Breeding snails in an aquarium (at home)

03/04/2019Shellfish0

Snails are useful, they are considered the orderlies of the aquarium, they clean the soil from food residues and rotten parts of plants. Most of them are hermaphrodites. Such creatures have female and male genital organs. To avoid an excess of individuals in the tank, you need to know the rules for keeping them.

In addition to aquariums, land mollusks are popular; owners keep them in terrariums as decorative species.

• 1 Peculiarities of snail reproduction 1.1 In nature
• 1.2 At home
• 1.3 In the aquarium

The structure of snails

A snail is a mollusk that walks on one leg. On top he wears a shell. Snails have a pair of tentacles on their heads and are able to breathe both in and out of water. They have gills and lungs.

The structure of the snail. Internal and external organs.

You can find both different-sex and same-sex individuals. Some species give birth to live offspring. These include melania. Others lay eggs.

Same-sex individuals have male and female reproductive organs. Often they enter the aquarium already fertilized.

You should not populate the aquarium with snails that were taken from natural bodies of water. They can become a source of infections. You should only buy shellfish from pet stores and from reliable suppliers.

Snails are not picky about their diet; they can even eat leftover food after fish. Thanks to this, the water in the aquarium is well cleaned. Their disadvantages include aquarists: partial or complete destruction of algae and rapid reproduction. Some species also secrete mucus, which makes the water cloudy.

At one time, some types of snails can lay up to 500 eggs. From them emerge rapidly growing cubs. The owner decides what to do with them afterwards.

Types and characteristics of water snails

1. Ampularia (Pomacea bridgesi) - the most famous species of exotic aquarium snail. These are dioecious mollusks; a pair is needed for breeding, but among them it is almost impossible to recognize a male and a female. They do not reproduce as intensively as other small snails; for breeding they need warm water (at least +24 °C). The mollusk can live up to 5 years and at a lower temperature, but not less than +18 °C. Their population is easily controlled by removing clutches of eggs from the reservoir. Ampullaria shells are brown, yellow and even blue. Snails can be fed with various types of food: dry fish food, steamed or boiled fruits and vegetables.
   Did you know? Garden snail mucus is used in cosmetology to remove wrinkles, age spots and scars on the skin.

   The same applies to all varieties of mollusks, which will be described below. The bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal tract of this gastropod is rich in microorganisms, which can lead to cloudy water in small tanks, but will be useful for fish fry as micro-food. The ampularia has no ears and cannot hear anything.

2. Melania (Melanoides tuberculatus) — The olive green shell of this snail is decorated with zigzag patterns. It can live in a wide range of temperatures - from +18 °C to +30 °C. A temperature of +18 °C is critical for them, and a decrease in this value leads to death. The average life expectancy of this breed is up to three years. It differs from other breeds in that it feeds on soil substrate, helping to remove anaerobic zones in the aquarium and improving the condition of the roots of aquatic plants. Melania come to the surface of the water at night, but if this happens during the day and often, it indicates poor water quality and low oxygen content in it.
   Important! Under favorable conditions, the melania snail is capable of reproducing so quickly that after a while the entire bottom of the aquarium is covered with mollusks of all ages. Outwardly, it looks like a heap of living and moving gravel, which is rather unaesthetic.

   If they do not feed in the bottom soil, this indicates the presence of toxic gases at the bottom. In this way, melania snails act as a biological compass, indicating to the aquarist the condition of the tank. In favorable conditions, they multiply quickly, so it is worth taking care of the presence of their natural enemy, the Helena snail (Anentome helena), in the aquarium. Melania is a freshwater species that is found almost throughout the world in tropical, subtropical and temperate climates. Its habitat is clear running and standing water with a rocky or sandy bottom (rivers, streams, ditches, lakes, ponds). They are omnivores, eating both algae and meat.

