Every aquarist strives to make his home pond interesting and different from others. Some people design it in an original way, others select interesting plants or fish. And there are those who add a twist using mollusks, of course, not simple pond snails or ampullaria, but rare and unusual ones. And this article will talk about two such creatures: pagoda aquarium snails and Pokemon. But first things first.
Pokemon
Snail Pokemon photo
Family: Lymnaeidae Rafinesque. Species: Radix Found under the names: tropical pond snail, radix, Radix rubiginosa. This is a tropical analogue of our domestic pond snail. Origin: Malaysia and Indonesia (Borneo).
The natural habitat of Radix sp. in reservoirs, as well as in swamps.
Life expectancy in an aquarium is about a year.
Representatives of the Pokémon species are quite difficult to distinguish from each other, and for an amateur this is not at all possible. Radix labiata has 4.5 - 5 shell turns, growing slowly and evenly. The edge of the mouth is sharply broken off in the upper formation. Depending on the conditions of detention, the color of the mollusk changes from beige or bright yellow to gray-brown. The maximum size of the shell is 1.5-2 cm. The color of the leg varies from yellow to gray, with white dotted patches.
Snail Pokemon photo
Snail Pokemon is an algae destroyer and even destroys blue-green algae. They prefer to eat decaying leaves and scrape the walls. They actively eat bacterial film from the surface. In an aquarium they do not show aggression towards plants.
Water parameters for keeping Pokemon are typical for a tropical aquarium: temperature 22-28 degrees, pH 6-8, kH 3-8, dH 8-10.
Snail Pokemon photo
Snails are quite active - they crawl along the decorations and walls of the aquarium, and are able to burrow into the soil and stir it up. Like any aquatic organisms, these snails require water changes, aeration and filtration of the aquarium, they do not tolerate high concentrations of nitrogenous compounds - poisons: ammonia, nitrite and nitrate .
For obvious reasons, snails should not be kept with tetraodon , labyrinth and other fish that are not averse to feasting on them.
The Pokemon snail does not need individual feeding. It feeds on algal fouling and the remains of fish food. You can feed with food from our table: spinach, lettuce, cucumber, zucchini or tableted fish food, for example, Tetra Tablets TabiMin or Tetra Pleco Tablets.
After reaching sexual maturity, the snails copulate with each other. The mating games are very interesting, when several more are attached to one snail, forming a kind of “bunch of grapes.” However, they also have the ability to self-fertilize. Its genitals are laid apart, which means the snail has both male and female principles.
All of the above is just the fruit of observing this aquatic organism and collecting various information from owners and breeders. We would like to share with visitors not only information, but also live emotions that allow us to understand the world of aquariums more fully and subtly. Register at https://fanfishka.ru/forum/ , participate in discussions on the forum, create profile topics where you will talk about your pets in the first person and first-hand, describe their habits, behavioral features and content, and share with us your successes and joys, share your experiences and learn from the experiences of others. We are interested in every bit of your experience, every second of your joy, every awareness of a mistake, which makes it possible for your comrades to avoid the same mistake. The more of us there are, the more pure and transparent drops of goodness there are in the life and everyday life of our seven billion society.
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Melania snails (Melaniidae)
Melanias are ground viviparous snails.
Size up to: 3.5 cm. Temperature: 18-28°C. Do plants spoil? No. Are they needed in a home pond? No. They do not have significant decorative value. The role of Melania in maintaining the balance of water parameters is usually overestimated. Their very large population may be the reason for the increased amount of organic matter in the soil. The soil is quite dry, so in my case it’s definitely not needed. I accidentally brought in one with Telomelania, noticed a small one, but decided to wait and check what kind of animal it was. At first, when there were about a maximum of 10 individuals, everything was fine and I liked them. But then new ones began to appear in geometric progression. Not right away, but I finally decided to get rid of it. I caught every single one, and they appeared again. It’s a pity for them, they’re alive, but the swarming soil doesn’t matter either. I was thinking about replacing the soil and disinfecting all equipment and restarting. As a result, a restart was not required, after about a year or six months!!! with periodic fishing they disappeared completely. If you accidentally brought it in, remove it immediately, because... They reproduce strongly and then it will be difficult to catch them all.
Melania Tuberculata
Otherwise called Melanoides Tuberculata, M. Ordinary. Description . The shells are painted gray-green, with longitudinal dark streaks. All types of Melania have conical (turbo-spiral) shells, narrow, left-handed, and very strong. The bird may eat them, but most likely will not digest them. The mollusk, along with excrement, will be released into the wild again, and alive! It is believed that this is how birds disperse them from one body of water to another. As for fish, their indigestibility can create some problems. Fish can die from inflammation of the stomach. The mouth of the sink can be tightly closed with a lime cap. This peculiar door allows them to escape from enemies. In addition, it maintains the necessary microclimate inside for a long time and in this way helps to withstand unfavorable environmental changes for a long time. But even without this protective mechanism, their viability is very high. They can withstand a fairly wide range of temperatures (from 18 to 28°C), salinity (up to 20 ppm), and are practically indifferent to water hardness, its active reaction, and other chemical parameters. They do not have lungs; they do not need to rise to the surface for air. They breathe with gills. If there is little oxygen in the water, then there will be even less in the soil. Moreover, it is the soil that is the biochemical kitchen of the aquarium. It lives, breathes and processes many substances. And so, if he suddenly starts to choke, then M. Sandy will feel it first. Substances dangerous to fish will accumulate in the water only after a few days, but M. sandfish are already beginning to leave the ground and crawl along the walls. This is a signal: urgent measures must be taken to improve the situation. Siphon the soil, change the water, increase aeration and filtration. Behavior and lifestyle . Normally they are almost invisible. They live in the ground and appear on glass at night. They do not touch living plant tissues and do not gnaw the roots. They dig in the ground, feeding on organic debris and bacterial fouling. They pick up all the pieces of food that have fallen too deep and will constantly loosen and drain the soil. This very useful activity prevents the development of anaerobic zones in the soil. Therefore, such an undesirable and very toxic substance for fish as hydrogen sulfide will not be in the water. Soil . The soil should have a grain size of 3-4 mm so that they can move in it. It should not be very dense, otherwise M. Sandy will not be able to breathe in it. Large stones and continuous intertwining of plant roots also prevent their movement. Nutrition . Additionally, they are usually not fed unless specially bred. Reproduction . Viviparous. Their number is growing too quickly!!! in good conditions, they are only afraid of cold (below 18°C) water. They can even produce offspring parthenogenetically, i.e. the female, without fertilization, gives birth to herself and gives birth to new small snails. Interestingly, every individual can become a female. The juveniles grow quite slowly, adding only 5-6 mm in length per month. But imperceptibly in a few months they can multiply into many hundreds. The ground will literally move, they will begin to starve and crawl out onto the windows even during the day, just to feed. And when you turn on the light at night, you will be shocked by the huge number of M. tuberculates that you will see on the walls. This should not be taken as a signal that the hydrochemical regime in the reservoir is unfavorable. But we will have to think about the need to solve the demographic problem. The extra ones need to be caught. The easiest way to do this is late in the evening or at night, when they crawl out of the ground on their own.
