29.03.2024

Aquarium snail ampulyarii – description of the clam

Ampulyarii aquatic snail native to South America, but has become very popular and spread around the world. In the wild they exist in tropical waters.

This warm ponds, swamps and small rivers. Environmental quality in this shellfish care. In the wild meet ampulyarii larger than eleven inches, they belong to the subclass of giant ampulyarii.

Description snail ampullaria

Ampulyarii externally very similar to the snails. Similar curled shell is yellowish-brown finish with dark stripes. At the same colors at ampulyarii can vary from very light to very dark shade. On the shell of the snail has a horn cap that helps ampulyarii to hide from danger or bad weather. Sometimes ampulyarii haul out, where they make a laying of caviar, so that she not affected by aquatic predators.

In addition to the yellow color, ampulyarii, there are other shades. There are white, brown and black clams. Recently also found in the blue ampulyarii that has gained popularity among breeders of aquatic molluscs.

Ampulyarii grow much morethan other similar shellfish. They are sold still small, up to 2.5 inches in diameter, and grow in the future up to 8-10 cm. There are even larger specimens that may have on its size to compete with other giants among the clams – Maryse. The diameter of the shell can reach up to 7 inches, and up to 9 foot in length and 4 in width. In the area of the head ampulyarii have yellow eyes and four tentacles.

Have ampulyarii complex breathing apparatus that allows it to be comfortable both in water and on land.

To absorb oxygen the cavity of the cochlea is divided into two parts by a partition:

  1. The first part is a system which is similar in structure to fish gills, it absorbs oxygen ampulyarii under water.
  2. The second part is the pulmonary apparatus, which allows to absorb oxygen from the atmosphere.

When ampulyarii is on land, it uses up the siphon. This phone looks similar to a long robe. When ampulyarii’m sure there are no predators, she gets up, swallowing her air.

Ampulyarii have a very sensitive sense of smell, by which they can easily find food by smell.

How to feed ampulyarii

Many people like to breed snails in the aquarium, given the fact that their content has almost no problems. These creatures are omnivorous, though in natural conditions they mostly feed on vegetation. In order to provide them a comfortable environment, is to feed the snails as live food. Live food will bring a lot of joy both to them and to aquarium fish.

Ampulyarii not know how to swim and collect food from the bottom of the aquarium, so it is necessary to follow advanced and to feed under supervision. If in addition ampulyarii in the aquarium live quite nimble fish, the snail will not be fed. And being constantly hungry, she will begin to feed plants in the aquarium, which can be valuable to the owner. Not advisable to keep clam in the aquarium too valuable species of plants.

Snails are generally considered a threat to plants in the aquarium:

  1. Since plants are the most comfortable food for these mollusks, they immediately eat all the shoots.
  2. Snails are heavy weight and may break plants their own ground.
  3. If ampulyarii hungry, she starts to dig the ground in search of something to eat and damage the roots of plants.

Given the above, it is best to keep ampulyarii in a separate fairly large aquarium, where there are large-leaved plants. And, if you still want to make one pond, where they will attend and the fish, the snails will need to regularly give feedingthat fish feed will not.

Here fit:

  1. Carrots.
  2. Salad.
  3. Cabbage.
  4. Cucumbers.
  5. White bread in small quantities.

Due to such feeding, the clams will be fed, and the plants will be safe.

Features of the content in the aquarium

With reproduction ampulyarii problems usually arise. The main problem is the identification of the sex of the snails. If you want to offspring, then the only solution is the contents of one tank five or six individuals. This number will allow you to create one or two pairs that will multiply. A greater number of snails to keep a tank is problematic, as cleaning is such a number of individuals.

To the water in the aquarium ampulyarii completely unpretentious. No need to bother in the determination of water hardness and its composition. But remember that overly soft water in the snails on the shell appear the grooves. That, however, does not affect the behavior nor on the reproduction of molluscs. The temperature in the aquarium it is best to maintain around 20 degrees, but shellfish safely survive temperature changes, including her increasing up to 33 degrees.

If you provide a comfortable environment and normally feed ampullaria, she can live two or three years. Life expectancy depends on the water temperature. The higher the temperature, the faster the metabolic processes occurring in the body of a snail, which leads to reduction of its life. If the water is cold, ampulyarii become sluggish and cease to reproduce.

Neighborhood aquarium fish snails do not cause any discomfort or discomfort. With any medium-sized species of fish they get along without any problems. The only thing that may not like the snail if the fish will attack its antennae. Then she starts hiding them closer to the body and hugged her in any danger. Large aquarium fish it is better not to place along with clams, as they can use them as food. The reproduction of snails should be done in another aquarium – young clams is delicious food for any species of fish.

Reproduction ampulyarii in the aquarium

Ampulyarii heterosexual snails, but the differences between female and males are almost there. At least, human eyes can not distinguish. Therefore, in order to be sure that the aquarium will be present snails of both sexes, it is better to have at least four snails. If you can tell how the snail lays eggs, it is worth to mark and to remember, as it is definitely a female. There are widowed who know how to distinguish the floor, peeking under the lid clam, but this method is not 100% proven.

Oddly enough, the snails lay their eggs on the surface. The female is ready for laying eggs, crawls to the surface of the water and inspects the laying places. In these moments, the aquarium should be covered with glass to snail escaped. Light glass shellfish lift without any problems, so you should put on the cover additional load.

Often females lay eggs in the evening. So that nobody is lost in the evening time for the aquarium to look. Place for laying the female will choose yourself. Touch her the eggs do not need. Only if the eggs are laid next to lighting, it is neat to pick up on the sliver and put on the surface of the water, otherwise the eggs may die from excessive temperatures.

The eggs of molluscs large – each in a diameter of about two millimeters. The process is as follows: ROE passes through the genital fold the legs, and then starts to harden. This process can take about a day. After hardening, the eggs become pink in color and resembles a bunch of grapes. After she begins to change its color. The darker it is, the calf, the closer the appearance of young snails. The whole process takes about three weeks. We must remember that if the clutch is in the General aquarium, then to survive will not all shellfish.

So, if you want to preserve the clutch better as was recommended before, to migrate the breeding of the species in a separate reservoir.

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