How fast do Malaysian Trunpet Snails breed?

[MCools]

A few weeks ago (like 3) I got 2 mts at my lfs. They were really small, only about the size of a grain of rice. Anyway, the girl was joking about how I would need to come back in a month to get some assassins because I'd be over run.

Well, I'm no where near over run. As a matter of fact I haven't seen either of those snails since a week after I got them. I know they are nocturnal and all, but if they really breed like crazy, shouldn't I see some at least every now and then?

Also, how fast do they grow? Should the original two be much larger than they were? I just am not sure what to expect with these guys...

I have been noticing less bubbles near the glass in my sand, so I'm sure they are still in there...

[bignellm]

I don't know the answer to this, but would really want to. I just installed one MTS in my fry tank for a test run to see if Aquarium Salt dosage of 1 teaspoon for each 5 gallons would injury/kill/destroy a snail. It didn't, but now I got Mr. Pointy in my substrate (pea gravel somewhere and am thinking of keeping him/her).

[bignellm]

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Ok, from what I've just read, it seems the only way to have a Horrid Outbreak of snails with these trumpets are to go overkill for a long time on feeding fish. They are Livebearing Snails with both sex organs. They stop breeding when food is scarce and start breeding when food is in high supply. So, they will equalize in your tank. They also don't eat live plants and also aerate your substrate with the burrowing. I'd imagine growth is fast, as they only live 2 years. Top size is about an inch.

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I gave you the same two links I just read. Guess I might keep the little guy. I was planning on feeding it to my Assassin snail as a treat.

[MCools]

Thanks! :22: I think I saw that second site before- a looong time ago, lol.

It's good to know they will regulate themselves. I kind of thought so, but I figured if they got too out of control the goldfish would probably eat them anyway :hmm3grin2orange:

I guess I'll have to check tonight after lights out to see if I can find any. That should be fun. I just want to know I have a healthy population.

[bignellm]

You'll be in good shape ;) Though the Goldies do attack them according to site. I would suspect they'd be hard to eat. I have just put one in my 10 gallon fry nursery/isolation tank. Already burrowed, resurfaced, burrowed again. I think mine is covered in algae though, it came from tight quarters from a Gold fish tank at Meijer. I might go ask for the other one I saw, lol. To put in my 16, now that I know they don't get crazy in populations.

[lhartig]

I have several mts of varying color and size. I witnessed one very large single snail birth. Mts was sliding down side of tank and out popped a small snail, looked like a tank. Original mts named Conan, small snail named Pip. Conan still around, but Pip had his head eaten off by an over zealous Pleco that likes to suck on the larger mystery snails. Went back to store and got several more mts, kept them warm and fed them like crazy, but they don't breed. Did have major infestation of Ramshorns that got me to throw out every plant, rock and all my gravel to get rid of them, but I kept the mts and they not doing nothing.