# ID'ing MTS



## rehdjac (Apr 9, 2008)

Are there other cone shaped sporting snails besides MTS? I can't find any store around me that stocks these things by name. One store has zillions of cone shelled little snails, but they just ride in on the plants and multiply. They sell them for $0.25 a piece. Could these be something else?

Thanks folks!


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## mommyeireanne (Oct 24, 2007)

You have probably found MTS. The latin name is Melanoides tuberculata and there is a cousin that's also found, a 'fawn'. It's also a Melanoides, but I don't remember the rest of the latin name. It's not common. They are essentially the same thing, though. I personally, haven't heard of another type this size and shape. The LFSs call them all sorts of things:
Malayan Burrowing Snail,
Malaysian Livebearing Snail,
Cornucopia Snail,
Horn-of-Plenty Snail,
Philipine Livebearing Snail, etc.....
Go for it.  They are great little guys.


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## rehdjac (Apr 9, 2008)

Cool. That's what I wanted to hear. I'm getting hooked up with some tank rejects next week! Otos went in today, hopefully my algae crew will be in full swing pretty soon!


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## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

$0.25 a piece is a ripoff for MTS. Look on aqua bid and you can easily find people selling them for a lot less and in large qtys.

-ricardo


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## rehdjac (Apr 9, 2008)

Knowing what I know now, yeah for sure. I'm getting a bunch of unwanted ones for free.


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## mocha2184 (Mar 13, 2007)

.25 each is highway robbery. my LFS gave me 20 of them for free. most shops find them a nuisance so they're usually happy to get rid of them.


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## mommyeireanne (Oct 24, 2007)

Before I found a plant club I bought stuff locally that wasn't available to me otherwise. I didn't sweat it if I figured I needed them. And I'm a cheapskate! :heh: So for the price of a coffee... 
Just try to research before you order something online. That is always a bigger expense. Hands down, the best thing we can do for ourselves is to meet other hobbyists. You learn more about everything, have access to trades, can do group orders for what can't be bought locally, etc. I can't thank SWOAPE enough. :yo:


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## p3purr (Nov 6, 2006)

PetSmart, Petco, or try a different LFS will be glad to give you MTS. They're a bit harder to get since they're usually buried in the gravel during the day. You don't need many, they'll multiple, how fast depends on conditions and if you over feed the tank.


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## mommyeireanne (Oct 24, 2007)

Add a new name for MTS: Christel Kasselmann calls them *dog periwinkles* in her book Aquarium Plants. Thought that was cute since they dig. 
I had to say that I had a LFS give me some for free this week. That's a first for me. I've asked four times, at four places. I will be giving this store my business. They gave me white MTS, with white background shells. My others were black/black. Not sure if they do reproduce sexually, but if so I've helpeded the gene pool a bit.


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## KnaveTO (Jul 4, 2007)

There are a number of cone shaped snails out there. However any store that charges for MTS is ripping you off plain and simple. All of the new Sulawesi snails that were discovered a few years back are cone shaped as well so is Anentome helena. However the Sulawesi snails and Anentome helena are hard to come buy. Most LFS will not stock unusual snails. furthermore you need to look at your national and state import lists to see if they are available or otherwise allowed.


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## mommyeireanne (Oct 24, 2007)

Good points, but shopping in a LFS, it's unlikely they'd have interdicted species. True, all fish and plant keepers should know not to release stuff. I bet if you did find Anentome helena, that it would be advertised for it's other-snail-eating benefit to people who want that, and more expensive. The Tylomelania patriarchalis, or Sulawesi snails are somewhat bigger than MTS and beautiful. I doubt they'd be cheap either. I can see the differences in these three (shell colors, patterns and texture, spotted body of the tower snails, the way the helena shell sits on it's back, etc.), and I'm sure I've never seen the other two in a fish store. I stick by my original statement. If you see them in the LFS, probably MTS.


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## p3purr (Nov 6, 2006)

I've never seen a store charge for MTS or pond snails, never seen one turn down anyone who asked to have some. Although some hobbyists try to sell them...


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