How Do You Breed Snails For Food?

I'm seriously thinking about getting a pea puffer for my tank that is cycling instead of a koi betta.
I need to build up a snail colony though. Would it work to breed ramshorn snails inside a breeding box in my goldfish tank? I think I have more ramshorn snails that I think I have... but no where near enough to sustain a 3 snail a day diet.

I don't want to set up an entire tank dedicated to snail breeding, I'm also kind of weary of having a worm culture. What are your methods???

 

I just used a jar (a few gallons) with saran wrap and a few holes in it. Nothing there except bladder snails, water and some anacharis/elodea from my friend’s pond. I just fed them some vegetables every day and changed half the water every week. I was breeding them for someone’s loaches.

 

I just used a jar (a few gallons) with saran wrap and a few holes in it. Nothing there except bladder snails, water and some anacharis/elodea from my friend’s pond. I just fed them some vegetables every day and changed half the water every week. I was breeding them for someone’s loaches.

hm ok I have a breeding box so I might as well do mildly cruel snail testing in there until my tank is cycled and I can make the decision if I can produce enough food for the pea puffer to survive well
bladder snails creep me out so much, but if I'm just using them for food I should consider doing something like you do

 

I think the breeder box will also work if the snails can’t climb out.

 

I think the breeder box will also work if the snails can’t climb out.

yeah, it has a lid so hopefully it will work
I do really want a pea puffer more than another betta so I hope I can do this. There is a seller in my area and apparently they're only 5 dollars each, not that the low cost is why I want it

 

I found that my bladder snails bred faster when I did the following:
-higher temperature
-more water changes and removing poop
-different kinds of vegetables/fruits
-only one type of snail
-added filamentous algae (marimo from amazon and algae from a creek, you probably won’t want to add wild algae if there are fish) and rocks with diatoms
-added moss
-no substrate

 

I found that my bladder snails bred faster when I did the following:
-higher temperature
-more water changes and removing poop
-different kinds of vegetables/fruits
-only one type of snail
-added filamentous algae (marimo from amazon and algae from a creek, you probably won’t want to add wild algae if there are fish) and rocks with diatoms
-added moss
-no substrate

a lot of these things are very similar to breeding box conditions. My only consideration was eliminating competition, thanks for the rest.

 

You can use one of the marina hob breeder boxes. Those would work great for that. Or you can set up a small(1-3ish gal) plastic container with a bunch of floating plants or any spares.

 

My colony of minI ramshorn didn't start at the breeder box but they certainly multiplied just as fast. I started with around 200 and now they're almost filled to the top. Some will definitely get out. Especially newly hatched babies, they get through the sides where water comes in and out. When you're ready to clean the box, do it in a separate bucket or container, their mess falls straight to the bottom and it's somewhat heavy, hard to clean up when it gets to tight places.

 

I feed them mostly shrimp pellets, zucchini, and throw some dying leaves some times

 

My colony of minI ramshorn didn't start at the breeder box but they certainly multiplied just as fast. I started with around 200 and now they're almost filled to the top. Some will definitely get out. Especially newly hatched babies, they get through the sides where water comes in and out. When you're ready to clean the box, do it in a separate bucket or container, their mess falls straight to the bottom and it's somewhat heavy, hard to clean up when it gets to tight places.

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I didn’t see this reply until now but WOW that’s a lot of snails!!!

 

And u don't have to feed only snails, puffers eat other things too lice frozen foods, but yes, snails are very important and if for some reason u don't have enough at some point which I think is highly unlikely cuz it's almost impossible to not then u can always go to petsmart or petco and ask them for all the ones in their tanks if ur comfortable with that and they'll give em to u for free

 

Lol

And u don't have to feed only snails, puffers eat other things too lice frozen foods, but yes, snails are very important and if for some reason u don't have enough at some point which I think is highly unlikely cuz it's almost impossible to not then u can always go to petsmart or petco and ask them for all the ones in their tanks if ur comfortable with that and they'll give em to u for free

I have a feeling after this breeding box thing I'll have too many snails. I left 2 snails in a breeding box with food for 2 days and there are like 7 egg clutches visible around the plastic\

I also have a crazy amount of detritus worms in the tank I guess it's from stealing gravel from another tank and then not doing water changes often bc the tank is cycling... hopefully the puffer has fun eating those for me

 

Lol

I have a feeling after this breeding box thing I'll have too many snails. I left 2 snails in a breeding box with food for 2 days and there are like 7 egg clutches visible around the plastic

Ya, I couldn't get them not to breed bUT that was ok cuz I had a green spotted and a dwarf, differentertainment tanks