M. Bury
M. brown (Melanoides Turricula)
Melanoides Brown - their shell is darker and shorter than that of M. Common, they mainly crawl on plants, do not burrow into the ground and produce offspring in countless quantities. Once you have introduced M. brown with new plants, you can subsequently spend a lot of time completely getting rid of them.
M. Granifera
Melanoides Granifera, their differences from M. vulgaris
Melania Granifera is slower in comparison with M. Tuberculata, both in the speed of movement and in the rate of adaptation and reproduction. Outwardly attractive, they lead a measured, unhurried lifestyle, little by little they master the lower horizons of the indoor pond, doing their good deed and at the same time not bothering them with their obsessive excess. M. Granifers spend more time in plain sight, concentrating on snags and large stones. And if the appearance of M. vulgaris on walls, decoration elements, and plants indicates an unfavorable climate in the lower horizons of the reservoir, then this sign does not work in relation to M. granifera. If M. Ordinary are evenly distributed throughout the entire expanse of the soil, then Granifers form certain local communities concentrated in certain areas of the bottom. Both species get along well in the same home pond. However, even under natural conditions their habitats often overlap. Description . The shell of M. Granifera is painted in rich gray-brown tones, dome-shaped. It is folded more proportionally: the height of its cone is smaller (up to 2 cm), and its diameter is larger (1.0-1.5 cm). Old wide curls have a slightly corrugated structure, with light, almost white tips and dark troughs. This drawing probably determined the choice of the Latin name for the species, which literally means “carrying grains.” In English-language literature it is mentioned under the name Quilted Melania, that is, patchwork or quilted. Conditions of detention . Granifers are somewhat different from their relatives. They are heat-loving, more capricious in relation to the composition of the soil and at the same time somewhat less attached to it. The ideal soil fraction for them is 1-2 mm, that is, coarse sand. Consisting of more massive and heavier particles, it is difficult for them to push their wide shell.
T. "Orange Rabbit"
Snails in an aquarium: benefits and harm, description of species
Aquarium snails are the eternal companions of fish; they live in all types of aquariums, sometimes even where it seems impossible. We have described the most common snails in some detail in our articles.
But, let’s try to collect brief information on all the described species, and then readers will choose what interests them.
If you've ever owned an aquarium, then you've probably encountered aquarium snails. All types of aquarium snails are often viewed as something that appears overnight, covers plants, muddies the water and kills fish.
Sometimes they do some of this, but the benefits of snails in an aquarium are much greater. Many types of aquarium snails eat leftover food and other debris, some clean glass and decor, and some are simply very beautiful.
Breeding
When they are placed in an aquarium, they breed on their own. In warm water of 20 - 25 degrees, gastropods carry out several clutches of eggs. Therefore, very quickly the walls of the aquarium and the plants become covered with mucus bags. Development lasts from 12 to 14 days. After the first laying, the second, then the third, follows at a short interval. Under favorable conditions, mollusks reproduce throughout the year. The number of individuals is rapidly increasing, and if there are no fish in the aquarium that eat the snails, then you will have to remove the fertile gastropods yourself. To prevent snails from filling the entire tank, it is necessary to regulate their population.
Sex differences
The aquarium snail physa belongs to hermaphroditic organisms. One individual has both female and male gonads. There are no gender differences.
Reproduction
Physae are hermaphrodites; their gonads are unpaired. Mating comes down to the exchange of seminal fluid, which is transferred to the spermatheca of another individual.
Fertilized eggs are covered with membranes and form a clutch enclosed in a mucous cocoon. Several dozen eggs are attached to leaves and stones. The life cycle is one year.
Fertilized eggs are covered with shells and form a clutch enclosed in a mucous cocoon
Juveniles are observed in reservoirs in late summer and early autumn. After wintering, usually in late spring or summer, new clutches appear in the water. Environmental temperature determines the timing of reproduction in different habitats.
Getting offspring
You can get offspring from individuals without special conditions; having a couple of individuals is enough. Adult snails lay up to 20 eggs. The eggs are found in mucous packets that are attached to the leaves. Development of the embryos lasts two weeks. Small snails with microscopic shells appear. They feed on bacterial film, then detritus.
