Axolotls eating snails

[Robroy]

I have seen videos online of axolotls eating snails. I was wondeing what type of snails are safe for them to eat and if it is even a good food source. I was thinking of Japanese trap door snails, AKA chinese mystery snails. These are live bearing snails that grow to the size of golf balls. If I started a colony of them would it be safe to feed small ones to my axolotls? Maybe keep a few adults in the tank to eat up uneaten food.

 

[oceanblue]

I think big snails with trapdoors feature in "species mixing disasters" either in the list on caudata culture or in a few threads in this forum. The trapdoor can trap toes and large snails can be a choking hazard.

My axolotls eat planorbis snails, they used to be common in my fish tanks but are rare in the axolotl tanks. I had a juvenile in a tub which grew fast with no other obvious source of nutrient, its droppings disintegrated into piles of bleached snail shells.

I wonder if another juvenile which stopped eating for a very long time was obstructed due to a snail shell. Its symptoms indicated obstruction and its tank was free of gravel but not snails.

On the whole worms are safer. Crushed snails are eaten with relish and may be fine if this is what you plan, but stocking the tank with small snails which if uneaten become large snails is a bit risky.

Also consider if the species is one which will trash your plant decor!

 

[Azhael]

I would only use small species with no operculum. Big snails are indeed a potential danger.

 

[Robroy]

Thanks for the info. I have a small snail colony. not sure what type just the common aquarium pest type. I will just continue using those as treats.