I've Been Breeding Pond Snails...

[superjalami30]

I breed pond snails, or shall I say I let them do they're thing in a breeding trap and let babies escape into the main tank for my electric blue to have someone to play with. (for a supplemental food source)

Anyways, this moring I discovered many, many little white worms in the breeder.
I have heard that there is a type of white worm found commonly in aquariums that are not harmful to either fish or invertebrates, but I'd like to make sure of this fact.

Does anyone know what kind of worm it may be and whether or not it actually is or isnt harmful to either my crayfish or the other inhabitants in my tank?


thanks

 

[emma12321]

Hi,

Sounds like planaria do a google images search for pics to confirm.

Emma

 

[superjalami30]

Thanks emma12321.
I did do a google search and came up with planaria.
Its most likely what they are.
I suppose I've been feeding my snails too much.
But at the same time, they're not harmful to crayfish or fish, except to they're eggs.

I think whats happened is that the excess food in the breeder was enough to start them off.

I did a water test and levels are fine in the main tank, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are all zero.

I wonder if the snails will eat "them"?

 

[fishboytoo]

Let me see if I've got this right, as I haven't heard of this approach. You have a breeding box hanging off your tank, in the tank water, with snails in it. The snails lay eggs and only the babies leave the box to, as you put it, play with your fish?

I'm just wondering, as I just started breeding snails in a pail for my dwarf puffer. Your idea seems much better. What do you feed them and does it affect the water quality?

 

[superjalami30]

Well, first off, the babies only escape because the holes are only big eonugh for them to get out.
The adults being much bigger cannot fit through.

I feed the adult snails anything from brine shrimp to spirulina pellots and just as often fresh lettuce and/or cuttings from some of my plants.
Yes, they are messy, I have to siphon out the leftovers every 2nd or 3rd day.
I keep the water highly saturated with 02 with lots of current, and do regular large water changes once a week (30-40%).

It's been working so far.