Mollusks are considered to be the nurses of the aquarium. Ampularia snails are bright, popular and freshwater specimens. They were brought from South America, they are large. Due to the fact that in nature mollusks live in forest marshes and stagnant water bodies, such pets are uncomfortable and accustomed to the low quality of water.
What does the ampullar look like?
Mollusks are similar to domestic pond snails, have a spiral curled shell. Horn lid in the back of the leg tightly closes the mouth, if the individual hides. The body of the mollusc is endowed with a massive foot (width 3 cm, height 11 cm) and a pair of tactile tentacles - mustache (up to 12 cm long). In nature, the color of the shell is brown with broad bands. Aquarium snails of the ampullaria have a color tone of dark or light. The most popular were yellow albinos. Individuals have eyes that distinguish dark and light spots. The size of pets of different types varies from 5 to 15 cm.
Types of ampulla
The popularity of these creatures is facilitated by the catchy appearance and large sizes. They have different colors - in addition to the common yellow there are white, brown, almost black, blue individuals. Externally, a snail with swinging tentacles and a scraping tongue is a fantastic sight. Different ampullaria in the aquarium perfectly get along together. In addition to flowers, the individuals differ in the texture of the shell and the dimensions.
Yellow ampulla
The snail is known to any aquarist. It is found in domestic water bodies, it is popular due to its bright color, large size and careful attitude to plants. In the aquarium, such residents can bother the owners: climb on long leaves that bend under the weight of massive inhabitants. Such snails of ampullaria have a curled smooth shell of bright yellow color. It is used to protect against pests, aggressors and adverse conditions. The body of the cochlea is pale yellow or white with specks, consists of a leg and long whiskers that act as an organ of touch.
The eyes of such individuals are yellow-golden in color. They feed on algae, bacterial plaque. The snail has an acute sense of smell, allowing you to quickly find the location of the food. Small ampoules are sold for 1-2 cm in diameter, grow quickly and reach large dimensions. Yellow snails are sometimes oppressed by calm goldfish - pulling at their mustaches. If it became noticeable that pets are offended - they should be planted, sometimes they may die.
Blueberry Ampularia
There are mollusks that have artificially derived coloring. The blueberry aquarium snails of the ampularia are decorated with a pond, they have a shell of thick purple pink color, a gray or dark blue body and a mustache. This is a large specimen, grows to 15 cm, ideal for a pond with plants. The soft teeth of the snail are not able to damage the leaves. Even if this subspecies of water inhabitants will starve, it will not harm plants. They feed on only rotten and dead parts of plantations. Interesting is the ability of mollusks to grow lost organs - a mustache or leg.
White ampulla
Snails decorate the aquarium. With the help of multi-colored individuals, you can create a colorful composition in the living corner, using different types of ampoules. Care and maintenance at them are similar, and shades differ. Snails of ampullaria white look beautiful against the background of bright greenery. They differ from the others in color - their legs and armor are very light, of the same tone, almost dairy. The shell is spiraling, smooth and pearly, therefore it was called pearl;
Black Ampularia
This snail is also called apple. It has an original shell, the tone of which ranges from brown to dark gray, the black color of the leg. The shell is distinguished by a rough surface with a characteristic spiral shape. Some individuals are painted black with golden or greenish patches. Such snails are quick, move fast. Like all ampularia, black fish breathe in the aquarium not only in the water environment, but also in atmospheric air. They have a special process, which they pull over the surface and with it absorb oxygen.
Ampularia - care and maintenance
Snails due to unpretentiousness simply contain in the aquarium. They are omnivorous, the composition of water for them is unimportant, but it should not be soft. Individuals of different sexes, if the ampullar is supposed to be diluted, it is necessary to contain at least three molluscs. Pets spend most of their life in the water, on the surface are chosen to lay eggs. Snails can leave the aquarium - cover the vessel with a lid is necessary. A person who has died can die, it needs to be returned to the aquatic environment more quickly. The average life expectancy of mollusks in a favorable environment is 4 years.
Ampulary snail - content
For one individual there are 10 liters of liquid in the vessel. Parameters of water for an ampullarium - their contents in an aquarium:
- temperature 17-30 degrees;
- stiffness dH 8-18, acidity pH 6.9-7.8.
The warmth of the environment reflects the mobility and longevity of snails. The water in the aquarium is colder, the slower they move and the more they live. At low temperatures, individuals become sluggish. Optimal water - above 20 degrees. In order to maintain a normal temperature in the vessel, a heating lamp is used. Other requirements are loyal to the owner - aeration , filtration, visual assessment of the overall state of the vessel is required. Clam shells are indifferent to illumination, in this matter one needs to be guided by other inhabitants.
