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Soil and Trumpet snails




Stephen Pushak  answered Miles Morrissey and poised a question about 
Malasian Trumpet snails and soil substrate saying he had heard that they 
cause the soil to come to the surface.  My 125g discus planted community was 
set up "Ammano style".  There is approximately 1" of peat/vermiculite/clay 
covered with about 2" of fine gravel.  (I forget the exact measurements, 
they're at home in the fish journal)  The only peat brought to the surface 
came from my pulling up plants that didn't want to be uprooted.  The fine 
gravel did an excellent job holding down the soil and only 2-4 peat pieces 
actually came up.  Yes, there were some very fine  particles released into 
the water, but the filter removed them after a short amount of time.

So to the question - The trumpet snails seem to stay in the gravel and not 
burrow down to the soil.  I have never seen any in the soil level next to 
the glass, but then I've never actually looked for them.  They like to skim 
over the gravel surface and when I clean the gravel, there are a lot on top. 
 They fall slower than the gravel so are easy to harvest.  Anyone in the 
Atlanta area can get a starting culture from me.  For that matter, I'll be 
glad to mail them if folks will pay the price of postage.

Rochelle Williams
williaro at ftmcphsn-emh1_army.mil
If you think Ozone is an air pollution problem, wait until you hear about 
Particulate Matter!