The role of snails in the aquarium
What do aquarium snails eat? Although the type of food they eat depends on the specific species of snail, most are omnivores, eating whatever they can find. Typically, snails eat rotting plants, dead fish, leftover food and various algae. In this way, they serve the aquarist by cleaning the aquarium from excess food residues, thereby maintaining cleanliness and reducing the level of toxins in the water.
Of course, different types of snails also have disadvantages. The most common problem is that some species can spoil and even eat plants to the ground. In addition, all snails will eat fish eggs if they can get to them and should not be kept in a spawning tank. The most common problem is that there are too many of them.
We have already discussed this issue in detail in the article - how to get rid of snails in an aquarium. It lists both the methods and reasons that cause violent reproduction.
So, most often contain:
The coil is a classic snail and can be found in almost any aquarium. It does not have any special features; its small size, ease of reproduction and interesting appearance have made it quite popular. In moderate quantities it is useful, in excessive quantities it does not cause harm, except that it spoils the appearance of the aquarium.
Ampoules are also very common, but unlike reels, they are quite demanding in terms of maintenance. Since ampullaria are one of the largest species of aquarium snails, they have a corresponding appetite. They can damage young and tender plants if there is a lack of food. Otherwise, they are beautiful, large, interesting.
Tilomelania are rapidly gaining popularity in aquarium snails. But, in addition to the fact that tilomelania are very beautiful, they are also very demanding on living conditions. They can rather be classified as exotic, which needs to be kept separately and well cared for, than as simple species.
Melania - are as common as coils, but differ from them not only in appearance, but also in their lifestyle. Melania live in the soil and reproduce there, which is good for the aquarium, as they mix it up. But they are prone to rapid growth, and getting rid of them is not so easy.
Neretina is a beautiful and also very useful snail. Quite small, about 2 cm, neretina perfectly clean the aquarium of algae. I advise you to follow the link and watch the video of how this happens. The disadvantages are the price and short lifespan, about a year.
Maryse is a real monster that can grow up to 6 cm or more. Large and very voracious, marise is not very suitable for general aquariums, as it eats plants at the roots.
Helena is one of the most unusual species. The fact is that they eat... other snails. If you have a lot of snails, then Helena is one way to get rid of them. Details about Helen's content follow the link.
Physa is also a very common snail. Small, easy to reproduce, lives in very harsh conditions. One of the disadvantages is that it can gnaw holes in the leaves of rather tough plants, such as Echinodorus. What spoils their appearance, so if you are a plant lover, then it is better to get rid of them.
Ampularia (Pomacea)
Size up to: 10 cm. Is it needed in an aquarium? Yes. Do plants eat? Yes. But personally, I didn’t notice any damage to plants from them.
Ampullaria (Pomacea, or Ampullaria) are large freshwater snails. They breathe both atmospheric oxygen and oxygen dissolved in water. They have both gills and lungs, so they can live out of water for a long time. Description . The eyes are yellow-golden in color, located on stalks at their base. There is a very long breathing tube. There are 2 very long eye antennae (tentacles), which are organs of touch. They have a keen sense of smell, which helps them accurately find the location of food. There is a small horny cap located on the back of the leg. This is a kind of “door”, with the help of which they close the mouth of their shells when they hide in them. What Ampularia use to chew on leaves is not, in the strict sense of the word, jaws. This special device is a radula (grater), designed mainly for scraping food. Only large individuals whose lateral radula appendages are quite powerful can bite off a leaf.
Nutrition . Adults are omnivores. You can feed with bread crumbs, scalded slices of fresh cucumber, lettuce, scraped meat and even scalded semolina. It is best to take advantage of their omnivorous nature and place them in a tank overgrown with algae with leftover fish food. They clean large volumes well. The water in those containers where Ampularia live is much cleaner than in those where they are not. They must have enough food, otherwise they will take on aquatic plants, especially those that float on the surface of the water (Riccia, Duckweed, etc.). If you plant a plant such as Elodea canadiana, which is inedible for them, then you can achieve excellent cooperation and obtain biological balance in an artificial reservoir. Compatibility . It is better to keep it with small viviparous fish or catfish. Predators, such as Cichlids and large Labyrinths, can harm them or destroy them completely. Recommended conditions of detention . 10 liters of water per 1 Ampoule, soft soil, hard plant leaves. A lid is required, because They love to crawl along the walls of their home; they can crawl out and die after some time without water. Water . The hardness of the water is not important, but in a soft shell it will gradually begin to collapse. Frequent water changes are recommended. They like to be warm, the suitable temperature for them is 22-30°C.
Reproduction . Dioecious, requires the presence of a male and a female. The female lays her first clutch at the age of 1 year or a little older. Eggs are laid not in water, but on land, in the dark. The eggs are large, up to 2 mm in diameter. After fertilization, the female sticks them to the glass in a place located above the water level. At first the masonry has a softer consistency, after about a day it becomes hard and light pink in color. As small snails form, it darkens and by the end of maturation it becomes almost black. After a short break (several days, months), the female repeats the clutch, but with fewer eggs. This can continue all year round if conditions are favorable for them. The babies are hatched within 12-24 days. The higher the temperature, the sooner. For a successful hatch, normal air humidity is necessary. If the eggs are exposed to excessive heat, for example from a light lamp, they dry out and the embryos die. But they shouldn’t be in water either, as it can kill developing snails by washing away the top layer of eggs. If all conditions are met, they emerge without outside help, making an exit for themselves in the shell and falling into the water. Small ones are grown separately from adults (not necessarily), in small volumes of water. You can give cyclops, finely chopped plants like Riccia and Duckweed. Sensitive to the purity of water, it is necessary to monitor its quality and partially change or filter it. They grow quickly.
