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I am the only person, so far as I can tell, to have selectively bred Malaysian Trumpet Snails (Melanoides tuberculata) to be nicer. Most MTS genetic lines are inbred and lovely. Mine are healthy. This earns me about 10bux a year minus tank upkeep and I've been working on them for 20 years. You do the math. I'm pretty crippled and out of the game now but I still maintain two different selectively bred MTS populations both better than anything you'll find for sale. One gets big, one keeps the coloration well. I intermix the two when I find one that I think will be good for the other tank, but I've pretty much created Melanoides tuberculata var. Big and Melanoides tuberculata var. Brown. These are snails that you can just like, walk into any fish store, local or chain, and say "hey can i get some of your pest mts?" and they will probably be annoyed they gotta catch them but be glad they're gone. The one place selling my stock is charging $8 for 5 lololol. They started with a mixed batch from me a few years ago and combined them with their terrible stumpy shell stock. These are worth roughly a shitload less. It's a one time purchase, they never go away, so I guess it makes sense to ask a lot? I've introduced new genetics from outside sources 8? times and I have never spent a single cent on the snails themselves.
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Feb 23, 2024 19:51
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| # ¿ May 9, 2024 11:16 |
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Discount Dracula posted:I would like to see pictures of your snails. Snails are cool. I need to do some tank stuff soon but I know I have pics of mine vs. normal somewhere. OK no edit needed, on the left is a normal sized 1.25" adult with ok-ish markings and the right two are my Big line adults. The bigger they grow the more they lose coloration. I can't find an easy pic of my Brown line adults but they're not getting this big.
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Feb 24, 2024 01:52
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Captain Hygiene posted:I forgot to actually post my question with the first one, that's cool but I was just curious what you do with them? Do folks just want them for tanks, for other pets to eat, etc? They're very useful for freshwater planted aquariums. They come out at night and eat anything dead and spend the day rummaging through the substrate, providing aeration and nutrients to the plant roots with the poo they made during the night. About 15 years ago one of my friends had a tank with Pea Puffers. The MTS that stayed on the glass when the light went on were targets. The MTS that dropped immediately were safe. Both of my groups seem to have inherited that dropping behavior. That said they suck at being food for bigger puffers. Pea puffers will go for the foot, bigger ones the shell, and these have thick shells. Pretty decent food for Loaches if you can keep the population up. They can both have sex and just poo poo out babies via parthenogenesis.
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Feb 24, 2024 02:17
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At this rate i'd estimate i'm about 20 years away from a solid line that gets big and keeps its color. Every infusion of new genetics is necessary but also sets things back even if I harvest from someone's tank that was seeded with mine. EDIT: these are called "aquarium herpes" in some circles. one you got them you got them. Desert Bus has a new favorite as of 02:22 on Feb 24, 2024 |
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Feb 24, 2024 02:19
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HelloIAmYourHeart posted:I like to take classes. I recently took an insect taxidermy class, and in a couple weeks I'm going to take a Victorian hairwork class. I'll probably take a terrarium building class and a silversmithing/make a ring class soon too. LOL I just saw your post and was about to message you!
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Mar 15, 2024 22:52
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theironjef posted:Theatrical release movie posters for the two Ewok movies that came out in the mid 80s. I also have a couple action figures and a French LP of the Les Petit Ewoks song that was written to accompany the first film. How are the movies? Do you own those too? It's crazy how much rando crap the 80's produced. What is an Ewok? How did they get two movies, action figures, and an LP? 80's merchandising I assume. Most 80's merchandise cash grabs were lovely cartoons/commercials right?
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Mar 18, 2024 00:47
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| # ¿ May 9, 2024 11:16 |
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If they weren't so pricey and hard to breed you could snack on them all day long.
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Apr 6, 2024 02:18
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