# Snail eggs?



## jjheylookatme (May 7, 2006)

Hey,
I just got a snail last week, it was in a tank with several other snails, and it's been really happy, eating my plants and its food like a horse, and now i think it's layed eggs! Only weird thing is there aren't as many as in the pictures of apple snail egg info i've looked up....those look like they have 50 or so, but there are only 6-7, do you think my betta ate them? And any advice on how to help them hatch, particularly concerning water changes (the tank is up for a water change today, but I've put it off ever since i saw the eggs). And, what is the survival rate for these snails...if they all survive, will I ahve to get a larger tank? (I have 1 3/4 gallon tank w/ a betta)


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## Guest (May 15, 2006)

I think my Snail laid eggs too, and they hatched! There only looks to be about 1 or two that have hatched though. I would leave the snails as they are. Watch them closely, if you see your Betta eat any, move the snails OR Betta to a different tank for a while. Until they get harder shells.


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## Guest (May 17, 2006)

I would just leave them where they are. Snail eggs will usually hatch on their own.


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## CrystalRose (May 5, 2006)

Are the eggs above or below the water line? Apple snail eggs have to be OUT of water to hatch. With the exception of marisas or spixis. If they're underwater the baby snails in the clutch will drown. I've had a few female snails accidently lay a few eggs underwater or part of a clutch slip under water. Very cute snail btw!


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## garfieldnfish (Jan 18, 2005)

CrystalRose you took the words right out of my mouth. The picture is a little fuzzy and I was gonna ask too if they were above the water line, as it looks more so that they are in the water. 
Lookatme, it is very possible the snail layed those eggs. My egg clusters are not always the same size. Sometimes I have what seems like 100, other times 50 or less. My snails have been laying eggs since January consistently, but in the past 3 weeks they have stopped and I only got 2 more clusters since then, one of which is also very small.
If the cluster is under water remove it. The baby snails may have drowned already, but since they are still developing you could try floating them on a plant ring (pond places sell them) or a credit card etc, anything that floats. If they are under water the beta is a suspect. Above the water line I doubt he had anything to do with the size of the cluster.
Once they start to hatch (about 2 to 4 weeks, depending on temps) the color of the cluster will change to lighter and you will see the first snail break through the shell. At that time I would move them into a tubberware container. They don't need a cycled tank. But they will benefit from an airstone, even so they are airbreathing and could do without. But your water will look pretty nasty with a guey film on top without an airstone. 
Good luck, they are really cute then they are small.


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## jjheylookatme (May 7, 2006)

Thanks everyone!
Yeah, they're about an inch and a half above water, sorry for the bad quality pics, it's not a very good camera haha. Ill be sure to do the tupperware thing when they hatch. What should I feed them, the same lettuce and fish flakes as the big snail?


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## garfieldnfish (Jan 18, 2005)

They eat the same as adults.


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