Species, how to identify Ampularia by shell shape?
Only P. bridgesi is suitable for the herbalist, since their soft radulas are not capable of damaging plants, they can only feed on dead and rotten parts of them. Ignore the color of the shells when trying to identify them from photographs. There are many variations of all possible body and shell colors within the same species. Sometimes others are also sold, not described here, mainly with receipts of imported goods. In this case, identification can be quite difficult. Pomacea Bridgesi - flat slopes of adjacent turns, 90° angle between the mouth and the first turn, the plane disappears towards the last turns of the shell. Size: 4.5-6.5 cm. Pomacea Canaliculata - aperture creeping onto the first turn, angle less than 90°, shell more rounded than that of Pomacea Bridgesi. Size: 4.5-8.0 cm. Pomacea Paludosa - very gentle slopes of turns, the angle to the mouth is more than 90°, the apex of the shell is close to a cone in shape. Size: 4.5-6.5 cm.
U. "Apple"
Caviar U. "Apple"
Snails to Avoid
Of those listed above, there are none. And in general, the main types of snails are completely harmless. But, very often in markets they sell under the guise of aquarium snails, species that live in natural reservoirs of our latitudes.
Pondweed, meadowweed, pearl barley and other species. The fact is that they not only eat plants (often at the roots), but are also carriers of diseases and parasites.
And it’s simple - becoming a victim of deception is very unpleasant. How to understand that these are local snails? Look on the Internet for the main types of snails and do not buy those that do not belong to them.
Reviews of freshwater snails
Dergacheva, review of nerritin red-spotted
They often crawl above the water's edge and especially love to bask on a pebble under a lamp. The only depressing thing is their attempts to reproduce. single dots (like mini-seed seeds of pink and then red color) are very difficult to wash off stones even with a brush, and they do not disappear over time. and also - they live a long time. With my American cichlids, not a single snail survives, even the marise is not sweet, but these ones live and delight.
Natalia, review of nerritina red dot
A really beautiful snail, large, with a funny striped body. No shortcomings have been noted yet. I’ve seen on forums that they should stain everything with white caviar... I don’t have anything like that at all. I bought Neritinka in February, since then she has been crawling, living, not offending anyone and not being offended herself. The only thing that scares me is that I have soft water! So far I haven’t noticed any dissatisfaction on the part of the snail and its shell... but we need to keep watching.
Inna Nesterkina, review of melania vulgaris
Very good snails, but they should be plumper than in the photo. They turn up the soil well... And they also show whether everything in the aquarium is in order; if suddenly everything climbs up, it means there is a sharp lack of oxygen. And they love to travel... and they don’t just sit in the ground.
Ampullaria sp. Pink
All freshwater snails
Aquarium snails pagoda and pokemon
Every aquarist strives to make his home pond interesting and different from others. Some people design it in an original way, others select interesting plants or fish. And there are those who add a twist using mollusks, of course, not simple pond snails or ampullaria, but rare and unusual ones. And this article will talk about two such creatures: pagoda aquarium snails and Pokemon. But first things first.
The most unusual aquarium fish
For a long time, man has been attracted by the fascinating underwater world, and he learned to create a mini-model of it in his home. We are, of course, talking about a home pond - an aquarium, in which quite unusual inhabitants often live. Aquarium pets can stand out from other representatives of their kind not only by the shape of their fins and body or the color of their scales, but also by their non-standard behavior, as well as the functions they perform in the reservoir. We will tell you further about unusual aquarium fish that add exotic charm, uniqueness and beauty to a pond.
The most expensive pets for an aquarium
Arowana
The most expensive aquarium fish, according to many experts, is considered to be the elite representative of the underwater world, the Arowana - also known as the dragon fish, which can reach a length of 80 cm.
The cost of each individual depends on its size and expressiveness of color. The average price of this pet is $5,000, but there are rare specimens for which aquarists pay up to $400,000.
The most expensive type of fish is considered Platinum Arowana - a white dragon with a platinum tint.
Today, through the efforts of breeders, many varieties of this rare fish have been developed. Dragons vary in the shape of their fins, the shade of their scales, and their size.
Elite species include Arowana in rare shades: platinum, red, gold, purple.
Perhaps because of its exclusivity and high cost, the arowana in China is a symbol of wealth.
Pearl stingray
Potamotrygon Sp. Pearl Ray is another expensive freshwater representative of the aquarium world, native to Brazil.
It is quite rare in the natural environment, and in captivity it reproduces reluctantly. That is, in fact, this species is very rare, which determines the willingness of aquarists to shell out several thousand dollars for a specimen of the pearl stingray.
And the cost of fish with especially expressive colors reaches tens of thousands of dollars for lovers of aquarium exotics.
The pearl pet is truly beautiful - rounded golden spots on the dark background of the fish’s body make it stand out among other inhabitants of the reservoir.
Japanese koi carp
It also belongs to the aquarium elite, although not as expensive as the above-mentioned species.
This representative of the underwater world has many varieties, the cost of which varies from $100 to $1500. For the most valuable specimens of Japanese carp, fans are willing to pay up to $5,000.
In comfortable conditions, a koi can reach a length of 50 cm and live 100 years. But providing him with such conditions can be difficult, since Japanese carp are very whimsical.
In addition, through the efforts of the same breeders, when breeding this type of fish, its immunity was sacrificed for external attractiveness.
However, this does not stop lovers of exotic interiors; they install huge tanks and populate them, often with bright Japanese koi.
Top aquarium beauties
Mandarin ducks
Otherwise, Synchiropus splendidus, a bright exotic fish measuring only 6 cm, amazes with its beauty and harmonious combination of color.