The snails of the ampullaria adorn the water garden and are of use to it. To their positive qualities include loosening of the soil, the destruction of unnecessary algae on the walls, bacterial film on the water surface, eating fodder, left from the fish. Some species of snails can damage plants, so it is important to control their numbers - remove excess manually.
Ampularia - care
An important condition for a long and healthy life of mollusks is the right content. Ampularia are unpretentious, how to care:
- monitor the condition of the shell;
- assess the relationship of mollusks with other pets;
- cover the container with a lid so that the residents do not run away.
If the fish offend them, it is better to lay the mollusks in a separate vessel. Such a person has gills and lungs. Because of this, they can exist outside the aquarium, but when dried, they die. In the vessel above the water level there should be a 10-centimeter air layer so that they can get out and breathe. It is important to take into account that for snails ampulyariy necessary calcium in sufficient quantities - from its lack of shells are destroyed. To increase the level of this mineral, crushed limestone, marble, sea shells are added to the aquarium.
What to feed the ampullar in the aquarium?
Molluscs are omnivorous, they feed on plant food - leaves of planted plants, organic remains, fish food. Aquarium snails ampulyarii food is raised from the bottom, thereby they clean the water from spoilage. But if they are kept together with fast-paced fish, they often remain hungry. Full nutrition will help keep the plants in the vessel in its original form and protect them from eating mollusks. It is useful to snails to arrange snacks from vegetables that other inhabitants do not eat. To do this, you can:
- spinach;
- boiled carrots;
- pumpkin;
- crushed cucumber;
- pieces of white bread;
- mollusks eat live food - earthworms, bloodworms, daphnia, tubule.
How do snails of ampularia multiply in the aquarium?
Such tenants are of different sexes. A male and a female are needed for breeding, but it is difficult to distinguish them from the person. Those who want to breed snails buy a few pieces at once, so that couples can form. The maturity of the young begins in the year of life. For the reproduction of snails, it is necessary to make an air layer above the water and cover the vessel with glass. The water temperature is adjusted to a level of 26-28 degrees. The ampullar for reproduction in the aquarium creeps out to lay a pink-colored pink cavity on the vessel's wall. The action takes place in the evening.
It is important to protect the future offspring from drying out. The female lays large eggs with a diameter of about 2 mm, ripening of the babies occurs in three weeks, while the litter hardens and darkens. They move into the water, become full-fledged individuals and need to be fed intensively. Used: a soaked and mashed dry food of daphnia or gammarus, boiled yolk, scraped beef. As young people grow up, young animals are transferred to adulthood. After they reach a size of 5-7 mm., They are planted in different aquariums.
Diseases of ampulla
By themselves these snails are tenacious and perfectly adapt to any environment. But sometimes they feel unwell, and you need to know the reasons for this and what is required of the master.
- Coma. Sometimes aquarium snails ampulyary fall asleep and are not selected from the shell. This is because they feel a lack of oxygen because of the large concentration of fish. This is a natural mechanism - when there is a shortage of air, a snail needs to fall into a coma. To solve the problem, you have to put it in a spacious vessel or move a part of the fish.
- Shells on the "house". The shell is corroded due to the action of high temperature. The treatment process is long, but if you reduce it to +22 degrees, then in 2-3 months the problem will be resolved.
- The sink and the roof are leaking. This is due to the action of soft water. It is necessary to increase its rigidity and the health of individuals will improve. The diet of pets should be sated with lettuce and cabbage - they have enough calcium to build a strong shell.
- Pests. There are a large number of parasites that live on aquatic inhabitants. If the shell begins to acquire white fluff, then the individual should be placed in a salt mixture (15 grams per liter of water) and hold there no more than 15 minutes. The snail tolerates such solutions well, and all the growths will perish.
Ampularia - Compatibility
Such mollusks are peaceful inhabitants of the aquarium, which do not offend the rest of the inhabitants of the reservoir. Some aggressive fish can disturb the snails of the ampullaris - cut off their antennae, pierce the shell. But if one of them tore off a part of the body, it will be restored in about three weeks. The ability to regenerate is better than their nature has rewarded, they grow all parts of the body, even the eyes.
Ampularia in a common aquarium is incompatible with Sumatran barbs , a green tetradon, a snake, a clownfish, large cichlids . Shrimps and crayfish also cause snails trouble - they are able to pick their bodies out of the shell with claws and eat it. Also, shellfish can eat someone else's eggs, it is necessary to watch for it - to plant them during the reproduction of fish.