Setting up a snail tank...need some advice.

[Auroch]

Hi everybody!

I just want to say that I have first and foremost a reptile/amphibian enthusiast. While I have kept fish successfully, it is not my primary area of experience.

I currently have a single apple snail (gold mystery snail) isolated in a 5gal, because he was kept in a very diseased pet store tank before I felt bad for him and took him home.

First question: Will I ever be able to introduce him to a tank full of healthy snails? Or is he doomed to live alone forever? If not, how long do I quarantine him before I put him with other snails?

Also, I've fallen in love with snails! I'd love to have a snail display tank in my living room. Can I house different varieties of apple snails together? For example, can I house gold mystery snails, albino mystery snails, and blue mystery snails together? Can apple snails be housed with nerite snails? How about pond snails?

I am aware that the snails will overpopulate a 20gal very quickly...I plan on using the extras as a food source for my pacman frogs. I plan on raising the snails organically, with no chemicals, so as not to harm the froggies. Is this advisable?

Oh! and here's a picture of my brave little soldier from that nasty pet store! I'm still trying to decide on a name...

 

[Auroch]

No one? And this is the third forum I've visited...

 

[msjinkzd]

Hi everybody!

I just want to say that I have first and foremost a reptile/amphibian enthusiast. While I have kept fish successfully, it is not my primary area of experience.

I currently have a single apple snail (gold mystery snail) isolated in a 5gal, because he was kept in a very diseased pet store tank before I felt bad for him and took him home.

First question: Will I ever be able to introduce him to a tank full of healthy snails? Or is he doomed to live alone forever? If not, how long do I quarantine him before I put him with other snails?

Also, I've fallen in love with snails! I'd love to have a snail display tank in my living room. Can I house different varieties of apple snails together? For example, can I house gold mystery snails, albino mystery snails, and blue mystery snails together? Can apple snails be housed with nerite snails? How about pond snails?

Those are likely all the same species, pomacea diffusa (formerly pomacea bridgesii) so can be housed together. They are just different color morphs. Apples can be housed with both pond snails and nerites without any issues.

I am aware that the snails will overpopulate a 20gal very quickly...I plan on using the extras as a food source for my pacman frogs. I plan on raising the snails organically, with no chemicals, so as not to harm the froggies. Is this advisable?
They are sex specific. You require male and female to breed. They will lay their eggs in a pinkish clutch abocve the waterline, so make sure there is about 2" of space above the water or they will try to leave the tank to lay their clutches. As long as your source water does not have chloramines and you can age the water before water changes, no chemicals are necessary. A calcium rich diet and hard water are recommended for good shell health.

Oh! and here's a picture of my brave little soldier from that nasty pet store! I'm still trying to decide on a name...

I don't see any reason why it needs to be isolated but am going to take another look at the picture now.



EDIT: Has mild erosion but judging from that picture, it looks pretty healthy.

 

[Auroch]

Thanks so much! I really appreciate the help!

 

[brich999]

lol i hate pond snails if you ever need some come on up to NH i have all the free ones you and catch! some snails are cool, like assasian snails (spelling?)

 

[dthomasi]

If you stick to the 'mystery snail' (apple snail) types like I think you have pictured you should be able to control their population. I would recommend staying away from a lot of the other types (in my experience ramshorn and pond snails specifically) as they will grow difficult to manage and will probably be an eyesore in a show tank like you mentioned.

 

[pjsmetana]

... still trying to decide on a name...

Pac-man!