The natural habitat of these charming babies is the Western Pacific Ocean - from the Japanese islands in the north to the Australian latitudes in the south.
The favorite habitats of mandarin ducks are coastal reefs and quiet, cozy lagoons. They live in numerous colonies, but meeting them in the natural environment is a rare success.
Synchiropus splendidus sink to the bottom and spend all the time there in search of food: small crustaceans, hay eaters, amphipods.
The appearance of the mandarin duck is truly extraordinary: an elongated body with a rounded, slightly flattened head is covered with smooth, scaleless skin of variegated color.
Mandarins got their name due to the unusual colorfulness of their skin, reminiscent in appearance of the clothes of imperial mandarins in China.
Discus
It is a true decoration of aquariums. There are only two species of this exotic fish found in nature:
- Symphysodon discus;
- Symphysodon aequifasciatus.
They are supplied to the aquarium market from the South American continent.
But today they are no longer limited to this - breeders got down to business some time ago. As a result of their activities, the emergence of new varieties of fish:
- the Dragon;
- pigeon blood;
- Schilingmann's red;
- uniformly red and others.
Each of these varieties is characterized by its own unique color. The body shape of the discus resembles a colored disk (from sand to reddish hue) with a variety of wavy multi-colored lines located in different directions.
The rather large fin on the back is also decorated with wavy lines, and the graceful elongated pectoral and anal fins complete the attractive image of the discus.
Cockerels
Speaking about underwater beauties, one cannot fail to mention the betta fish (also known as Cockerel). The natural habitat of this aquarium pet is ponds with stagnant water in Southeast Asia, Vietnamese and Thai slow-flowing rivers with lush flowering vegetation and a marshy bottom.
Outwardly attractive cockerels with beautiful plumage of fins of various shades have truly fighting qualities, for which they received one of their names. This is especially true for males, who are specially bred by some gambling enthusiasts to participate in combat fights.
If we talk about the appearance of the Betta fish, then the natural most common color of its body is dark brown with many green spots. The veiled variety of cockerel of the most varied colors - green, blue, yellow, white-pink, red, less often black - appeared thanks to the efforts of breeders.
To a greater extent, aquarists value specimens with lush, single-colored fins. Such cockerels are very rare.
In captivity, the life expectancy of Betta fighting fish is no more than three years.
The aquarium world fascinates with its unusual beauty, prompting many people to become involved in aquarium hobby. The innumerability and variability of species in the underwater world is amazing, and choosing the best from this diversity can sometimes be very difficult, if at all possible.
aquariumguide.ru
What does the pagoda look like?
Brotia pagodula has a cone-shaped shell consisting of five to eight whorls, with large projections in the form of hollow spines located along it. This whole structure resembles a multi-level pagoda (tower), hence the name of the mollusk.
Sink . The outside of the sink can be painted in a variety of colors, ranging from yellow to dark or red-brown. The inside is grayish or creamy with thin brownish stripes.
The body is light yellow or dark gray with orange speckles. It also has a pearlescent sheen.
The head is clearly visible, it contains eyes and tentacles - organs of touch.
The leg is, in fact, a muscular organ with a mouth and digestive tract. And, of course, a body with internal organs.
Among Brotia pagodula there are representatives of both sexes, but it is impossible to distinguish females and males by external characteristics.
It is known that the largest pagoda has a size of 5.5 cm, but the average individual does not grow more than 3-4 cm. The life expectancy of a snail in captivity is from 2 to 5 years.
Tylomelania snail
Dimensions: 1-12 cm. Very often, adult but small individuals of new species were mistaken for children of previously described relatives, which led to erroneous classification.
Tylomelania are beautiful and interesting snails that, depending on their habitat and diet, have acquired a variety of shapes and colors. Description . The bright and unexpected colors of Tilomelana directly depend on the soil where they live. On rocky soils, the color of the “house” and “legs” is brighter and more saturated. We can say that an aggressive environment gives rise to more aggressive colors, angular shapes and a muscular body. Large individuals predominate among them. The nature of such Tilomelanii is uncooperative; it is not recommended to keep them together with fish and shrimp. They can also easily tolerate only a couple of similar neighbors. Milder living conditions, sandy-mud soil - with rounded shapes, monochromatic but brightly colored shells. Smaller in size and with a peaceful character. These easily get along with fish, shrimp and their relatives.
Tylomelania
Tylomelania Towutensis - are not afraid of light, unlike most other representatives of this genus. Origin: lake Sulawesi. Tactile contact . A very interesting feature is observed in Tilomelani at the moment of meeting other inhabitants - tactile contact. For several days they press their heads against their neighbors. You can personally help introduce them to all the inhabitants of the common house. To do this, you need to press their heads against all the Mollusks. This procedure must be done for several days in a row, 2-3 times. After the adaptation process is completed, they will begin to eat very actively. What you will need to take into account and double your nutrition for this period. It is also advisable to avoid harsh light and “noisy” neighbors at this time. When they get to know and get used to all the inhabitants, their “butting” will stop. Breeding . Viviparous. All are divided by gender - into females and males. They can bear up to 2 eggs at the same time. Embryos are 3-17 mm in diameter. Childbirth takes about 5 minutes. The female turns so that her mouth-groove is always on the side. When the egg appears, she moves it with wave-like movements to the turtle’s leg, and this is where the birth function comes to an end. After some time, the white shell of the egg will dissolve and small snails will be born, which will not immediately refuse to eat. Conditions of detention . Water temperature 28°C. In very hard water they lose their activity and hibernate, and very soft water leads to the destruction of the “house”. Therefore, a golden mean is needed. Don't forget about the specific soil. The bottom must be covered with leaves and wood (driftwood). It is advisable to have a couple of stones that will replace rocky soils. But in most cases the soil should be sandy or loamy. There is no need to put gravel on the bottom, it is not suitable for them. Nutrition . One of the common features of all Tilomelanas is a very good appetite. The scarcity of nutrients in their natural habitat leads to the fact that they lead a very active lifestyle, constantly in search of food. At home, it is recommended to feed them several times a day. They feed on detritus and rotten plants. They will gratefully accept raw vegetables, dry food, and pieces of shrimp and shellfish as food. They will look at you with gratitude with their black eyes and open their well-defined mouth, hoping to get a piece of zucchini, this is their favorite delicacy. May sometimes eat plants. You need to take this feature into account and plant greens that they don’t like. These are Moss and Cladophora, as well as all kinds of floating plants that they simply cannot reach. From personal experience: Sulawesi doesn’t spoil my plants; there are various stems and leaves easily accessible at the bottom, but everything seems to be intact.
