Different Species Clutch Sizes?

[koppite]

As my own collection has exploded onto the scene, in the future i am sure to have eggs, given the right habitat is maintained, which it will be, as my snaileys will get the best, i am wondering what kind of clutch sizes to expect from the differnt species......

so fulica are the most prolific layers i think laying in excess of 100 eggs maybe, and tigers dont lay as many, but not sure how many they would lay ( i know they are more challanging also), also approx clutch sizes for margies (ovums, panthera, sut's), iredalei's, albopicta, rectics/albino rectics, rodatzi, jadatzi (assume these are same same) fulicas....and if i a fortunate enough to get the P.Marginella laying aswell, their clutch sizes also please

Many thanks
phil

[AlienSnail]

Fulica (including normal coloured, Jades, rodatzi and jadatzi) all lay between 100 and 300 eggs, and it can be as often as every few weeks. However a smaller snail may lay less than a larger one.

Tigers do lay plenty of eggs once they actually do lay but I haver no experience there. I'm not sure.

Iredalei give birth to live young, and it's generally a dozen or so if I remember. Can someone confirm that please as I've not kept them for a few years now.

A.marginata/margies sutralis lay six on average. I find generally five to seven. I think ovums lay a similar amount, though mine haven't laid yet.

Retics lay quite alot of eggs, but again it's a bit more tricky to get them in the mood. They are not likely to lay on a regular basis and it really seems to sap their energy. It's common for them to die after laying.

Albopicta around 50 eggs, they look similar to fulica eggs.

Panthera are a variety of Achatina immaculata. Once immaculata get going they lay similar clutches to fulica.

I'm trying to think about the retics now. I remember I had a whole bunch of eggs, none of which hatched, but I'm trying to remember how many. Will have to look it up...........
Oh darn it, what a wally! I didn't make a note of how many eggs were in each retic clutch.

[koppite]

Is it common for 1st time layers eggs not to hatch or is it hit and miss when they lay the different clutches?

Also, i know you can do both wth the eggs, but what do people generally refer to do wth their eggs, incubate them in the place they were laid if poss, or remove into a separate tub to hatch out - also do some species eat the eggs?

[AlienSnail]

I accidentilly typed 'marginella' instead of 'marginata' in the above post, but I've altered it now.... sorry.

Righty. incubation - well the jury is out on the best way to hatch eggs, and some are trickier than others.
With most species it is best to either move them straight after being laid or to leave them alone.
Fulica eggs can be moved at almost any time, but with most other species moving the eggs when the embryo is developing can kill them.
I personally have found the best success to be to leave well alone and leave them where they are. Sometimes a snail does disturb a clutch, which is unfortunate, but usually this doesn't happen, in my experience anyway.

Yes snails will sometimes lay 'practice' eggs. These are usually clear and soft, like jelly, and lack the hard calcium shell.
Some snails lay successful fertile clutches from the first clutch onwards, and some lay infertile clutches for the first few times.



Generally speaking too, the larger the egg, the longer it takes to hatch. Not always, but as a general guide.

[crossless]

I remember my babies first eggs they were layed on food plate and when I was going to take them away they have been eaten. Some one was polite and left them on plate, lol

[koppite]

ok, last question - approx how long does incubation take, i guess different species will be different timescales, but roughly so i have an idea....so i'm not pressing my ugly mug against the tub walls every other day hoping for the lil blighters to have hatched

[AlienSnail]

Fulica vary, 10 days is a good average.
However they can hang onto their eggs while they develop and lay just before they are due to hatch, so can lay one day and the eggs hatch just a day or two later!
They can also take a couple of weeks, sometimes more.
It largly depends on the heat. Assuming the parent is not hanging onto the eggs and lays them straight away, it's generally ten to 14 days depending on how warm it is. They'll hatch faster in warmer conditions.

Margies generally take 5-6 weeks, sometimes more, sometimes less. I find their clutches more unpredictable. sometimes all will hatch on the same day, sometimes it's staggered, sometimes you get good clutches and sometimes bad.
i find with my marginata sutralis that they have seasonal laying habits, once they start to lay they will produce clutches every month or so for several months, and the first few clutches tend to be the most successful and predictable for some reason. i think they mate once per season and store their sperm. perhaps the sperm degrades slightly as the season progresses? just a guess.

I'm not sure with the other species you have mentioned.

Immaculata are similar to fulica in most ways, including eggs, incubation etc etc.