3. Neritina natalensis sp. Zebra - this is a good option for those who do not want an excess of snails in their aquarium. Neretina is beautifully colored, and also comes in different colors. These gastropods prefer water temperatures in the range of +22–25 °C. Neretinas feed in the same way as other snails, in the process cleaning the aquarium glass well from algae. They remain active day and night, with short breaks for sleep and rest. Sometimes they crawl out of the aquarium, but a long stay outside the water leads to their death. The reasons for the escape of these mollusks from the tank may be: poor water quality, low amount of oxygen or lack of food. This is a herbivorous species that is excellent at fighting diatoms and green algae. A freshwater aquarium is not threatened by a demographic explosion of neretina, since its larvae require brackish water for normal development. The lifespan of neretina is from 3 to 5 years.

4. Army helmet (Filopaludina sp) - recommended for keeping for the same reasons as the Neretina zebra. The homeland of this gastropod is Thailand, its appearance is rather unprepossessing, but aquarists simply call this snail a tank. The gastropod is so firmly attached to the glass of the tank that it is difficult to tear it off. This mollusk also has a lid that tightly seals the entrance to the shell. If Filopaludina gets out of the aquarium, then thanks to this quality it will remain alive even after several days. Zebra snails and helmet snails are best for controlling algae by clearing plants in hard to reach areas. They will be good as company for aggressive large fish, as they have the ability to completely hide in shells.
   Did you know? Snails do not change shells as they grow. Instead, their shell grows with them.

   Filopaludina move slowly and look like a black pebble. They are effective in controlling diatoms, green and brown algae. Average life expectancy is 5 years.

5. Helena (Anetome helena) also known as the killer snail - its shell consists of contrasting black and cream stripes. The gastropod sucks in food through a tube protruding above the shell. This snail is one of the few that does not feed on algae in the aquarium - it eats other snails, which is appreciated by aquarists, with its help keeping the snail population of the tank under control. If there are no other snails in the aquarium, then Helena needs to be fed with high-protein food: crushed egg, protein dry fish food. Contrary to popular belief, killer snails do not eat shrimp. True, this only happens because the shrimp are too fast and they have a shell, and Helena does not have time to introduce the toxin into the victim’s body. Anentome helena lives in a variety of places: rivers, lakes, ponds. These snails are found in Indonesia, Southeast Asia and Thailand in clean rivers with sand and mud bottoms and even in dry river beds and on mud-covered rocks. Therefore, the animal has resistance and plasticity to living conditions. The recommended temperature in the aquarium is +22 °C and above. It is a dioecious species that reproduces slowly. An overabundance of Helena individuals does not threaten the reservoir - you can always get rid of the young, in addition, this is a valuable snail, which there are always people willing to buy. The clutch consists of individual eggs, and copulation of the mollusks can last several days. Killer mollusks do not eat each other, although this is possible during extreme food shortages. In search of food, they examine the silty bottom, so killers hunt more actively in a dirty aquarium. The only disadvantage of keeping them may be the need to remove the empty shells of other varieties of mollusks from the aquarium. Life expectancy ranges from 2 to 5 years.

6. Pink snail (Planorbella sp. Pink) - exactly the same as a simple brown one, only with a pink shell color, which looks beautiful in an aquarium. An artificially bred variety that feeds on algae, dry food, meat food, and leads an active lifestyle. It is important to note that Planorbella sp. Pink does not reproduce as intensively as its brown relative.
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7. Pagoda (Brotia Pagodula) - like other types of gastropods, lives from 2 to 5 years. The shell is light brown, decorated with spines, the body is gray. They move reluctantly and much more slowly than other species; they most often rest, remaining in one place. They are viviparous, releasing a small number of young into the aquarium from time to time. Young pagodas, unlike adults, are lively, but grow for quite a long time, feeding on live dust on the glass and food debris from the bottom.
   Did you know? At the slightest danger, snails completely hide in their shell house: there they feel completely safe.

   Comfortable water temperature for this species should be in the range of +25–27 °C. If necessary, the pagoda can live at a temperature of +22 °C.

Features of some snails

The largest species of snails include ampullaria. Its shell can reach 7 cm in diameter, and its leg up to 9 cm. The peculiarity of its structure is that it has a lid at the opening of the shells. Sensing danger, the snail hides, covering it behind itself. She also has a well-developed sense of smell, so when she smells food, she quickly goes to it. This is a heterosexual mollusk. For breeding, 3-4 individuals are enough. Since it lays its eggs above the surface of the water, 2-4 cm of air space should be left in the aquarium.

