# Rabbit Snails



## Shark Bite (Apr 14, 2011)

I have some quick questions about Rabbit Snails:

1. Are they asexual?

2. Can I feed them lettuce to deter them from eating the plants in my aquarium?

3. What is the life-span of the Rabbit Snail?

Thanks for your help!

~Morgan


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## onefang (Apr 10, 2011)

I'll try to do my best to answer, but I am sure there is someone out there more knowledgeable than I.

1. Are they asexual

While the steady rate at which they can produce offspring can make them seem like asexual breeders(call parthenogenesis I think?) They do in fact need a male and a female to breed. However.. I do believe that the females can hold on to male genetic material(like the euphemism?) for a very long time, making it possible to introduce an already fertilized female into your tank. 

2. Can I feed them lettuce to deter them from eating the plants in my aquarium?

This may work, but rabbit snails seem to have different temperaments when it comes to chowing down on your plants.
I've had one or two that will burn through an entire java fern without breaking a sweat, ignoring other food sources until the destruction was complete. Likewise, I have had snails that didn't seem to do anything but steal from my shrimp and fish.
It's worth a shot though. You could try some spinach, or boiled zucchini too.

3. What is the life-span of the Rabbit Snail?

I've heard reports of between 1-3 years from friends, my LFS, and on various forums. Honestly though, I've never had one die on me, to really give me an idea of lifespan.


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## Shark Bite (Apr 14, 2011)

One more question,

what type of substrate is best used with Rabbit Snails? I want these guys to be as comfy cozy as possible.

thanks!
Morgan


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## onefang (Apr 10, 2011)

Here is a good page that shows their natural habitat in Sulawesi Indonesia.
http://www.planetinverts.com/sulawesi_underwater_photos.html

I am pretty sure that they are cool with whatever substrate you want to throw at them. They seem to be at home in both sandy/muddy substrates, all the way to very rocky. As long as there is food near by


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## Shark Bite (Apr 14, 2011)

Lol, they definitely have plenty of food!
Thanks for the link


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## Treetom (Jan 23, 2011)

They are some great looking snails. Going to get some of the orange spotted some day in the near future from Aquabid.


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## Shark Bite (Apr 14, 2011)

My one rabbit snail loves to climb, but the other one just lays in the substrate and hardly comes out of his shell. Could something be wrong with him? I'm getting worried.


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## Cap'n Slappy (Apr 29, 2011)

Shark Bite said:


> My one rabbit snail loves to climb, but the other one just lays in the substrate and hardly comes out of his shell. Could something be wrong with him? I'm getting worried.


Some of my rabbit snails do that a lot during the daytime. I see them sliding along the bottom when the lights go out.


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## Shark Bite (Apr 14, 2011)

Now both of them just hide, I only see them when I move plants out of the way.


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