Coil Snails: Description, Content, Reproduction

Many aquarists are wondering whether snail-coils are useful. To be pleased with their appearance or immediately dispose of in any accessible way? They, like other mollusks, are only nurses and too small to damage plants. In addition, they serve as a valuable source of feed for many species of fish, which naturally regulates the number of individuals.

Habitat

Snail-coils (genus Planorbis) - This is freshwater mollusks. The size of the spirally twisted shell is small, up to 35 mm in diameter. Easily adapt to the environmental conditions (water temperature, pollution degree), breathe both air and oxygen dissolved in water.

Moving snails-coils in the aquarium with the help of a characteristic for mollusks wide legs. Live on their own, regardless of all the other processes taking place side by side.

Types of coils

This genus includes quite a few species, most of which are found in all natural water bodies. It is not recommended to run snails taken from nature into the aquarium, as they become carriers of dangerous diseases.

The most popular among aquarists are the following coil snails:

• Horny;
• Horny red;
• The Far East;
• Dead-end;
• Wrapped.

Content

Aquarium coil snails Good for beginners, who want to get themselves mollusks, but do not have the experience of caring for them. The owner does not require special care, so you can focus on the precious plants and fish.

An important factor is the beauty of the snail shell. When there is a shortage of calcium in the water, the growth of the shell slows down, reproduction stops, and flaws appear on the surface of the "house". To prevent this, several large seashells should be placed on the bottom of the water area, or calcium, bought at the pet store, should be added to the water.

The dangerous neighbors for these mollusks are the fish themselves. Young individuals become easy prey, even for guppies, not to mention large cichlids. They can quite eat an adult reel. The fragments of the shell of the fish simply spit out.

Diseases of coils

The most common is helminthic invasion. Coils serve as an intermediate host of parasites, which, leaving snails, migrate to fish. To reduce the risk of this disease, buy shellfish only from proven breeders.

Another parasite that appears in the aquarium with live food is an aquatic leech. It penetrates the shell of the coil's coil and feeds on its blood. In order not to turn the aquarium into a hotbed of leeches, be sure to buy all the mollusks purchased and moved together with the plants, for a couple of weeks in quarantine - a small aquarium or a jar.

For prevention, you can use salt baths. In a vessel, pour 400 ml of water and dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt, and then for 10 minutes shift into a solution of snails. Leeches leave the shell at the same time. In addition, in pet stores, there is a special drug for removing leeches.

Reproduction

These mollusks are hermaphrodites, that is, each individual is capable of reproduction. In order to dilute this species, you will need only one coil-snail. Reproduction occurs by laying eggs on the leaves of plants.

Mollusks are extremely prolific, so often owners of aquariums grab at the head: what to do with so many coils? In fact, the number of underwater inhabitants should be regulated according to the volume of the aquarium. So, for every 8-10 liters of water there should be 5 coils each. A large population may not have enough food, and then they will take over the plants.

There are many ways to keep the number of coils under control. One of the simplest is the purchase of the Antsitrus catfish. They clean the walls of the aquarium from algae, and for one they eat caviar eggs.

Fish also support the balance of the ecological system, eating young snails. If your aquarium has a global overpopulation, run barbs or cichlids, they can clear the territory in a matter of days.

Another effective way is to collect snails with the help of a trap. This is a small metal mesh, in which you put a banana peel, apples or potatoes. At night, it is left in the aquarium, and the next morning they pull it out with the coils. Catch can be used as a fish feed.

This is one side of the problem, but there is also the opposite situation, when with all diligence the number of coils is reduced. Whether this disease or predators is to blame, the solution can be one: collect a dozen individuals and place them in a separate aquarium or jar. With abundant food and regular water changes, you will be provided with a good offspring (do not forget about quarantine: in the first few weeks remove all snails that do not show activity). From here you can install them in a common aquarium.

In the absence of more efficient guardians of purity, such as an ampullar, the unpretentious coil may well cope with the function of the orderly. While maintaining a reasonable amount in the aquarium, it will only be of use and will present many interesting moments during observations of its leisurely walks.