Do snails breed in captivity?

[kevinsimons]

I noticed last night after the lights went out there were some animals - about the size of a grain of cooked rice - on the glass of the tank. They clearly had antennae, and it looked like they also had shells...! What are these things? Baby snails?? I'll try and get a pic tonight... The two species of snails *I* have introduced are Xenia and Nassarius... but who knows what's hitchhiked in...

 

[Bifferwine]

Sounds like pods to me. Pods have antenna and are rice-sized. Check this page: Melev's Reef - Visual Identification. Go to the "Bugs" section. Snails do breed in our tanks, but they don't look like that. BTW, pods are good.

 

[kevinsimons]

I've got a large population of pods that are much, MUCH smaller than what I saw on the tank, but then again, maybe they're juvenile? The newly acquired mandarin goby started dining on them within minutes of his introduction last night - so I'll check things tonight after lights out and see if these larger animals have disappeared - for what it's worth, when I got up this AM, the goby was on the side of the tank where the animals-in-question were seen on the glass...

 

[reeffreak]

Errrrr.....Xenia aren't snails.What is the other snail besides nassarius did you add.It could be baby snails if you see a shell otherwise its most likely copepods.Don't forget to watch your Mandarin fight its own reflection in the glass.Its something to behold.Its funny,they are so calm and relax but when they think there is another one,they go ballistic.

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

I have had my naussarius breed in my tank twice now. They dont make it long though. They get eatin up pretty fast by everything else.

 

[Bifferwine]

I had some snail lay a crapload of eggs on my glass just a week ago. I don't think any of them lasted one night in my tank.

 

[kevinsimons]

Sorry Reef - just a little brain fart. I meant Astria...

 

[yote]

I'm always finding snail eggs.But they get eat about as fast as the snails lay them.

 

[reeffreak]

Okay gotcha-astreas.
I see snail eggs on the glass from time to time.Never seen any hatch though.It doesn't help that I swipe them off with the mag float.

 

[Rcpilot]

Some idiot that runs a LFS near my house told me that saltwater snails breeding in captivity is 100% impossible.

A week later, one of the women in the local club had me over to pick up some frags and showed me 2 nessarious snails, the size of tennis balls :shock:, that are in her refugium. They breed 3 or 4 times a year and she gives the babies away. I've yet to see another snail that big in a home aquarium.

 

[Doc]

i have seen eggs on my glass as well. I figure the fish snatch them up pretty fast.

-Doc

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

one of the women in the local club had me over to pick up some frags

Is that what they call it these days?

 

[Bifferwine]

Speaking of... I heard the greatest pickup line last night. "How about you and me go halvsies on a bastard child?" Courtesy of my friend Ace, "The Coolest Brown Boy Ever". He gets shot down 99% of the time, but when it works, it's worth it, he says!

BTW, how wasted do I look?

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

OOOOHHHHHH that is great! I'm going to try that just too see how many times I can get slapped!

 

[fishbait]

my nerites breed like rabbits. there are allways eggs on the glass. and if you look at the rock at night with a flashlight there are tons of baby snails on the rock. well, that is until I decided to throw one of my nerites in the sump. I guess I picked the one that was doing all the breeding. no more eggs all over the place now.

 

[Doc]

what is up with you hanging out your tongue. I thought you liked dudes?

-Doc

 

[Bifferwine]

I do like dudes. I have always been a huge fan of the sausage.

 

[Doc]

phew!!! that is a relief. That means there is still a chance for me. YESSSSS

-Doc

 

[Bifferwine]

No there isn't. You know too much about me :)

 

[Doc]

<Gasp>. THUD (the sound of my hopes and ego crashing to the floor)

Say it ain't so? You let Hawk in and not me??? I may take my own life now

-Doc