W. Brotia Pagoda
Character and compatibility of Brotia pagodula
These snails are very peaceful creatures. They are ideal for keeping in a social aquarium: they will not offend fish, nor will they chew plants. It is better to house them in a group of 5-7 people. These are very caring parents and also friends, because they help each other clean sinks in hard-to-reach places.
Aggressive and overly active fish, such as loaches, polypteruses and cichlids, are dangerous for them. But ideal neighbors would be other varieties of mollusks (Brotia, Neritina, Planorbidea), shrimp and fish such as characins, tetras, catfish and other peaceful ones.
It will take time for the pagoda to get used to its new habitat. At first, she will hide in her shell almost all the time or bury herself in the sand, but then she will willingly come out, crawl around the surroundings and feast on algae. Moreover, young individuals are much more active than adults.
Maintenance and care
One individual requires a tank of 1 liter. It is better to place several snails in a 10 liter aquarium. Water temperature is from 20 to 28 °C. At low temperatures, life processes slow down and snails become numb. Acidity is maintained at least 6.5 to 7.8. Water hardness is not lower than 5, maximum 15; carbonate hardness - not lower than 4.
The Physa snail is distributed in water bodies of Asia and Europe, and is found in northern Africa.
There must be a sufficient amount of calcium carbonate in the water; in soft water the shell gradually collapses. Aquarium physa snails are undemanding in captivity. The main condition for habitat is the presence of abundant vegetation, diatoms, green algae, and detritus formed during the life of the inhabitants.
Requirements for an aquarium and terrarium
A spacious aquarium is selected for keeping the physamus. A well-washed filler is suitable as a primer. To purify water, install a medium power filter. The water is replaced regularly in parts once a week, changing 20-30% of the liquid from the volume of the aquarium. Mollusks are not demanding on lighting, but placing the aquarium next to a window in direct sunlight is not recommended. Lamps with low power fluorescent lighting should be installed. Gastropods periodically rise to the surface of the water to breathe, so the tank is not covered with a lid.
Feeding
Fisas are voracious snails. They collect algae from the walls of the aquarium and plants, and fish food. They rip off the top layer of the epidermis of the leaves with a grater, forming tiny holes, and the aquatic plants lose their decorative appearance. Supplement the diet with finely chopped herbs or pureed vegetables. To form a strong shell, calcium carbonate is added in the form of crushed eggshells or edible chalk. Even with a sufficient amount of food, snails crawl along stems and leaves and eat organic debris.
Compatibility with other aquarium inhabitants
Physes live in the aquarium together with other herbivorous snails. It should not be kept in the same container with predatory shellfish and fish.
A spacious aquarium is selected for keeping physes.
Adults are eaten by fish from the cichlid family. Clutches of eggs and young snails are destroyed by the common ancistrus. Experienced aquarists advise not to house fishes that lay eggs together. Crawling snails often damage the egg shells, so it is better to keep the snails separately.
Diseases
Physes have a thin-walled shell that cannot withstand mechanical stress. If you handle shellfish carelessly, it becomes covered with cracks and chips. For the normal formation of a protective cover, mineral supplements with calcium carbonate are included in the diet. The restoration of the shell takes about a month.
Physics have a thin-walled shell that cannot withstand mechanical stress
Large injuries are cemented with plaster; such procedures are best left to veterinarians. When stratifying the shell, pay attention to the temperature, acidity, and hardness of the habitat; when the parameters change, the thin cover is destroyed. When fungal plaque appears, the affected individuals are quarantined and then treated with a weak solution of sodium chloride or potassium permanganate. If signs of disease develop in the aquarium, the water is completely changed, the substrate and plants are washed.
Lifespan
Physes have a low life expectancy. They live in an aquarium for 1–2 years, in nature they live less.
average price
Advertisements for the sale of fish can be found on websites of aquarium enthusiasts. Hobbyists often give snails away for free; they reproduce quickly and leave fertile offspring. The usual price offered in pet stores is 10 rubles per copy. For successful breeding you need to buy at least two snails.
How to create conditions for a pagoda?
It is not difficult. The basic requirements are:
The volume of an aquarium for five to seven snails should be at least 45-50 liters.
Water should have a temperature from 20 to 25 degrees, acidity from 7.0 to 8.5 pH and hardness from 6 to 22ºdH. Particular attention should be paid to the last indicator: the hardness should be quite high, since soft water will destroy the snails’ shell.
Regular changes of some of the water are mandatory, since pagodas feel good only in well-kept aquariums. Good aeration and filtration, which enriches the water with oxygen and creates an active flow, should also not be neglected.
the bottom with soft sand or fine gravel; be sure to place several large stones with a smooth surface on top. Mollusks love to rest on them.
Brotia Pagodula
Size up to: 5-6 cm.
