Re: Apple snail eggs

by **kizno1** on Sun Jul 11, 2010 7:38 pm

flip wrote:mine take them at roughly the size of a US nickle, or about half theadult size. they have taken a few that were a bit smaller that i had taken in because i wasnt sure if they were big enough. i just told them the first time i brought them in to look them over and if there were any not big enough yet that it was fine and i would take them back till they were bigger and they just took them all!!
they really do grow quick, it takes about 1.5-2 months for mine to get to size as long as they are not over crowded. ive been destroying a lot of clutches and only letting them hatch when im getting close to selling the bigger ones.

Thanks shouldnt be to much longer then. They have already grown alot

liz2 wrote:on the subject of snails! Giant African Land Snail babies are little devils. One day you have eggs and then they seem to hatch so fast! Next you know there are tiny holes in the lettuce! shriek!!

Haha i saw some of these in a new lfs yesterday i knew they ot big but there where massive. I also saw some stick insects which im considering they where only 50P each Shocked

by **liz2** on Sun Jul 11, 2010 8:01 pm

oh stickies are fun. The pre school where I work have them! The babies are so fast, when you clean them out you want 3 pairs of hands! The babies also escape through the tiniest holes! You find them in funny places!

by **kizno1** on Sun Jul 11, 2010 8:06 pm

Haha i am really tempted. What do you have to feed them? Im thinking of a few of these or a scorpion or tarantula if my mum agrees which i dout because my brothers.

by **liz2** on Sun Jul 11, 2010 8:12 pm

At pre school they are in a plastic fish tank with a tight lid. Margarine tub in the bottom with water and oasis (that stuff they use to make flower arrangements) and then privet twigs or ivy leaves stuck in for them to eat. I think you have to mist them a bit as well. When the females are ready to lay eggs their front legs go pink! And that is about as far as my knowledge of them goes... computerlaugh

by **kizno1** on Sun Jul 11, 2010 8:17 pm

haha i might look into them a bit more. 50p each is a great price. Just little anoying that i sold a 5 and 10G not that long ago that would have worked well.

by **liz2** on Sun Jul 11, 2010 8:20 pm

wilkos do a tank for a fiver that would do..plastic one with fitted lid. Also went in a shop called Home Bargains the other day and they had a circular one with a lid quite big, with a stem, like wine glass shape. You would have a good view with one of them.

by **kizno1** on Sun Jul 11, 2010 8:24 pm

Ill have to have a look around then. If not i might make one I know where i can get some clear acrylic that would work.

by **flip** on Mon Jul 12, 2010 8:58 pm

i would love to have a GAL, i think they are awesome! too bad they are illegal here Sad

by **kizno1** on Sun Jul 18, 2010 11:02 pm

Why are they illegal? The snails havent really grown much there only about 5-7mm

by **kizno1** on Sun Jul 25, 2010 4:58 pm

The female died. I just found her and her trap door had fell of and she was covered in the babies. Theres nothing inside the shell so i reckon they must have eater her aswell sick

by **flip** on Sun Jul 25, 2010 7:05 pm

GALs are considered an invasive species here. yeah once one dies they will eat it, gross huh. dont worry, they will grow. if you can maybe put a few in some of your other tanks to help with overcrowding?

by **kizno1** on Sun Jul 25, 2010 7:14 pm

Fair enough. The babies seemed to be all over the trap door. Is it any good for them to eat it? because there must be atleast 20 on it. I cant really put them anywhere because my 30G is already well enough stocked and if i put them in my21G im worried the apisto would try to eat them a chock so they will have to stay in the 6G for the moment.

by **flip** on Wed Jul 28, 2010 2:48 am

i always leave the empty shells i find in there, it is a calcium source, i think the way it works is it will release into the water as the shell deteriorates. same with the operculum (trap door) it will be fine. the only thing you have to watch is that the smaller babies dont go in the empty shells and get stuck and die. i fill the shells with sand from the tank when i see them empty just to be safe!!

by **kizno1** on Wed Jul 28, 2010 9:29 am

Ileft it in there because it wasnt doing anything to the water and the babies seemed to like it. I was thinking it might have some calcium for the babies because a fews shells dont look to good. Is there any other way to give them calcium? Ill fill it with sand today then thumbup

by **flip** on Wed Jul 28, 2010 2:19 pm

you can put in tums or vacation feeders. both are an easy source of calcium. i did the tums thing untill i was going through so many and started making plaster of paris puck as it was cheaper for the amount i need. the weekend feeders are basiclly the same as the pucks. i have used those too. my snails LOVE berry flavored tums, just make sure you do not use the mint flavored ones!!

by **kizno1** on Wed Jul 28, 2010 2:27 pm

I think i have some of the holiday feeder some where will have to try and find them. Plaster of paris is that safe for them? just seems a little weird lol. This may sound stupid but whats a tums?

by **flip** on Wed Jul 28, 2010 3:10 pm

there is one type of plaster of paris that is safe, has been tested out and is now in tanks all over lol i got the info on it at the apple snail forum i go to. as for tums...i forget things are different there! tums are a calcium pill that people take for heart burn or just for the extra calcium. do you know what caltrate is? that is the same thing and the snails can have it too. calcium supplement pills.

by **kizno1** on Wed Jul 28, 2010 3:13 pm

Havent heard of that either. Ill keep my eye out for any calcium pills.

by **flip** on Wed Jul 28, 2010 4:37 pm

hmm, ok yeah the ingredient you need to look for is calcium carbonate it is what gives the calcium to the snails

by **kizno1** on Wed Jul 28, 2010 4:41 pm

Fair enough ill have a look around
thanks thumbup