# Malasyan Trumpet Snails



## LondonDragon (27 Jul 2008)

Just curious to find out how long do these snails live for? When I first noticed a trumpet in my tank I kept it separate on a Betta tank for about 2 years, until I decided to get rid of the betta tank, then I put the snail into my Rio 125. It even survived in the crayfish tank for a year, with some minor shell attacks.
This week while prunning the glosso I noticed this very large snail is still alive and well in the tank, this put it at around 4 years old so far, can they live much longer??

Cheers


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## Egmel (29 Jul 2008)

An intriguing question, I shall have to put a dot on one of mine so I can distinguish it from all the others and see how long it lives!

How have you only got 1?  I thought they were able to reproduce singularly... see http://www.snailshop.ashopcommerce.co.u ... adult.html


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## mick b (29 Jul 2008)

I have about 10 trillion, but some (approx 30mm long) have been about (as far as i know  ) for at least 4 to 5 years.
Mine reproduce live bearing, (end of shell breaks away and is a new baby snail, that's why larger ones do not have a point on the end of the shell).

They are carnivors (love Discus beef-heart) and IMO act like earthworms, keeping the substraight 'loose' and hence oxygenated. (They also hunt-down over-feeding due to the Discus).

Sorry can't assist advise re the 'problem' but IMO, if they breed as mine do (?) then I would remove the affected (just in case) as the population will soon recover.

HTH,  Cheers,  mick B


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## Egmel (29 Jul 2008)

mick b said:
			
		

> (end of shell breaks away and is a new baby snail, that's why larger ones do not have a point on the end of the shell).


Are you sure?  Mine carry their little ones around the tops of their snails, there is certainly more than one per snail!  I've noticed that the ones I was given all have the tips of the tails missing, but the ones which have been born since have all got perfect points, I think it might be something to do with the level of calcium in the water.  Mine is very high and I have a high pH which helps build strong shells.


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## LondonDragon (29 Jul 2008)

Egmel said:
			
		

> How have you only got 1?


No I have many, have thrown out and given away hundreds over the years, just wondering if enyone knew, I just kept my first one all along just to see how long they lived for and its still there in the tank, ence my question


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## Egmel (29 Jul 2008)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> Egmel said:
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Ahh, that makes more sense!


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## mick b (29 Jul 2008)

Egmel said:
			
		

> mick b said:
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Well, that's how I understood it to work?  :? and yes, smaller new ones do have a point, but not the older ones?

Calcium, don't know? all I can say, is my planted tank is approx 6.8 ph average, kH 5, gH 12 (ish) and @ 29 deg C (does sometimes in summer hit 32 C) and they breed like wild-fire!!!

Cheers,  Mick B


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## thebullit (29 Jul 2008)

they are live bearers and can produce on there own. the babies dont come from the pointy part of the shell  they come from inside the opening and mostly float when first born.


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## Egmel (29 Jul 2008)

thebullit said:
			
		

> they are live bearers and can produce on there own. the babies dont come from the pointy part of the shell  they come from inside the opening and mostly float when first born.


Cheers for that, I was fairly sure that was the case!  Mine sort of float but if they can they latch onto the edge of mum's shell, it's really cute to see a mummy snail with lots of babies around her shell.  Though there are fewer like this now since my population has stabalised.

I think the reason Mick has MTS with missing tips is because of the pH, it's not very low but I think most snails prefer it to be over 7. (mine is often near 8   )  Also the calcium hardness is relatively low, kH of 5 = ~90 mg/l CaCO3, compared to mine at 280ish mg/l!


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## mick b (29 Jul 2008)

Like this place, learned something new!    

But I'm not increasing pH or kH for them, they do fine, judging by the numbers!  LOL

Cheers,  Mick B


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## Egmel (29 Jul 2008)

mick b said:
			
		

> But I'm not increasing pH or kH for them, they do fine, judging by the numbers!


Wasn't really suggesting you should, just highlighting the likely reasons why yours are lacking their tips 

As to lifespan (sorry LD we've slightly hijacked your thread)most internet sources quote >5yrs so I guess the answer is no-one knows but your one isn't the only one to be this old


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## thebullit (30 Jul 2008)

yes they like a ph above 7 as it helps with good shell growth along with a good calcium rich diet.


