need advice on trapdoor snails

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aravenschild

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 17, 2007
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missouri,usa
My 8 yr old grandson asked if he keep some mystery snails in one of my tanks, but what he brought over was Japanese trapdoor snails:eek:. Even though I keep them in my pond as part of my cleaning crew, I've never tried keeping them inside and its too late this year to introduce them to my pond. (Water temp is in the low 40's (F) and dropping daily.)
So what do I feed them? They are in an unplanted tank and refuse algae wafers (more like avoid :(). I did put a couple of dieing waterlily leaves in the tank, which they devoured in a matter of hours, but I won't be able to do that much longer.
They are being housed in a 75 gal tank with an assortment of fancy goldfish, the goldfish are fed floating pellets (that don't sink nor last long enough to sink :eek:) Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance
 
Trapdoors are very finicky eaters. I never had luck keeping mine well in tanks but in ponds where they relish on algae and decaying vegetative matter. Do you have seaweeds or seaweed flakes? Worth a try as those can soften a bit.

On the other hand, I'd switch the goldfish's diet from flakes to sinking pellets. I just do not recommend floating foods for fancy goldfish especially as they are predisposed to buoyancy issues. Flakes often compromise with their buoyancy ability which is one reason I never like to feed my goldfish flakes.
 
Thank you for the advice, but I don't feed mine flakes, goldfish suck too much air eatting flakes and develop swim bladder problems, especially the deep bodied ones like Ryukins. I've been using floating pellets for over ten years now without a problem.

I've seen where people offer their fish zucchini, would this work?
 
Is that zucchini for your snails or your fish? You could give it a try to your trapdoor snails.
 
Was wondering if the snails would eat the zucchini, or if anyone had tried feeding it to trapdoor snails.

I may just have to get a big bag and acclimate them to the pond, but I'm thinking it may be too big of difference in the water temps................
 
I didn't have the best luck getting them to eat the zucchini, my best response has been to kens veggie sticks with calcium as they get very soft and silt-like (think sludge in bottom of pond). I am keeping trapdoors in a stock tub and feeding them those and its going well and I am getting decent amounts of offspring.
 
Thank you for the advice, wasn't really concerned about them having babies, just don't want to upset an 8 yr old................

Are the veggie sticks something a pet store would carry (and if so which one?), or are they purchased on line?
 
they are formulated by ken of www.kensfish.com:
veggie_sticks.jpg
 
my pleasure. I usually drop them in at lights out, they turn to mush and the trapdoors eat them. Feed sparingly at first. Its the only thing I have been successful getting mine to eat.
 
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