Is my snail trying to eat the smaller ones?

Is my golden snail trying to eat the smaller ones?? They've been doing this for two days. The golden eventually releases them but at first I thought she was trying to devour them lol




I just got the new juvie snails about a week ago. Their shells are pretty brittle but hopefully will be looking nicer with my care. I've been supplementing a balanced diet and dosing liquid calcium for them.

 

Is my golden snail trying to eat the smaller ones?? They've been doing this for two days. The golden eventually releases them but at first I thought she was trying to devour them lol




I just got the new juvie snails about a week ago. Their shells are pretty brittle but hopefully will be looking nicer with my care. I've been supplementing a balanced diet and dosing liquid calcium for them.

That is odd behavior. Normally they don't cannibalize each-other. I could only think that the larger snail is a male trying to see if the smaller one is mature enough to mate? Could just be getting familiar out of curiosity. I'd just keep an eye one them.

Mystery snails breed on their own pretty easy once conditions are right, higher temperature, plenty of food and a good 2 inches of space between the top of the tank and water surface. Be careful though, they are curious climbers and sometimes can fall right out of the tank.

Good luck with their rehabilitation!

 

He could also just be cleaning their shells...Alison

 

My big ones clean my little ones shells like that . The little ones don't seem to mind too much

 

My adults have done that to my nerites too, and have even decided to ride them around (only once on the riding bit - I think the balancing act was too much work).

With the poorer condition you said they were in, I'd guess that they have a bunch of stuff on their shells and the older one found it to be a good meal.

 

Yeah, they are looking pretty rough right now. They are so brittle and obviously weren't kept in ideal water conditions. However, the same golden snail in the pictures above arrived in the same condition (I'd had her shipped) and as you can see she is now enormous with a thick, shiny beautiful shell. The only remnants of her rough start are on her spiral, which I've read is irreversible. Hopefully with a rich diet and liquid calcium they'll be just as successful!

I can't tell if the golden is trying to mate or if she's curious or cleaning or what. Seeing as the juvies are new, she may just be curious. I would LOVE to see them mate though! I would just be over the moon to have snail babies. I'm currently in the process of cycling a tank that I'm reserving for invert only and I'm pretty stoked about it.