Physes are small in size. The diameter of their shell does not exceed 2 cm. Their peculiarity is that they secrete a thread that connects the bottom to the surface of the water. This is where snails move.

Viviparous mollusks include melania. They like to hide in the soil, not allowing it to stagnate. They feed on what they can find at the bottom. Melanias reproduce in small quantities. About 50 cubs can be born at one time.

Creating suitable conditions

Snails breed during the warm season. Sometimes ampullaria lay eggs in winter, but such cases are the exception rather than the rule.

After mating is complete, the female crawls out and places the eggs on the wall of the aquarium. All eggs in the clutch fit tightly to each other. Caviar looks like small balls of delicate pink color. The size of one egg does not exceed two millimeters. The average diameter of the masonry is 2x4 cm.

The ampoule snail lays eggs on the lid of the aquarium because... masonry requires atmospheric air.

The masonry is always at a certain height, without access to water. In nature, snails thus protect future offspring from aquatic inhabitants. But at home, the ampoule, in search of a good place to lay it, can lift the glass lid and crawl out. If it is not noticed in time, the animal may die from lack of moisture. For this reason, the aquarium with ampularia is carefully closed.

It is important to note that ampularia is rarely limited to one clutch. After mating, the female can lay eggs three to five times with a break of several days.

How to breed snails at home

Most species of Achatina snails are oviparous, but there are some viviparous species. Oviparous animals first carry eggs, lay them, and after some time small snails hatch from them. Viviparous Achatina immediately gives birth to small snails.

Achatina are hermaphrodites. This means that they have both female and male reproductive organs. Snails reach sexual maturity at 6 months. The genital organ located on the neck will help determine that the snail has entered reproductive age. In appearance it resembles a tubercle; at puberty it becomes white.

The entire snail breeding process consists of several stages:

1. Pair selection.
2. Preparing the mating site.
3. Creating favorable conditions for reproduction.
4. Masonry care.
5. Baby care.
6. Dispersal of small snails.

Breeding snails in an aquarium

The phrase “breeding snails” will make many aquarists laugh - it is so difficult to contain the constant demographic pressure on the aquarium from gastropods that the owner does not even have to think about how to breed them artificially. But sometimes such a need arises if you need to breed rare or very beautiful breeds.

Important! It is necessary to remove food debris from the “kindergarten” in a timely manner, ideally after a few hours: this is done so that the food does not pollute the water, because poor water quality can kill the young. But even if food debris is removed in a timely manner, frequent partial water changes are necessary, at least once a week.

Preparation

When an aquarist wants to replenish the population of a rare species of snail, it is best to breed them in a separate small aquarium:

1. The water should be warm. If you are not using an aquarium heater, it is best to place the tank in a warm place and cover the top with a lid or foil with plenty of air holes.
2. It is advisable to use a sponge as a filter, as it helps purify the water, preventing tiny snails from being caught along the way.
3. The prepared tank is filled with aquarium water, live plants and adult mollusks as parents.
4. To keep the producers well-fed, a piece of blanched lettuce, zucchini or cucumber is added to the aquarium. A compressed algae tablet can be placed in the tank twice a week.
5. If all goes well, after a while you will see small clear "blobs" with tiny spots inside appearing throughout the aquarium. These are snail eggs, from which tiny babies should soon hatch.

How do snails reproduce?

Freshwater snails often breed in captivity and can produce large numbers of offspring at one time. They are often hermaphrodites, meaning they carry both sperm and female eggs, and can reproduce on their own.

However, some breeds, such as the snailfish (yellow, brown or blue), require both male and female participation in the process of fertilizing the eggs.

Did you know? The largest land mollusk is the giant African snail Achatina. The shell of this gastropod usually reaches a size of 5–10 cm, and especially large specimens can boast a shell with a diameter of up to 20 cm.

Snails reach sexual maturity at the age of one year. The freshwater snail usually lays eggs about 14 days after fertilization.

Caviar care

Cephalopod eggs look like blobs of jelly and either float on the surface of the water or are attached to the wall of the aquarium. The eggs hatch between two and five weeks after being laid.

