Mystery snail hatch

[meadeam]

The last batch to hatch in my tank did so on their own.  They were in a standard tank with a rim and a lid, and I didn't even notice them until they were big enough to see and even then for a long time I thought they were pond snails.  This clutch was laid in a rimless tank and I hatched them intentionally in a tupperware container.  They are now in a specimen box floating inside of the tank, and I guess I have to learn how to feed them, or just release them in to the tank.  Leaning toward feeding and keeping them on their own.  There are still dozens more from the same clutch who haven't hatched yet... at some point I will have to say enough is enough.   I wanted some different colors, and it does look like I got a couple light colors, but no darker ones yet.

[meadeam]

I put some floating java fern in the box, and some small chunks of nano block.  With this many snails I suppose it is time to learn how to make snello.

[Guppysnail]

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea has a journal of hatching and raising with some fabulous pointers. Congratulations 🎉 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 10/13/2022 at 5:21 PM, meadeam said:

There are still dozens more from the same clutch who haven't hatched yet... at some point I will have to say enough is enough

You'll want to crumble the rest of that clutch as the snails inside are already full developed.  Once some start hatching, that means everybody is ready, even if they haven't chewed out yet.  Follow this video on how to crumble the clutch.  The reason for crumbling is because some eggs may be harder than others (mostly due to humidity inconsistency across the clutch) and the snails CAN'T get out if the eggshells are too hard/thick.

 

 

Here is a guide on how to maintain the breeder box.  You'll want to feed powdery foods that you can swirl around in the breeder box to coat the walls.  Some popular choices for this are repashy powder or spirulina.  Some people use fry food.  Careful with the quantity of food so you don't pollute too much.  You can wet a bamboo skewer and dip it into the powdered food and then swirl it.  Repeat until it looks like all snails will have enough food.  

A less popular choice to feed them is hardboiled egg yolk.  It's great for them starting out, but it does foul the water.  It is what I used, and I had success with it.  You just have to test your water parameters every day to make sure everything stays stable.

 

Edited October 14, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Congratulations on your babies!  You are going to love them.  As they grow and you can see them better, you'll notice they have little personalities and do funny stuff.

One other thing I'd recommend is having an actual breeder box as the specimen box does not allow for water flow.  Water flow is very important so that the box doesn't fill with ammonia from the food and waste.  Breeder boxes are very cheap.  Several options are less than ten bucks.

Edited October 14, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[meadeam]

On 10/14/2022 at 9:09 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Congratulations on your babies!  You are going to love them.  As they grow and you can see them better, you'll notice they have little personalities and do funny stuff.

Thanks!  They haven't been attracted to any of the food I have placed in the specimen box yet, so I will try the swirl method.  A few of them latched onto the java fern which came from a seasoned tank and I assume has some bio-slime on it, but the vast majority are on the walls near the waterline where the can't be much to eat.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 10/14/2022 at 9:13 AM, meadeam said:

Thanks!  They haven't been attracted to any of the food I have placed in the specimen box yet, so I will try the swirl method.  A few of them latched onto the java fern which came from a seasoned tank and I assume has some bio-slime on it, but the vast majority are on the walls near the waterline where the can't be much to eat.

Oh yes. They love live plants!  Great source of biofilm.  I offered mine java moss and lots of them attached to it.

[Guppysnail]

When first hatched they always seem to seek biofilm over food. 

[meadeam]

I powdered some nano block, spirulina flake, and Hikari micro pellet then mixed into a solution of tank water and turkey-basted that into their box (after removing the old food and doing a water change).  The water is slightly milky, and the dust is settling on the bottom.  The snails are scooting around again, I'll just assume they know what they are doing.  

 

This would be either an aunt, or uncle snail.  Part of the surprise tank-raised generation that came from my first purchased snail.

Edited October 14, 2022 by meadeam

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

The females can hold fertilized eggs for months.  I only had one adult snail as well when I hatched eggs.

If you get the breeder box with the lid, you won't have to worry about the big ones eating up all the baby food.

Edited October 14, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[meadeam]

He/she is actually wedged between the box and glass.  I haven't had an adult get in the box yet.  They are interested in it though.  I have molly fry in this tank as well, and they are also fascinated by the box of baby snails. 

 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

The adult snails can smell the food.

[BAT]

@meadeam i just had my mystery snail lay eggs one day - and now i am 6 clutches in!   

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea and @Guppysnailhave been INVALUABLE.  I HIGHLY recommend @Chick-In-Of-TheSeasnail journal and Lav’s youtube channel (which is linked on the snail journal)

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 10/14/2022 at 9:09 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

One other thing I'd recommend is having an actual breeder box as the specimen box does not allow for water flow.  Water flow is very important so that the box doesn't fill with ammonia from the food and waste.  Breeder boxes are very cheap.  Several options are less than ten bucks.

Sorry to be redundant. 🙃 Just wanted to stress the importance of this one again as water quality is the most important thing for baby snails, and without flow through the box, it could.. well the outcome would be grim as baby snails are super sensitive to parameters.

On 10/14/2022 at 11:10 PM, BAT said:

Lav’s youtube channel

Yeah she’s great, isn’t she? She has a fun and silly personality. 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Or, If you are a DIY-er, this thread has a lot of creative ways to get water flowing through boxes. Click here

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

This is the one I used 

and @Katherine was successful using a net breeder box.

Edited October 15, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/15/2022 at 12:57 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

This is the one I used 

and @Katherine was successful using a net breeder box.

Net breeder thingies tend to be quite useful , as you don’t need to worry about doing that extra water change.

Congratulations on your hatch @meadeam!

[Katherine]

On 10/15/2022 at 5:57 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

and @Katherine was successful using a net breeder box

Yup, I used a net breeder. I have a journal linked in my signature though it's no where near as thorough as Chick's.

[meadeam]

Thanks I'll order a breeder box.  I've been doing water changes everyday in the meantime.  I just carefully pour off most of the water and the refill it in the tank

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/16/2022 at 7:18 AM, meadeam said:

Thanks I'll order a breeder box.  I've been doing water changes everyday in the meantime.  I just carefully pour off most of the water and the refill it in the tank

Keep us posted on how they do!!

[meadeam]

So I tested the water in the snail box out of curiosity, and despite daily water changes (sometimes multiple) it showed >=.5ppm nitrite.  No ammonia though, which I don't fully understand, and I tested several times.  Anyway, I didn't wait for a breeder box, I made one out of a "critter keeper".  I just made holes in the sides and stuffed them with sponge, then clamped the keeper to the side of a spare 5.5g and dropped in a  cycled sponge filter and a few adults.  I'll still test daily as I know there is usually a blip in the cycle when doing this.   These poor snails have been through a lot.  I hope I don't regret hatching them.  The adults have had a wild ride since moving them as well.  Their cycle crashed and is just now back on track.  I treated with prime and lots of water changes, but I'm afraid it was hard on them.  They don't seem to eat much or get around as much as the ones in my display tank do.   I made snello, but nobody would touch it.  I'll try another recipe.

 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

@meadeam freeze the Snello. They don’t really eat the veggies til they are bigger. Nice work on the diy. My cycle crashed too so I did add some bottled bacteria as well as performing water changes with Prime.

Starting out my babies are hard boiled egg yolk. Don’t put much. Just like, a little of the dust from it. Swirl it around. Then they moved on to algae wafers and crab cuisine. And from there green beans and other veggies. I also fed calcium chips.

Edited November 12, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea