Many species of snails that live in the wild can also be bred in your home aquarium. The fact is that they prefer running water to standing water. With proper care, several members of the apple snail family or ampullaria can be grown in an aquarium at home.
Instructions
Step 1
Types of ampullaria are distinguished by the shape of the shell, size, distance between the mouth and the coils, and the shape of the coils. But this should be done by an experienced aquarist, not a beginner. It is almost impossible to determine the type of snail by the color of the shell, since some species have several colors. Often, even breeders cannot even indicate the sex of the ampullaria until it begins to lay eggs.
Step 2
According to the information published on the website "Our Aquarium", ampullaria can be kept in a regular aquarium with fish. Snails, as long as they are not a species that feed on shellfish, will not harm them. Ampullaria love aquarium flora, but they are not able to destroy it completely.
Step 3
Keep the aquarium under a lid as snails can "escape" from it. But never close the container tightly, as ampullaria need to breathe. For normal life, 10 liters of water will be enough for each snail. Do not pour water to the brim, leave 10 cm of space for the snail to have where to lay eggs.
Step 4
The water in the aquarium should not be too soft. Otherwise, the ampullaria will have nothing to strengthen the shell with. Pay attention to the ph level, it should not go below 7. Replenish the calcium in the water by adding crushed marble or limestone. They are sold at any pet store.
Step 5
Monitor the temperature of the water in the aquarium. It should be at least +18, but not higher than +28 degrees. The cooler the water, the lower the activity of the ampullaria. Too warm water promotes frequent spawning, but reduces the snail's lifespan from 4 years to 1 year.
Step 6
Aquarium snails eat non-solid foods: canned spinach, grated vegetables (cucumber, carrots), fish food, etc. Do not overfeed the ampullaria, otherwise you risk clogging the water with rotting food debris.