Sometimes the laying of eggs turns out to be fruitless, and babies do not hatch from them. Therefore, if the eggs have not hatched within five weeks, they are likely infertile and should be removed from the water tank.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the types of aquarium snails, and also learn more about the features of keeping snails such as coil, lawn, marise, and pond snails in an aquarium.

Birth and growth of fry

Gastropods can lay hundreds of eggs at a time, so the number of babies depends on the number of fertilized and healthy eggs. Approximately 20 to 50 babies hatch from one clutch.

Newly hatched freshwater clams immediately go into survival mode, often eating the shells of their eggs to obtain the calcium they need to harden their shells.

Caring for small snails is a relatively simple task. They feed on algae in the aquarium and dry food containing shrimp. During this period, the water tank may need to be cleaned more frequently as babies produce large amounts of waste.

At this stage, you should monitor the pH and ammonia levels in the aquarium weekly using test strips. In order for shellfish to feel normal, the pH value must be 7 or higher, and the ammonia content must be zero.

If there is a fish in the aquarium (especially an aggressive one), it can eat the baby snails. An aquarist can move the baby snails into a small aquarium by gently sucking them out of the water using a rubber bulb, which will increase their chances of survival.

Did you know? In France, edible snails are called "escargot". The same name goes to a snack dish made from these shellfish.

To transplant the grown young into another container, they are collected on a piece of lettuce lowered to the bottom: they wait until the young gastropods gather on it to dine, and then they lift the food and transplant the snails.

Mating Achatina

A pair of snails is needed to reproduce. One snail is also capable of laying eggs, but it will be a false clutch.

Snail selection

To get healthy and viable offspring, it is important to choose the right snails. Only strong, large and healthy snails are suitable for breeding. The shell of future parents must be strong.

When choosing sick individuals that have a fragile shell with detachments, the probability of snail death is very high. Laying eggs takes a lot of strength and energy from Achatina. During this period, she needs feeding and a special diet rich in calcium.

For breeding, experienced owners choose snails aged 1 year or older. By this age, Achatina not only become sexually mature, but also grow to large sizes. Since the snail spends a lot of energy during the reproduction process, at this time its development and growth stops.

When choosing a partner, it is necessary to take into account that it must be of the same species and the same variety.

In order to choose the right snails for breeding, you need to focus on 2 indicators:

1. Snail size. If you choose snails of the same size, both mollusks will lay eggs. If one Achatina is larger, then it will lay eggs.
2. Age of snails. For successful reproduction of Achatina, it is better to take one young snail and another older one. The thing is that young snails produce mainly sperm, while adult snails produce mainly eggs. Therefore, snails of different ages are always paired.

If the snails are related, you cannot mate them with each other!

Conditions for reproduction

If a pair of snails lives in the same aquarium, then changing the soil or general cleaning of the aquarium can serve as an incentive for reproduction.

But owners who breed snails try to prevent unplanned offspring. Therefore, most of the time they keep Achatina separately.

To get offspring, the snails must be placed in a separate container and covered with a lid so that they do not crawl away. You must make holes in the lid.

Conditions for reproduction:

• The container should be spacious enough for a pair of snails.
• Periodically spray the soil and walls of the container with a spray bottle.
• Maintain an optimal temperature of 25-27 degrees and humidity around 70%.
• Increase the amount of calcium in the snails' diet.
• Carry out cleaning with changing the soil.

The conditions for reproduction are practically no different from the usual conditions for keeping snails. It is during this period that it is necessary to constantly monitor conditions and adhere to care rules. Do not allow the soil to dry out, temperature changes or drafts. Pairing

In a separate container, the snails will crawl and rub against each other, exchanging seed. Mating games last from a couple of hours to a day. On average, mating and fertilization takes 2 hours.

1 week after fertilization, small testicles will be visible in the breathing hole. The snail hatches eggs for 1-2 weeks. During this period, it is especially important to feed the snail properly.

If the snail does not like the soil, it can delay the gestation process. Accordingly, after laying, the snails may hatch earlier than usual.

A snail can store sperm in its body for 2 years. She can fertilize herself without a partner and make 2-4 clutches per year.