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## Mr Bee (15 Aug 2008)

I thought everyone regarded MTS as a pest??

Thats the impression I got from being on another forum (fishforums.net) and that most wanted rid of them but that they were too hard to remove once in a tank due to their rapid breeding.

When I bought my cherry shrimp, there were quite a few MTS in the bag, and I avoided putting them in the tank.  Are they actually good to have and not a pest then??  Should I have kept them??


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## thebullit (15 Aug 2008)

they are good for any tank espescialy sand as they burrow and keep churning the substrate up, which stops any air pockets building up, plus keeping the waist food down. they donot eat live plants either. i keep them in all my tanks, well not in the crayfish tank as they never survive, well i never see any.


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## LondonDragon (15 Aug 2008)

I love my MTS  people are scared of them, because they over breed only if you are over feeding your tank (most people overfeed and wonder why they have problems in the tank).
The MTS actally burry themselves in the gravel and areate it, which can only be good, I always had snails in my tanks and I won't do anything to get rid of them, if they become too many then you have an overfeeding problem which is a nice sign too  and you can then just pick them up and offer them to other people, or sell them on ebay


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## Mr Bee (15 Aug 2008)

Aah..... I might put some in then!

I have a gravel substrate, can they burrow in that? Do they also eat detritus and any 'crap' in there?

Out of interest, how big do they grow?  I suppose if they get out of hand, I can just remove a load and leave a few in.  I had a problem when I first got my tropical fish with overfeeding, and had loads of mites in the tank.  But now I've reduced my feeding I haven't seen them again.

I was used to feeding my goldfish before I got my tropicals, and he just eat anything and everything constantly - including his WCMM tankmate after 3 years of being friends!!

I have a 60L, with 5 neon and 6 glowlight tetras, and just added 6 cherry shrimp last week.  Its a well mature filter - would MTS add anything too much to the bioload, or are they negligible??


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## aaronnorth (15 Aug 2008)

I ordered some the other day only to find out that sam enight i actually had some in my tank  It was the first time i have noticed them, maybe it come in on the new tropica plant but i thought they were dipped in a copper solution.

Typical


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## LondonDragon (15 Aug 2008)

Why order them?? Just ask me for some and I will send them to you  Have to hunt for them though as I found out when I sent some to "Superman" its harder to find them when you want them lol


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## Egmel (15 Aug 2008)

If LD's having difficulties finding his then I'm stripping down my tank in the near future so will have no trouble sending you a handful if you want them.


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## Mr Bee (15 Aug 2008)

Cool, thanks guys   8) 

I'll take a few MTS from you LD (if you can find some!) or anyone else if you dont mind   


Do you want anything (moneywise) for them, or just something to cover postage?

Just let me know how to arrange it....... postage details/SAE/payments etc. ??


Cheers


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## mick b (15 Aug 2008)

They have no problems digging down in my gravel and its 1/4" to 1.5" diameter pebels and 7" deep in places, they are very able diggers!  

Mine grow to about 1.25" long

HTH,  Cheers,  Mick B


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## LondonDragon (15 Aug 2008)

Mr Bee said:
			
		

> Cool, thanks guys   8)
> I'll take a few MTS from you LD (if you can find some!) or anyone else if you dont mind
> Do you want anything (moneywise) for them, or just something to cover postage?
> Just let me know how to arrange it....... postage details/SAE/payments etc. ??
> Cheers


I will see over the weekend during the water change how many I can dig up, I will let you know.
I don't want anything for them not even postage, you can however, after receiving them make a donation to UKAPS.


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## Mr Bee (15 Aug 2008)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> I will see over the weekend during the water change how many I can dig up, I will let you know.
> I don't want anything for them not even postage, you can however, after receiving them make a donation to UKAPS.



Excellent!!