Hopefully someone else can tell you about the reticulata and the Tigers, as I have no success with breeding them/hatching their eggs.


Moisture is all important for egg hatching. if they dry out they die. if the soil is water-logged they drown. if the temperature fluctuates wildly it's likely to kill them or make them weaker, but I don't think the heat is quite as critical as the eggs drying out.

[Dusk]

i find with my marginata sutralis that they have seasonal laying habits, once they start to lay they will produce clutches every month or so for several months, and the first few clutches tend to be the most successful and predictable for some reason. i think they mate once per season and store their sperm. perhaps the sperm degrades slightly as the season progresses? just a guess.

When they first hit their reproductive stride, I find ovums and suts both lay pretty frequently, with about a 75% live hatching rate. They do go in phases, and I rarely see them mating.

The new-ish young adult margie eduardis, however, seem to mate constantly, and they've certainly laid small but regular clutches since they started a month or two ago.

Haven't seen any of the (young adult again) margie egregia, egregiella or clenchi mating, but they're producing eggs intermittently, possibly from stored sperm.

All the margies seem to benefit from leaving their eggs undisturbed for higher hatch rates. I only move them now if they're in danger of being bulldozed Fulica eggs, on the other hand, could survive a direct nuclear strike without harm. (Hence why there's so many of them around....)

Tigers... I've had one clutch from Skan and there was perhaps 60 eggs, but he played football with them and I think it affected them adversely - I had three live hatchlings. I'm still on the fence about what I should do if he presents me with more. I hope he will, but the way tigers are (bone idle) I'll be thrilled if he gives me one clutch a year

Retics lay pretty large clutches of eggs a bit bigger than fulica, and they seem pretty hardy if not quite bombproof, but it's a lot rougher on the adult snails and although there's a higher live hatching rate, there also seems to be a higher infant mortality rate than immacs or fulicas.

The only thing I'd say is that across the board, my snails' test eggs are usually hard and, well, just like their other eggs, except there's rarely more than three of them and they're usually not buried. The only soft ones I've been presented with are 'tests' from iredalei (live bearers).

[choco]

Jan 18, 2010 20:58:10 GMT AlienSnail said:

I accidentilly typed 'marginella' instead of 'marginata' in the above post, but I've altered it now.... sorry.

Righty. incubation - well the jury is out on the best way to hatch eggs, and some are trickier than others.
With most species it is best to either move them straight after being laid or to leave them alone.
Fulica eggs can be moved at almost any time, but with most other species moving the eggs when the embryo is developing can kill them.
I personally have found the best success to be to leave well alone and leave them where they are. Sometimes a snail does disturb a clutch, which is unfortunate, but usually this doesn't happen, in my experience anyway.

You could always put a plastic tub upside down over the eggs to protect them, pushed down into the soil a way so that the snails don't knock it over, as long as lifting it back up to spray the soil isn't going to disturb the eggs.

[koppite]

nice one, could be a goer if i get any that trash the place a bit - cheers

Jan 19, 2010 8:04:40 GMT choco said:

Jan 18, 2010 20:58:10 GMT AlienSnail said:

I accidentilly typed 'marginella' instead of 'marginata' in the above post, but I've altered it now.... sorry.

Righty. incubation - well the jury is out on the best way to hatch eggs, and some are trickier than others.
With most species it is best to either move them straight after being laid or to leave them alone.
Fulica eggs can be moved at almost any time, but with most other species moving the eggs when the embryo is developing can kill them.
I personally have found the best success to be to leave well alone and leave them where they are. Sometimes a snail does disturb a clutch, which is unfortunate, but usually this doesn't happen, in my experience anyway.

You could always put a plastic tub upside down over the eggs to protect them, pushed down into the soil a way so that the snails don't knock it over, as long as lifting it back up to spray the soil isn't going to disturb the eggs.

[snailcrazy]

I use plant pots with holes in so I don't have keep taking it off to spray.

Ah Ness I didn't realise fulica's can hold on to their egg. That's what I think my Jadatzi are doing cos I check my tanks the day I go on holiday and 3 times now I've come back after aweek and I've got babies.

The Puylaertis I had paid almost avery month and the eggs really don't like being moved.

My margies lay usually 10 eggs whihc I was really surprised at.

[choco]

Jan 19, 2010 17:42:02 GMT snailcrazy said:

I use plant pots with holes in so I don't have keep taking it off to spray.

Ahh - excellent idea! That'd be much better than a plastic tub