Owners who purchased a snail already at puberty are always surprised when Achatina begins laying eggs. There is very little time to make a decision, otherwise small snails will begin to hatch from the eggs. We discussed in detail what to do in this case in the article What to do if Achatina laid eggs.

Laying eggs and caring for eggs

Laying eggs After 1-2 weeks, the snail begins to rummage in the soil and lays eggs. Some snails do not bury their clutches, but scatter them over the surface of the ground.

At one time, a snail can lay from 50 to 500 eggs. The number of eggs in a clutch depends on the type of Achatina and size. The larger the snail, the more eggs it can lay. Achatina eggs are oval-shaped, white or light yellow. The diameter of the egg is only 5 mm.

After Achatina has laid her eggs, she will be lethargic for several days and may sleep a lot. During this period, growth stops. The shell will become thinner, cracks and delamination may appear. In order for the snail to regain strength and get stronger, it needs to be given a lot of calcium. Edible chalk or sepia are suitable as a source of calcium.

Caring for a clutch of eggs

Achatina often burrows in the ground. In order not to worry that the snails will damage the eggs, the clutch can be transferred to another container. You need to pour 1-2 cm thick soil at the bottom of an empty container, put eggs on top, then sprinkle soil on top and moisten it.

Important! Don't touch the eggs with your hands. Body temperature is detrimental to embryos.

To transfer the masonry, you need to use a plastic or silicone spoon. The container must be closed with a lid, having previously made holes in it for ventilation.

Caring for masonry is the same as caring for snails. Temperature changes and drafts should not be allowed. It is necessary to maintain humidity by periodically spraying the soil and the walls of the container. If it is too hot, cold, dry or damp, the masonry may die.

Hatching

The incubation period lasts from 3 to 5 weeks, depending on how long the snail carried the eggs. By the time of hatching, the shell becomes thin and transparent, since all the calcium is spent on the formation of the shell of the small mollusk.

At first, babies' shells are also very thin and fragile; they should never be touched with your hands. At first, the small snails feed on the remaining shells, obtaining huge amounts of calcium. Then they can be fed with grated vegetables, herbs and calcium.

Baby care

The conditions for keeping small snails are not much different from keeping adult snails. The main thing is to give them more attention and care. The aquarium should not be exposed to direct sunlight, there should be no drafts or temperature changes.

Reproduction of Achatina snails at home will not cause much trouble. The main thing during this period is to adhere to simple rules for the care and maintenance of snails. Before you start breeding, you must first decide where to place the offspring. It will be difficult for an inexperienced owner to distribute all the offspring. Therefore, before breeding begins, the owner must decide exactly and know what he will do with the offspring.

Breeding land snails

Achatina and helix are the most popular among land species.

Reproduction of Achatina

Achatina is an oviparous species. The number of eggs in one clutch can reach 500 pieces.

Achatina are hermaphrodites. But in the absence of a pair, self-fertilization does not occur. This should be taken into account by those who want to start breeding them. But if there is a partner, both mollusks can produce offspring. Sexual maturity in Achatina occurs at 6 months. But this does not mean that the mollusk should be immediately put into cultivation. The fact is that mating stops growth, and the owner will not wait for the maximum size of the mollusk. The optimal age to start breeding is one year.

If you want to get offspring, you must meet certain conditions:

• The volume of the aquarium must be at least 15 liters.
• The soil should fill the aquarium by 25% and have high humidity. A clutch of eggs will be stored in it.
• Provide sufficient protein and calcium in the feed.
• Control the microclimate of your home.
• Regular cleaning.

Often, the stimulus for the start of reproduction is a complete replacement of the soil. After the snail has laid its eggs, it becomes slow and its activity drops sharply. During this period, it is necessary to organize increased nutrition with calcium-containing products and carefully monitor the microclimate in the terrarium.

Sperm can remain in the body of a mollusk for more than two years.

Close relatives should not be allowed into breeding.

There are viviparous Achatina.

Grape snail breeding

The vine snail, Helix, is of agricultural importance. Its breeding is carried out purposefully. The fact is that this species is a delicacy for people, food for birds and residents of home terrariums, and is used in pharmaceuticals.

