Thiara/Melanoides Granifera or Winteri Snails

[Harry Muscle]

I'm trying to find somewhere to buy a type of snail that I used to have years ago. It's been identified as Melanoides/Tarebia/Thiara Granifera although I've also seen pictures of Melanoides/Tarebia/Thiara Winteri snails that look similar. Here's what the original snails looked like:

The first two pics are from the original seller I got them from. The last one is from when I had them.

They stayed fairly small for me (no bigger than an average MTS) and had brown spots and streaks on their shells. Didn't breed as quickly as normal MTS but otherwise behaved very similarly.

I'm located in Canada but it seems these snail species are way more common in Europe. If you have some of these or know someone who does please let me know.

Thanks,
Harry

 

[alto]

You might try contacting SKA Shrimps - he carries more snails than most & can check his supplier lists (& ships most of his sales so is very experienced in that regard)

Basic problem is that snails are not well identified on the lists - at least, there will always be a common name or Latin name (of some vintage) but it may/may not be the indicated species

 

[Harry Muscle]

You might try contacting SKA Shrimps - he carries more snails than most & can check his supplier lists (& ships most of his sales so is very experienced in that regard)

Basic problem is that snails are not well identified on the lists - at least, there will always be a common name or Latin name (of some vintage) but it may/may not be the indicated species

Thanks for suggesting SKA Shrimp, unfortunately he's not familiar with these snails.

Thanks,
Harry

 

[a1Matt]

Here in the UK mentioning melanoides species invokes an image of washed out beige coloured MTS, largely considered as pests.

Germany is the invert capital of Europe.
They are commonly sold there, often under the Tarebia name. So a search for 'tarebia granifera garnelen' will give you plenty of sources. Take your time and choose a colour/pattern you like.

You might try private messaging @frothhelmet on here - he has a very nice deep mahogany coloured strain. I have them also, but he is more experienced at packing and posting them. No idea if he will post to Canada, but I am sure he won't mind you asking.


First three results for me from that garnelen search...

http://www.garnelenprofi.de/wirbellose/wasserschnecken/tarebia-granifera.html

https://garnelencenter-lemgo.de/schnecken/genoppte-turmdeckelschnecke

https://www.wirbellose.de/artendate...tarebia-granifera-genoppte-turmdeckelschnecke

Etc.

 

[Harry Muscle]

Here in the UK mentioning melanoides species invokes an image of washed out beige coloured MTS, largely considered as pests.

Germany is the invert capital of Europe.
They are commonly sold there, often under the Tarebia name. So a search for 'tarebia granifera garnelen' will give you plenty of sources. Take your time and choose a colour/pattern you like.

You might try private messaging @frothhelmet on here - he has a very nice deep mahogany coloured strain. I have them also, but he is more experienced at packing and posting them. No idea if he will post to Canada, but I am sure he won't mind you asking.


First three results for me from that garnelen search...

http://www.garnelenprofi.de/wirbellose/wasserschnecken/tarebia-granifera.html

https://garnelencenter-lemgo.de/schnecken/genoppte-turmdeckelschnecke

https://www.wirbellose.de/artendate...tarebia-granifera-genoppte-turmdeckelschnecke

Etc.

Thank you for this info, much appreciated.

BTW, do you have any pictures of the deep mahogany colored stain you have?

Thanks,
Harry

 

[a1Matt]

Your welcome. I don't have any pictures. I'll take some over the weekend for you.

 

[zozo]

BTW, do you have any pictures of the deep mahogany colored stain you have?

I have them too in my tank, but rarely see them.. They don't like light and live mainly in the substrate.. I actualy have no idea how many i have if i do an extensive search i may find 2 only showing a part of the shell plow the substrate surface. Now and then during maintenance i find tiny and empty juvenile snail shells. Obviously not all survive till adulthood but definitively propagating.

I do not know if color is exclusively genetic strain.. I doubt that, because i have several snail sp. and several tanks and severl water bodies in the garden. And i see shell color change with dietary changes from about all snail sp. i keep. I can't tell for sure with the Melanoides because i rarely see them. But i have dark an lighter collored mixed and all are ofspring from lighter collored i got from a friend.

I also got a Lymnaea sp. that is white colored shell and body in tank one.. If i move the same snail to tank 2 it colors dark brown in given time. Both tanks have different substrates and predominantly different algae sp growing in it.

This actualy also goes with shrimps.. For example feed Amano shrimps a lot of clado they might turn Blueish in color.
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/amano-shrimp-that-is-blue.16832/
Seems now i also answered a very old thread that never got a reply..

 

[a1Matt]

... rarely see them.. They don't like light and live mainly in the substrate.. I actualy have no idea how many i have if i do an extensive search i may find 2 only showing a part of the shell plow the substrate surface.

Same here. Except I do see the tiniest of babies on my driftwood, then once they reach a couple of mm they head down to the substrate and stay there. I also see the substrate moving 'all by itself' which never fails to amuse me.

I'm confident the substrate is holding a substantial colony as if I scoop some substrate up I will always find a snail or two.

Ive been alerted to an ammonia spike from a dead fish in the past when I saw 50 or so of them crawling up the glass. Very handy bio indicator. Within minutes of a WC they've buried themselves again.

Empty shells migrate to the surface, which is why I am confident that mine are all darkly coloured.

I don't know the science in any great detail, but I figure they are good for the substrate. (I possibly have some blackworms still down there too.)

 

[Harry Muscle]

Your welcome. I don't have any pictures. I'll take some over the weekend for you.

Thanks. Looking forward to seeing the pictures.

Harry