imsweet Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 No one told me they would eat the fish. I guess i'm not feeding them enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 Surely they latched on to a floater? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 i hope it was a floater Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsweet Posted June 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 Hmmm, They were all alive and well when i fed them, went out to feed the pony and check on things and turned the light on when i came back (2hrs later) and there they were. Could have possibly 'passed on' while my back was turned.?? Bit gutted really. If only i could catch the neighbours cat, then they could have a huge fry up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HummingBird Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 Apple snails eat everything they can. One time when I had them in a fry tank to produce infusoria one of them actually latched onto a free swimming baby and ate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sub.z Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 I just brought one yesterday, do they tend to latch on to bigger fish or just smaller fish? Also do they eat algae? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 What kind of fish is that they are eating?? Kinda looks like a blind cave tetra, possibly an easy target for a couple hungry apple snails.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 i have not had apple snails but how would the catch a fish? I would have thought the fish would literally have to fall into their lap for them to caught by the snail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserole Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 They'll eat fish alright if there hungry enough. As thats a yellow one I'd put a lettuce leaf in the tank for it as Yellows LOVE there plant matter. I had one ONCE it ate a massive bunch of plants in it's first and last night in that tank. If you have a planted tank and want to get ride of them add a yellow apple snail :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsweet Posted June 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 Its just a bronze goldfish they have. As to how they caught it?? theyre crafty, crawl onto the filter and catch a ride up to the top on the bubbles. They get a good amount of lettuce, duckweed, a few stalks of oxygenating plants each week. Actually if anyone knows... when i got them they all had holes in their shells (lacking calcium?) now only 2 (got 8) have holes but is there anything i can give them/put in the water for this that wont affect the fish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 I'd imagine a bit of bird grit in the filter would raise the alkalinity and PH and that should help stop any holes and hel them heal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HummingBird Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 yeah, or just a turtle calcium block. That's what I used to use in the filter when I used to have snail only tanks (And yes...I've had snails tanks for ramshorns and apple snails before. They rocked.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snookie Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 Back in u.k i used to give my african land snails a cuttle fish bone to chew on . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick777 Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 How the hell do they catch a fish?? when you guys say snails,you mean snails right?? they can't be any slower and they can't swim!! They basicly just live in a 2D world right (having to attach to somewhere all the time?? :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopy Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 ha ha Nick777 If only you knew! Do NOT underestimate an apple snail! Sure they can get blinkin big (like tennis balls) and i have seen they get this (_) close to catching a perfectly healthy fish. It is usually when they are at the waters surface and the snails stretch out towards the middle of the tank to reach something, usually flake at feeding time when the fish are at the surface too and darting around, they will swim all round the snail and between the snails foot and the glass. As the snail pulls itself back in to latch on to the glass, a fish can get trapped between the glass and the snail because the fish is so bussy scoffing flake, he doesn't notice the snail closing in till it is too late. and thus the snail has caught himself a tasty dinner!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markoshark Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 I want a snail tank now 0.0. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsweet Posted June 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 It is usually when they are at the waters surface and the snails stretch out towards the middle of the tank to reach something, usually flake at feeding time Thats exactly what theyre doing... i thought i was going mad but they caught another one this morning. I fed them (crushed flake) as usual and sat there and just watched. One snail just went to the top, stretched out into the middle of the tank and stayed there. I first thought 'ok, youre just eating the flake' then a wee fishy went between the glass and the snail and it just latched on. I managed to get the fish away but it didnt survive. Fish eating apple snail anyone? I was reading up on breeding them (thats why theyre in that tank, to keep an eye on things) but so far they just eat and eat and eat and no x-rated stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopy Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Apple snails are highly under-rated! And they are quite complex in my opinion too. They eat phenominal amounts of food if given the opportunity. And yes they will eat algae but it is not exactly a favourite. and they are not that great at algae eating either. They are more like lawn mowers that just crop algae back to a certain length rather than like a pleco who does a much better job. They have dormant or quiet periods over winter. ANd so they eat less and will be pretty slow during that time. They are NOT hermaphrodites therefore require a female and male to breed. I personally found sexing is not very easy. They have teeth which are both creepy and funky to see. They are NOT slow (well. not as slow as you probably expect!) and they can become quite tame and crawl over your hand if you will permit them and you can hand feed too. (just watch out for those teeth!) They do have some bad habits too like having an attraction to eating sponge filters, plastic plants, and note: on the rare occasion, fish. They are extremely messy pigs, and if you don't have a lid on your tank they can go walk-about at night too and you may find a snail tucked under the couch or half way across your fish room floor! Otherwise i think they are fantastic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopy Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Oh i just had a thought!! At feeding time give each of your snails a cat bikki or fish pellet of their own to munch on! they will be so busy with that that they won't be so inclined to chow down on your fish and by the time they have finished their breakfast, the fish will probably be finished their flake too. The snails will catch on pretty quick. Just wait for them to do their stretchy thing at the top of the tank and drop a pellet down onto their foot or hold it in front of their mouth steadily. They should grab hold of it and then leave everyone else in peace! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick777 Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 I definitely just leant a lot from snails!!! So apparently people should stop using the expression: "slow and dumb like a snail".... :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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