every week.
Snails breed prolifically.
Nothing special about it.

 

[DragonScales+Doubletails]

really you only need 1 bladder snail to get the job done!!

 

[NannaLou]

I have bladder snails breeding without even wanting them to!

 

[nathanaldo07]

People actually buy snails?
Mystery snails maybe, but Malaysian trumpet snails, death to them.

One species per tank/ container.
Have light on tank for up to 16 hours a day to encourage algae.
Feed 2-3 times a day.
Do big water changes and gravel clean substrate every week.
Snails breed prolifically.
Nothing special about it.

Youd be surprised, I think most people just want them as live food for their puffers.

I don't currently have substrate for the bladder snails (or pond snails) as I didn't think I needed it, just an extra cost.

I overfeed both tubs to ensure they always have food and ill feed them again once I notice they've ran out.

Just still don't know why they wont breed, I was thinking of maybe just buying some more which might start breeding and encourage the others too do so aswell?

 

[nathanaldo07]

I have bladder snails breeding without even wanting them to!

This was why I started selling them, they would just appear out of nowhere in my tanks and overpopulate.

 

[Colin_T]

Just still don't know why they wont breed, I was thinking of maybe just buying some more which might start breeding and encourage the others too do so as well?

If snails stop producing large numbers of eggs/ young, it's either water quality or the brood stock is inbred, normally the latter. I had a nice strain of ramshorn snail for 10+ years and it got to a point where they were only producing 1 or 2 young per batch of eggs. I added some new unrelated snails and the fertility rate shot back up to where it was 10yrs before.

 

[nathanaldo07]

If snails stop producing large numbers of eggs/ young, it's either water quality or the brood stock is inbred, normally the latter. I had a nice strain of ramshorn snail for 10+ years and it got to a point where they were only producing 1 or 2 young per batch of eggs. I added some new unrelated snails and the fertility rate shot back up to where it was 10yrs before.

I will definitely get some more then, thank you very much.

 

[azvictoria]

I had an emerging bladder snail issue a few months ago, got 2 assassin snails for my 60-gallon. They sure went to work. I haven't seen a bladder in weeks - actually went into a LFS today to ask then pick a few off their tanks for me - they did! I never thought I'd ask for bladder snails again...but the assassins are hungry!

 

[StripySnailGirl04]

Try Rabbit Snails in a minimum of 20 gallons. They breed slow but since they are relatively uncommon, you might get some good profit.

 

[azvictoria]

In my experience, there's no such thing as one bladder snail!

really you only need 1 bladder snail to get the job done!!