Snails

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
B

banjocat

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 5, 2007
341
20
48
Michigan
Can snails be safely kept with a bichir. I have a polypterus senegalus, which is about 5.5 in. I would like something to help with the algae and leftover food. I saw some gold mystery snails at a LFS. They looked just big enough that my bichir couldn't swallow them whole. If he somehow managed to eat one would the snails shell hurt him or just dissolve in his stomach?

Thanks
 
I bought two mystery snails. The bichir hasn't shown any interest in them. They're wider than the bichir's head, so I don't think there will be any problem.

At the shop I picked snails that were moving. One floated to the top of the aquarium when the sales person dislodged from the glass. He was still floating when I added him to the aquarium. I moved him around a little bit and some of the air came out and he went to the bottom(he still seems slightly buoyant). Its been over an hour since I've introduced them to the aquarium and they haven't moved. I plan on looking into calcium supplements after I see for sure how they're doing.
 
How big is his head?Bichirs can eat small snails.
 
As far as the snails (besides the risk of them being eaten), I wouldn't worry about it not moving. If the snail doesn't move for a day or two, then take a look at it. If its trapdoor is limp and flops around in the water, then it is dead. If it is still in place, then the snail most likely feels threatened and won't come out, move him to another tank.

I had two mystery snails in w/goldfish that constantly nipped at their shells, and this is what they did. I moved them to another tank and they were fine. Floating at the surface is common for them, sometimes you will see them shoot up to the top and drop back down.
 
Thanks

One of the snails started moving around this morning.

Its hard to tell the size of the bichirs head, because he moves anytime I get near the glass. I would guess his head is maybe 3/4 of an inch wide. The snails appear to be bigger than his head as a whole. Only way I could see him eating them is if bichirs are capable of breaking snail shells. So far he has shown no interest in them. I find this odd, because he starts searching if I just drop a small piece of food in the water.
 
Most people seem to recommend crushed coral for calcium. I few topics have suggested putting crushed coral in the filter. On my aquarium I have a Whisper filter. Should I just add crushed coral to the carbon bag or add another bag with crushed coral behind the carbon?

How well would putting some egg shells or crushed eggshells on the substrate work?
 
CC doesn't work that great. A better source is one of three good, and easy options. 1) Nutrafin's vacation feeders, they have a higher calcium content then most others. 2) Seachem's reef calcium, or a turtle calcium supplement. 3) Deer antlers.

All of these are fairly easy to come by, and all will help with calcium. Don't bother dosing for calcium though, unless your snails show signs of deterioration.
 
Pic of the snails? or of the bichir?

Also one of my snails stopped moving recently. I suppected he died, but kept him in there a little while longer to be sure. The next time I checked the shell was empty. I suspect the bichir must have pulled him out. I found the piece of shell that snails use when they close their shell, a few days later during a water change. Had me worried because I thought the bichir had ate that too.

The other snail is doing fine. I tried feeding him a small piece of boiled broccoli this morning. He seemed to enjoy it.
 
cucumber, green beans(right from the can), algae wafers, are some foods my snails love.you can buy plaster of paris and make calcium discs really cheap. check out applesnail.net lots of good info there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom