Help! Babies.

[caramounce]

Hi everyone this is my first post... haha I have a 55 gallon tank... and was looking at my tank from the couch... and saw a huge pile of baby eggs attached right above the water line...


I have never had babies... ahha and I dont know what to do... do I need to go get one of those breeding net things they sell at petsmart...? And if so do I remove the nest to put them in the net breeder ? and How do I know whose babies they are?...

I have two platy's... they are sorta small dont know when they fully mature... two angels... not sure if fully matured... 2 loaches... 2 horse face loaches.. and ummm thats it... please help !! I dont want them to get eaten

 

[knifegill]

Apple snail. Leave them where they are and they'll hatch out just fine.

 

[caramounce]

HAHAH r u serious!! My snails!! I just got them and thought they were not doing well hahah!!! WOW! ahha how long does it usually take to hatch... I just put them in my tank like a week ago... wanted to try out some additional cleaners.. will I need to do anything else to them?

 

[knifegill]

wanted to try out some additional cleaners.. will I need to do anything else to them?

What cleaners?

Do things to the eggs? Just keep them warm and moist. They might get eaten when they hatch since their shells will be very thin and soft. Oh, yeah, add a little crushed coral or calcium bicarbonate to your water so they can build their shells. Cuttlebones work, too.

They'll eat leafy greens as a staple, along with any stray food and algae they find.

Hatching time varies by temperature. http://www.petfish.net/articles/Invertebrates/Apple_Snail_Eggs.php

Also be sure the tank is fully cycled (no ammonia especially) and your pH is above 7. Otherwise they may fare poorly.

 

[caramounce]

What cleaners?

algae cleaners for my tank.

Thanks so much for all ur help! I am gunna be a snail mommy Woot woot! super excited!!

 

[knifegill]

algae cleaners for my tank.

What size tank is it? Adding fish rarely helps a situation. And nothing eats waste, so you'll still be doing your +/- 50% a week and vacuum as usual anyway. You sure you need another fish in there? But maybe your tank is huge and you already know all this and really want an exotic pleco in your collection. Either way, best of luck on the snails.

 

[caramounce]

I have a 55 gallon and I just did my water change yesterday I try to keep it as clean as possible but notice that my "artificial coral" was not being cleaned so I thought the snails would help with that and they were all over it when I put them in... But I have tried to do as much research as possible so i can be a responsible fish owner haha..

Thanks so much for everything though I didnt think anyone would respond !!

 

[deebs]

I dont know if you really want snails though, they replicate like crazy, but your loaches might snatch them up. crazy eggs though

 

[caramounce]

Do people ever sell them at the lfs?? I mean if they make it...? I dont think I need that many haha

I dont know if you really want snails though, they replicate like crazy, but your loaches might snatch them up. crazy eggs though.

 

[knifegill]

Yes, they will sell. You could try craigslist, too for max profit. Pet shops might not give you anything at all or very little, whereas you could theoretically sell them $2 each as pets or in lots as puffer feeders.

Good point on the loaches. They are known for their love of snails.