Grape snails, like Achatina, are hermaphrodites. Mating involves two individuals. Helixes also lay eggs. The masonry is placed in the soil to a depth of 10 cm.

Reproduction of water snails

Aquatic snails, unlike land snails, can be dioecious. It is impossible to distinguish a male from a female, but this is not required. Most representatives of the gastropod world spawn, but there are also those that give live offspring. Parents do not burden themselves with caring for their offspring, and the fry immediately begin an independent life. Snails reproduce in an aquarium without human intervention. Cases of self-fertilization are common. This is faced by owners who place a single individual in an aquarium, and after some time, with surprise, notice a replenishment.

Reproduction of marine and freshwater gastropods occurs differently. Unlike freshwater species, which spawn, marine species lay eggs. Larvae emerge from them and develop independently, drifting in the water column.

In most home aquariums live: coil, physa, ampullaria, melania, helena, neretina, tylomelana, marise, brotia, globulus and pea. Each species has its own reproductive characteristics.

Coil

These mollusks are hermaphrodites. A pair is not required for reproduction: the coils have developed self-fertilization. The reel reproduces at lightning speed: more than 30 mollusks are born from one clutch. The eggs develop within 2 weeks. That’s why experienced aquarists don’t like coils so much and are in a hurry to get rid of such a resident.

Fiza

Physa lays its eggs on plant leaves or on aquarium glass. There are about 20 eggs in one clutch. Snail eggs in an aquarium serve as food for its inhabitants, which in turn helps control the population of this mollusk. The caviar looks like clusters and is similar to a jellyfish, which attracts the attention of the fish.

Ampoules

Ampullaria lay their eggs on a dry surface. Most often above the water under the lid of the aquarium. The development period of eggs is approximately 20 days.

Melania

Melania is a viviparous species. The young animals are immediately ready for independent life. A pair is required to produce offspring. One litter can have up to 60 babies. This rapid proliferation often gets out of control.

Helena

A favorite of experienced aquarists. It reproduces slowly, the process is easily controlled. Caviar is special: each egg is in an individual bag.

Neretina

To produce offspring, salt water is required. They live in fresh water, but do not bear offspring.

Tylomelania

Dioecious, viviparous snail. Bears only one egg.

Marisa

Dioecious species of gastropods. The caviar looks like jelly with small snails.

Brotia

Gives live offspring. Very difficult to breed.

Sharovka and pea

Wild species of mollusks. They reproduce very poorly in aquariums.

How do ampullaria reproduce?

Popular Amazonian snails with a yellow or brown-yellow shell reach a diameter of 10 cm. Ampularia is a heterosexual species.

It is impossible to determine the gender; the female does not differ from the male in appearance. Therefore, aquarists buy 4-6 individuals for breeding. You can understand which gender is which by seeing how ampullaria reproduce in an aquarium: the male is always on top during the mating process.

Sexual maturity occurs at 1.5 years. How do yellow snails reproduce in an aquarium:

1. After fertilization, eggs are formed in the female's body.
2. She deposits them above the water in the form of a slimy mass that hardens in the air.
3. In nature, masonry rests on coastal stones and plants. In ampullaria, reproduction in an aquarium occurs on a glass aquarium wall.
4. At first, the eggs are translucent, white, with a soft shell, and are 2 mm in diameter. They gradually darken - shells form inside. Just before the young hatch, the eggs are dark brown and hard.
5. The developed snails gnaw through the shell of the eggs and come out.

It is necessary to monitor how the snails lay eggs in the aquarium: the clutch should not be allowed to get into the water or get wet, otherwise the embryos will die. How to care for ampularia eggs: drying out of the masonry is unacceptable; if it is laid near a lighting fixture, it will have to be carefully cut off and moved to another place inaccessible to fish and predatory snails. To make it easier to care for caviar, you can place it on a piece of foam plastic placed on the surface of the water.

How quickly snail eggs mature in an aquarium depends on the temperature of the surrounding water. At a temperature of 24-26°C, the ripening period is 2 weeks. At 20°C, young animals appear after 3 weeks.

Caring for young animals is simple: feed – duckweed, finely chopped lettuce leaves, dry planktonic crustaceans. When bred in a community aquarium, young specimens can be eaten by fish, so it is better to move them to a separate tank.

Achatina

Achatina is much larger than ampularia and requires even more free space in the aquarium. The process of breeding and caring for Achatina snails is a little more complicated than that of ampullaria. Their homeland is Central Africa. They were brought to us in the last century and since then have been very popular among aquarists.

Habitat

An adult can grow up to 30 cm in length, while its weight remains between 0.5 - 1 kg. The color is dominated by light brown and light gray shades with stripes on the shell. They spend most of their time underground. To do this, you will need to pour a special bedding on the bottom, which should include:

• peat;
• sand;
• wood sawdust.

Once every 2 weeks the soil needs to be changed to a new one to avoid contamination and the appearance of parasites in it.

When keeping Achatina, special attention should be paid to the arrangement of their home. The optimal temperature for keeping mollusks of this individual is 20–25 degrees Celsius. Equally important is high humidity, at which the mollusks will feel completely comfortable. Due to insufficient moisture, their shell will begin to dry out and they will die.

Achatina feeds on vegetables and fruits. The most popular are:

• cucumbers;
• zucchini;
• bananas;
• cabbage;
• meat;
• egg.

Before giving food to the snail, it must be thinly cut into strips. Variety is important in feeding and the presence of calcium is essential so that the Achatina’s shell becomes stronger. Nutrition also affects how long Achatina lives at home.

Reproduction of other types of snails

Let's look at how other popular types of mollusks mate and how to breed them in an aquarium:

1. Melanias are viviparous snails. They can reproduce by parthenogenesis, that is, without fertilization of the female by the male. Young individuals are born full-fledged. More than 10 cubs are born in one birth.
2. Pagodas are livebearers and reproduce once a year. Childbirth occurs a month after mating.
3. Maryses mate for almost 24 hours. Snail eggs in the aquarium appear every 4-5 days and mature within a week. In males, the fleshy leg is light with brown speckles, in females it is dark brown with black spots.
4. The coils are multiplying rapidly. What does caviar look like: it is translucent, similar to bubble wrap, but hard. The young appear after 3-4 weeks.
5. Physidae are characterized by rapid reproduction. About 20 laid eggs mature in a month.
6. Neretina breed in warm salted water. Since there is no sexual dimorphism, 8-10 individuals are selected in preparation for reproduction.
7. Predatory helenas lay 1-2 eggs. After spawning, they bury themselves in the ground and come to the surface only six months later.
8. Tylomelania lay 2 eggs. Preparation for spawning includes installing a separate tank.

In most species, eggs take up to a month to develop. If after this period the young animals have not hatched, the clutch will have to be destroyed: it is dead.

Controlling the number of shellfish

Snails are beneficial to the aquarium. They are kind of janitors of a home pond. But they do no less harm. If you do not control the number of mollusks, the result can be unpleasant, and even disastrous. You need to breed snails in an aquarium wisely. If the goal is to breed for sale, especially rare species, then it is better to use a separate container.

Snails reproduce in an aquarium under certain conditions:

• Temperature regime.
• Menu enriched with calcium and protein.
• Regular water changes.

There are several control methods:

• The emerging juveniles are destroyed or given to the inhabitants of the aquarium as food.
• They are inhabited by predatory fish species that happily feast on caviar.
• The caviar is collected by hand, frozen and used as natural food.
• Chemical and electrical methods are used in extreme cases, but there is a risk of losing other inhabitants of the aquarium.

What to do with extra snails

To remove excess shellfish from an aquarium, the following methods are used:

1. Use chemicals from a pet store and add them to the aquarium water according to the instructions.
2. Electric current is applied. This method of regulating the number of mollusks is only for experienced aquarists.
3. Adults and eggs are caught by hand.
4. They breed mollusks that do not reproduce in fresh water.
5. They breed a predatory helena, which produces small offspring and devours other mollusks.

Reproduction of snails, which perform an important role as cleaners in a community aquarium, is not difficult. The aquarist only needs to control the number of individuals and prevent overpopulation.