You can opt to introduce snail eggs into your aquarium so that as and when they grow up, they can add to the beauty of your tank. Here, we give you some information on them and the environment they need to hatch.
Your pond or aquarium is incomplete without snails. So, once you have bought your aquarium, one of the first things you should do is to introduce some snails. On the other hand, if you are thinking of setting up a pond, you don’t need to worry, as they would automatically come to your pond. Snails have the ability to clean up ponds as they thrive on algae, leftover food, dead animals, and small plants growing in water. There are some species of snails which kill aquatic plants, but usually they help in improving their surroundings. Most snails lay eggs which look like small jelly blobs and stick on plants and other hard surfaces. Some of the most favored places where snails lay eggs include plant leaves, bricks, clay pots, and glass in an aquarium. The eggs are clear when they are laid, but as they grow they become darker, and after about 5 weeks, they hatch.
How do Snail Eggs Hatch?
Snail eggs are usually small grape-like structures and are found in clusters. Usually, the eggs are laid on the side or the cover of an aquarium. For proper growth of the eggs, they need a heat source nearby and a dry environment. Usually, it would take about 5 weeks for the eggs to hatch. Take note of when the eggs were laid, and if the eggs don’t hatch by the 5th week, you need to gently remove the eggs from that place, gently break it in half, and check if there is a tiny baby inside. If there is, it means they are ready to hatch, you just need to place them back into the water and let them float. On the other hand, if you don’t see any baby, it means the eggs are infertile, so you should discard them. By the 2nd week, take a look at their appearance. If they are growing they would appear slightly dark in color. As they approach the 5th week, they are dry and whiter. You can use an incubator to hatch them or either of the two methods – partitioning and plastic canvas, which have been described below:
Partitioning the Tank
This method of breeding is slightly easier compared to the plastic canvas method. The warm environment of the tank is used to incubate and hatch the eggs. For this, you need to get a net breeder and install them on the shorter side of the tank so that the tank is partitioned. You don’t necessarily need to install artificial plants into it. Place a plastic canvas sheet on top of the tank, adjusting it with the help of metal hooks in such a way that when you place the eggs on the plastic canvas, they are placed on one side of the tank partitioned by the net breeder. You need to place the plastic canvas a couple of inches below water, so that the eggs get enough nutrients. Once you have done that, you need to keep it in that position for the next five weeks till the eggs hatch. This method is helpful if you intend to keep the babies in the same tank and just want to control the areas in which they hatch.
Plastic Canvas
You can opt to use this method if you intend to just let the eggs hatch in a tank and then place them in another tank. You can buy a box which usually comes with a lid. Depending on whether you want to house them for a longer time or just for the eggs to hatch, you can choose the size of the tank. Place the sheet of plastic canvas in the tank and cut it in such a way that it makes a U-shape. However, you need to make sure that the bottom does not touch the surface of water, which you may put at the bottom. Add about an inch of water at the bottom, so that when the babies hatch they can swim in the water. You need to place the eggs on the plastic canvas and cover it. Keep it in a warm surrounding, or you can even place a heating pad in the tank. Keep this arrangement for the next five weeks, at the end of which the eggs will hatch.
You can easily hatch snail eggs in your home. But make sure that you provide them with the ideal surroundings so that they grow healthily and perfectly.
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