Cleanliness leads to loss of benifical bacteria

[muddydragon]

Recently there's been a lot of discussion of people replacing the substrate for their snails frequently. Not only does combined experience on here show that this is unwise I just thought i'ld share a quote from a publication on a study which includes looking at the effect of cleanliness on snail gut flora.

"When starved or kept under clean conditions the bacterial population of the snail gut falls and the thickness of the alimentary tract decreases. All the indications are that the bacteria in the alimentary tract of the snail are indiscriminately accumulated from the natural environment "

Link to publication: mollus.oxfordjournals.org.ezphost.dur.ac.uk/content/56/2/267.abstract?sid=4d949ed7-a143-418e-a07e-7c5aa93e1b53

Basically: Snails gather their gut flora from the environment. Keeping snails in clean conditions reduces their gut flora and ability to absorb food in the same manner as starving them.

There's a number of publications looking at the effect of the gut flora of snails which are believed to help in digestion, greater resistance to toxins and resistance to a variety of infections (i hope to include some links and quotes at a later date). It's worth noting that since gut extrusion can be linked to infections keeping them overly clean may increase the liklihood of gut extrusion.

Take home message: Keeping snails too clean is extremely damaging to their health.

[etana]

It's good to have a link to actual research on this. Thanks.

[cliath]

Great thread, shows clearly why you shouldn't clean frequently.

[morningcoffee]

Page 177 of this publication ("The Life of Achatinidae in London" from 1974) also has some information about snails ingesting soil and the possibility that over-cleanliness in a tank leads to death.

"... It also raises the question of the animal's possible need for regular ingestion of soil flora and
fauna together with rotting food material. In one useful but hazardous experiment a vivarium
was provided with double-sterilized soil, all surface soil and faeces were removed 3 times
weekly and the loss replaces with more sterilized soil. The first sign of trouble was a
cessation of oviposition in a formerly actively reproducing population of mixed ages. In 3
weeks the snails then ceased to feed and became lethargic and, in the following month, 13 out
of 24 snails died. At this point the experiment was terminated!"

www.petsnails.co.uk/docs/Nisbet_1974_Presidential_Address.pdf

[Cashell]

"the thickness of the alimentary tract decreases"

Wow, I knew being too clean isn't good, but now I know precisely what it does when you clean too often. Interesting thread and links.

[muddydragon]

Fantastic find MC

[etana]

"Regular ingestion of soil flora and fauna." Am I reading that it's good for snails to eat the mini creepy crawlies that live in the soil? Or is this talking about the microscopic guys only?

[muddydragon]

i think it's refering to micro flora and fauna.