Brotia Pagodula - inhabitants of fast freshwater rivers, native to Thailand. Adults are less active than young ones. Most people who buy them die without clear reasons within six months, usually faster. Soil . They live on rocks; rock blocks and some sand are desirable. Water . 20-26°C, pH 7.2-8.0, requires a high amount of oxygen in the water, loves current. Nutrition . The main food is algae fouling; they also eat black beard. They also eat catfish tablets, broccoli, and spinach. Breeding . There are several successful breeding experiences, apparently Brotii Pagoda are heterosexual and viviparous. But those who achieved results here also experienced their pestilence. Compatibility . Can be kept with other species of Brotium, Neritin, small Armored Catfish, and Dwarf Shrimp. It is not advisable to keep it together with Radix (P. Tropical).
Helena
How and what to feed the pagoda?
Different sources contain different information. Some authors say that Brotia pagodula is omnivorous, but it is better to focus on plant food, that these mollusks eat algae fouling (lower plants) and pick up food left over from fish. Others claim that the pagoda is a pure vegetarian.
It is worth remembering that for the full growth and development of a mollusk, algae alone will not be enough. It is recommended to supplement the diet and give tablets for bottom varieties of fish rich in spirulina, spinach, green beans, broccoli, carrots, cucumber.
The benefits or harms of Helen
Aquarium lovers are afraid to have a predator because they believe that it will attack the fish. In fact, Helena is not able to catch up and overcome a healthy fish; only a sick, weakened individual or the carcass of a dead inhabitant will be eaten.
But Helena can radically solve the problem with overly proliferating coils or physes , so they are more useful for the aquarium than harmful.
How to get offspring from a pagoda?
Since it is impossible to determine the sex, it is better to populate more snails. This will increase the likelihood of the presence of females and males, and therefore reproduction.
The procedure is quite complicated. Obtaining offspring is difficult due to the high mortality of juveniles, although initially they are quite abundant (50 children).
These are viviparous creatures. The female gives birth only once a year. She incubates the eggs under her own shell for a month.
At birth, a mollusk is a small copy of an adult, measuring from 3.5 to 5.5 mm. Pagodas are very caring parents, and mutual help is commonplace for them.
That's probably all about the pagoda snail. Now let's talk about another unusual mollusk with the amazing name Pokemon.
U. "Apple" (Asolene Spixi)
Size up to: 3.5 cm.
U. “Apple” is also called: Apple, Zebra, Zebra Apple Snail, Spixi Apple Snail. New and less common. Origin: Southeast Brazil. Heterogeneous. They lay eggs underwater. Asolene Spixi often eat their eggs. There are about 30 eggs in the clutch. About 50% hatch. Most newborns die for unknown reasons. Omnivores.
What does a Pokemon look like?
Color. The color of the snail is directly affected by the conditions of detention. It can vary from beige or bright yellow to gray-brown. The entire body is covered with bright sparkles.
The shell is transparent, consisting of five turns, very thin and fragile, and can easily break even with light pressure. Its maximum size does not exceed one and a half to two centimeters.
The sole of the body is wide and can be colored yellow or gray with white speckles.
Why were these mollusks named after famous Japanese cartoon characters? The fact is that the thick tentacles of the snail are similar to the ears of the Pokemon Pikachu, and the yellow shades of color only increase the similarity.
Life expectancy in domestic ponds is about a year.
Horny Coils (Planorbarius Corneus)
Size up to: 3 cm. Is it necessary for a home pond? No. If there are already Coils, then you need to catch them regularly, luring them to a piece of food or collecting them with a small net. Do plants spoil? Yes, they eat higher plants, especially those with delicate foliage.
Description . The shell is twisted in a spiral in one plane. They have a rather hard radula, which can injure the tissues of plant leaves. They move using their legs. They orient themselves through a pair of tentacles located on the head and eyes, which are located at the base of the tentacles. They can also move along the surface of a reservoir, attaching to the surface tension film of water. They can breathe both atmospheric air and oxygen obtained from water. Breathing with atmospheric air is resorted to when there is little oxygen in the water. They do not have real gills, but they have a thin projection formed by the walls of the mantle. This pulmonary cavity in its functionality replaces the gill.
U. Black, Pond Reels
How do they get into the home pond? Typically, Red Horned Coils are brought into a home pond with newly purchased plants that may contain their eggs. Extremely tenacious, they can live even in very dirty water. Under conditions of chronic starvation, they do not disappear, they only become very small. Disease carriers . There are Black Pond Reels. It is not worth taking them from nature and planting them in a tank with fish. In nature, any U. Coils are carriers of dangerous helminthic diseases of fish and warm-blooded animals - Trematodes. They cannot directly infect a person. Trematode larvae leave the body of the Mollusk and penetrate the fish. Can I feed fish with them? Many fish love their meat. Cockerels and Macropods can purposefully hunt for U. Coils. They wait for a long time until they stick out of the shell, and then they grab onto them and drag them away. Other fish willingly eat crushed ones. You can even prepare a delicious fortified dish from them. Thoroughly grind the kernel from the multivitamin pills and about two dozen Coils in a mortar in a mortar. The resulting jelly retains water-soluble vitamins well and fish eat it greedily. Relative utility . They destroy algae and bacteria deposits on glass and leaves. But they don’t clean anything completely, but rather eat away the winding paths that are clearly visible on the glass. They are useful by eating bacterial films on the surface, but they are formed only in those containers where there is no filtration and aeration (are there such things now?). They are of little use to aquarists, but as an interesting and unpretentious object for children's observations, they are quite suitable. Reproduction . Hermaphrodites, can be both male and female. Only 2 individuals were caught and soon there will be a whole cloud of them. There is evidence that even just 1 individual may be enough, that is, they can self-fertilize. The masonry is almost transparent oval slimy small cakes. You can easily miss them on the leaves. It is also difficult to kill with preventive treatment, because the eggs are protected by a thick layer of mucus. Treating new plants with copper salts may give some results.
