or plain sick from over-eating? Do shrimps know how to say "stop" or do they keep on eating untill they almost burst (like for example Malawi cichlids)?Macrobrachium and Melanoides tuberculata together
Moderator: Mustafa
Macrobrachium and Melanoides tuberculata together
Can the Macrobrachium and Melanoides tuberculata co-exist in one tank? The larger snails will probably be eaten by the shrimps, I know that. I think they even might be a good source of food for the Macrobrachium. The major question is - will the shrimps eat up all the snails and "get fat"? or plain sick from over-eating? Do shrimps know how to say "stop" or do they keep on eating untill they almost burst (like for example Malawi cichlids)?
or plain sick from over-eating? Do shrimps know how to say "stop" or do they keep on eating untill they almost burst (like for example Malawi cichlids)?
Hi Jackie,
Actually, most animals *can't* eat M. tuberculata (also commonly known as "Malaysian Trumpet Snail" or short "MTS" here in the US) since it has a very tough/hard shell and is able to seal its shell quickly when attacked. Only animals that can actually crack its shell are able to eat healthy M. tuberculata. I am sure the Macrobrachium can catch a couple every once in a while (since it has been reported they do), but I doubt they will gorge themselves on them. The Macrobrachium love eating other snails that cannot seal their shells, such as Ramshorn Snails and common pond snails. They have a much easiert time with them.
Even if the Macrobrachium could eat the MTS easily, it would not burst from eating too much. Shrimp do not have space to "blow up" like fish since they have a hard exoskeleton. Hence, once they are full, that's it. They have to wait until the food in their intestines is processed first before they can eat more.
Take care,
Mustafa
Actually, most animals *can't* eat M. tuberculata (also commonly known as "Malaysian Trumpet Snail" or short "MTS" here in the US) since it has a very tough/hard shell and is able to seal its shell quickly when attacked. Only animals that can actually crack its shell are able to eat healthy M. tuberculata. I am sure the Macrobrachium can catch a couple every once in a while (since it has been reported they do), but I doubt they will gorge themselves on them. The Macrobrachium love eating other snails that cannot seal their shells, such as Ramshorn Snails and common pond snails. They have a much easiert time with them.
Even if the Macrobrachium could eat the MTS easily, it would not burst from eating too much. Shrimp do not have space to "blow up" like fish since they have a hard exoskeleton. Hence, once they are full, that's it. They have to wait until the food in their intestines is processed first before they can eat more.
Take care,
Mustafa
Too bad I live in Poland, you could come to my house to see MTS-eating Labidochromis sp. hongi (mbuna) - they have no problem with getting the snails out od their shells. Of coure, the snail must be rather large for this and the L. hongi hunt for them in groups.Petshrimp.com wrote:Actually, most animals *can't* eat M. tuberculata (also commonly known as "Malaysian Trumpet Snail" or short "MTS" here in the US) since it has a very tough/hard shell and is able to seal its shell quickly when attacked. Only animals that can actually crack its shell are able to eat healthy M. tuberculata.
So it would be a good idea to put a couple of snails (once in a while) to the tank with the Macrobrachium? Not only MTS but various ones?Petshrimp.com wrote:I am sure the Macrobrachium can catch a couple every once in a while (since it has been reported they do), but I doubt they will gorge themselves on them. The Macrobrachium love eating other snails that cannot seal their shells, such as Ramshorn Snails and common pond snails. They have a much easiert time with them.
What a relief!Petshrimp.com wrote:Even if the Macrobrachium could eat the MTS easily, it would not burst from eating too much. Shrimp do not have space to "blow up" like fish since they have a hard exoskeleton. Hence, once they are full, that's it. They have to wait until the food in their intestines is processed first before they can eat more.
Thanks!
Hi Jackie,
I believe you. Cichlids are very resourceful animals and I can totally imagine that cichlids would develop successful stragies for hunting snails.
And yes, you can put various snails into the tank with the Macrobrachium. Then it depends on the individual Macrobrachium if it will eat the snails or not. If you feed them well with other stuff, they will probably not touch the snails...but you never know.
Mustafa
I believe you.
Cichlids are very resourceful animals and I can totally imagine that cichlids would develop successful stragies for hunting snails. And yes, you can put various snails into the tank with the Macrobrachium. Then it depends on the individual Macrobrachium if it will eat the snails or not. If you feed them well with other stuff, they will probably not touch the snails...but you never know.
Mustafa