Care
Apple snails, named due to their size and shape, are found in swampy habitats and have a number of adaptations to survive periods of drought, such as an operculum that seals moisture in their shell during seasonal dry spells. As these air breathing snails will occasionally leave the water, make sure a good cover is in place to stop them falling out of the aquarium. Having been introduced to areas outside of their natural range, they proved to be a serious agricultural pest and are particularly destructive to rice and taro crops. This led to an EU-wide ban on their sale which has been lifted in the UK (excluding NI) thanks to our climate being unsuitable for these tropical animals.
As aquarium pets, these snails are clearly not the best choice for tanks where aquatic plants are a priority but, in most cases, they prefer to consume dead or dying plant matter as well as fish food etc. Although there"™s some differences between species, most will graze algae growth but are unlikely to have a huge impact on the cleanliness of their aquarium in this regard. Compatibility issues with these animals tend to be rather one-sided, take care not to add them to communities housing snail eating loaches, pufferfishes or cichlids. Some fish will investigate them when they"™re moving around the aquarium but keep an eye out for undue harassment that prevents the snails from feeding and more importantly, moving to breathe air at the water"™s surface.
Like all invertebrates, snails will be harmed by most fish medications especially those containing copper. In the event of a disease outbreak, it may be best to remove them for a time to enable the use of effective chemicals. For their part, most health issues in apple snails can be attributed to feeding or chemical contamination "“ always use a water conditioner to avoid heavy metal contamination from tap water. As calcium is needed for healthy shell development, these snails often struggle in soft water.
A few species are found in the hobby and these are seen in a number of colour forms, including Gold/Yellow (which at its palest is referred to as Ivory), Blue and banded wild types.
Feeding
As well as eating plant material, these snails will happily feed on most dried foods. Sinking foods high in algae and vegetable ingredients are the most suitable.
Breeding
Many snails are hermaphrodites but not these, Apple snails are either male or female and both sexes need to be present for successful breeding to take place. As the differences are subtle it"™s best to keep a number of individuals to make sure both sexes are present. Eggs are laid in distinctive pink/orange clusters above the water line and after around 14 days, hatchlings will take to the water and function as miniature versions of the adults. Growth is fastest in an environment rich in algae and detritus.
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