W. Mariza
Marisa reels (Marisa Cornuarietis)
Marizas (Marisa Cornuarietis) are large coils from South America, up to 4 cm in size, of different sexes. Maryses are omnivores, snacking on everything that comes their way. Unfortunately, even with a sufficient food supply, they tend to spoil plants. Like Ampularia, they breathe lightly, however, Maryse has fairly high demands on water quality. Which is why there is some difficulty in keeping and propagating them.
Character and compatibility of Pokemon
These snails are distinguished by their activity, relatively fast movement and rather interesting habits (although they are inferior to ampullaria in terms of intelligence).
They do not spoil plants. They prefer to spend most of their time at the surface of the water, where they breathe and find food.
If something edible is found at the bottom, the Pokemon will first rise to take a breath of air, then headlong down for food and rise to the surface again, and only there will it begin to grind the food.
Radix can capture quite a lot of air into their lungs, and therefore they are very buoyant. Snails can often be seen suspended near the water surface. And during the mating season there are even whole bunches of them.
Pokemon can escape from the aquarium. The main reasons for this are:
- lack of food;
- poor quality or aging water when it becomes waterlogged;
- overgrowing of the shell with algae and others.
Therefore, it is better to cover the top of the aquarium with a lid or glass.
Transportation is well tolerated.
Barbs and cichlids are absolutely not suitable as neighbors for radixes, since these fish constantly pinch mollusks by the body and try to remove them from the shell. A good neighborhood can be achieved with viviparous and characin inhabitants of the aquarium.
Physa
Size up to: 1 cm. Is it necessary in an aquarium? No. Physes breed very actively, if the tank is never cleared of them, it will turn into an overcrowded apartment. Are they spoiling the plants? Yes, and quite noticeably, despite the fact that they themselves are small.
Physa is a genus of tiny snails from the family Physidae. Their tiny size gives them certain advantages, allowing them to climb into all sorts of crevices and corners and perform their duties as orderlies. Crawling near the surface of the water, they destroy the films formed on its surface. Description . The curl of the shells goes from left to right, not from right to left. The end of the shells is pointed. The tentacles are long and bristly. The eyes are at the base, on the inside of the tentacles. The leg is long and pointed. The color of the body is black-blue, the shell is yellow-brown or brown. Physes are distinguished by their ability to secrete an adhesive thread. Young individuals have the greatest ability to secrete them. The threads are attached to the bottom by a stone or plant. Then Fiza gets to the surface and the thread sticks to a sheet or rock ledge. These adhesive threads last for about 15-20 days and are used as ladders or ropes when going down Phys up and down. They belong to the class of pulmonary mollusks. But they also have very developed protruding folds of the mantle. These parts of the mantle act as gills and allow Physes to stay under water for a long time. Even though they are very active and consume a lot of oxygen. How do they get into the home pond? They come from plants or live food. A clutch of 20 transparent eggs is a cluster that is attached to underwater plants. Once it gets into the tank, it practically never hatches, and if the fish do not reduce their numbers on their own, aquarists have to do this. Can I feed fish with them? The fish eat them, but without excitement. Many willingly eat the crushed ones.
M. sandy (Melania tuberculata)
About Pokemon breeding
Unlike the previous representative of the world of mollusks, this process does not cause any difficulties. Snails are hermaphrodites, which means that when they mate, they mutually fertilize each other or self-fertilize. Reproduction occurs slowly but constantly. Masonry is done only in warmth. It is typical for all reels. Little snails grow up very quickly.
Now you know how to distinguish and how to care for pagoda and pokemon aquarium snails. In conclusion, I would like to say that ideally, a mollusk should not only not harm aquarium plants, but also benefit the reservoir. These snails fully meet these requirements. A bonus is the interesting shape of their shells and colors, thanks to which they will decorate any decorative aquarium.
Sources:
https://fanfishka.ru/akvariumnye-stati/mollyuski_i_drugie/1909-ulitka-pokemon.html https://catfishes.ru/ulitki-v-akvariume-osnovnye-vidy-s-foto-i-opisaniem/ https:/ /aquariumguide.ru/aquaterrarium/akvariumnye-ulitki-pagoda-i-pokemon.html
Mr. Tail Recommends: Aquarium Basics
To keep an Orange rabbit, you will need an aquarium with a capacity of 20-30 liters with dim lighting so as not to harm the small eyes. The temperature is maintained the same as in nature +27…+28 °C, medium or soft hardness pH 7.5-8.5. If you expose snails to water with a high carbon number, they will get sick and may die. The bottom is covered with river sand, sometimes with an admixture of clay. Add driftwood, stones, and plants.
Tylomelanias are beneficial for tanks. They pick up leftover food and algae. The owners introduce you to other residents personally. They require tactile contact, so for several days the new arrivals touch their heads with other inhabitants of the aquarium two or three times a day.
Videos neritine snail
To contain neritin. Suitable for an aquarium of almost any size and volume. The main thing is to maintain optimal conditions in the aquarium: the water should be hard or medium hard, the water temperature should be within 24-27 degrees C, and most importantly, a high concentration of nitrates should not be allowed.
Neritin snails as cleaners in the aquarium
To be honest, I haven’t kept neritin, but I will definitely buy it if the opportunity arises. You can even try to reproduce them. After all, thanks to the marine aquarium, salt water is available in abundance. Therefore, I can only judge their role as cleaners based on information from various sources. And they indicate that neritins cope well with various algal foulings. Of course, it would be nice to check this information yourself.