Thanks LD, I'll donate a few quid to the forum   


Will wait to hear from you over the weekend if you dig some up  8)


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## aaronnorth (18 Aug 2008)

I ordered some of of 5teady (Â£2.50 for 10) -  i will remember in the future though to ask you lol


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## Egmel (18 Aug 2008)

aaronnorth said:
			
		

> I ordered some of of 5teady (Â£2.50 for 10) -  i will remember in the future though to ask you lol


Usually if you post a wanted for some then someone will oblige.  Some people even consider them a pest!


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## LondonDragon (18 Aug 2008)

Mr Bee said:
			
		

> Excellent!!
> Thanks LD, I'll donate a few quid to the forum
> Will wait to hear from you over the weekend if you dig some up  8)


Haven't gone fishing yet, haven't forgotten either, I have seen a few in the tank, but not many I will try and fish them out.


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## Mr Bee (19 Aug 2008)

No problem mate, I'll keep an eye on this post


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## thebullit (19 Aug 2008)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0276844042

here is a link with some for sale.


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## Egmel (19 Aug 2008)

thebullit said:
			
		

> http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=180276844042
> 
> here is a link with some for sale.


Sale!  Hardly necessary unless you want specific ones such as mahogany (see the snail shop).  Most people give them away in return for postage costs, or on this board a donation to ukaps!


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## thebullit (19 Aug 2008)

people want them and buy them ...............so works for me.


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## Wolfenrook (19 Aug 2008)

I have mahogany ones, and so far they are pretty prolific.  Once I have bred enough for all my tanks I will try to make some available via my own site (sorry guys.   ).

Ade


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## Egmel (19 Aug 2008)

I have some mahogany ones too, as soon as they've increased their population they'll end up being included in the snail packets I send out.  I've also got some Spike Tails which will also be available once they've increased in numbers.

I'm just hoping they don't all interbreed as I've got them all in one tank!


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## Wolfenrook (19 Aug 2008)

I don't think that they do Egmel, different species.

Ade


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## Mr Bee (20 Aug 2008)

Does anyone on here feel the need to use the 'snailstrong' liquid calcium stuff (as seen on snailshop) for MTS, or add anything extra or specific in the way of food/supplements??

Or is just a case of put them in and leave them to get on with it, and feed rest of aquarium inhabitants as normal??


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## thebullit (20 Aug 2008)

you dont need to add the snail strong liquid as long as you can maintain a ph above 7 for shell growth, as below will cause shell erosion (sp). and feed caclium foods like green veg. which will help good shell growth.


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## Egmel (20 Aug 2008)

It depends a lot on your water.  I have very hard water so my pH is high as is my KH.  This means there's plenty of calcium in the water column already.  If you notice the shells starting to pale and erode or the MTS losing their tips then you either need to feed them food with high calcium content such as green beans, spinach, darker green leaf lettuce, and shelled peas or use an additive such as snail strong liquid calcium.

Mine eat whatever they can get their mouths on, I usually add an extra algae wafer for them at feeding time but I have apple snails and nerites too.


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## Wolfenrook (20 Aug 2008)

No snailstrong here either.  I live in an area with hard water with a pH of between 7.6-7.8, so never needed it.

Ade


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## Mr Bee (20 Aug 2008)

Cheers, I doubt I'll need it then.  My pH is consistantly betwen 7 - 8, and going by colour, nearer to 8 than 7, so probably more like 7.5 - 8

I am also in a quite hard water area, and my test kit measures KH and GH to be 180ppm

Is KH calcium hardness btw??


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## Egmel (20 Aug 2008)

Mr Bee said:
			
		

> Is KH calcium hardness btw??


Carbonate Hardness, so calcium and magnesium etc.


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## Ed Seeley (21 Aug 2008)

Egmel said:
			
		

> Mr Bee said:
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KH, or Carbonate hardness, is not the metallic element of the salt but the basic part.  As such it is a measure of the carbonate section of salts such as Calcium Carbonate, not the calcium.  GH, or general hardness, is Calcium and Magnesium cations in the water.

It's assumed when measuring KH in industrial or domestic situations that KH is only represented by Calcium Carbonate so it is a measure of Calcium, but other things can effect that especially in a tank.  (Especially if you fertilise with Potassium Carbonate or Brighty K!)


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