Post by ness on Sept 26, 2010 10:41:03 GMT
There doesn't appear to be a research thread here specific to this species so I'll include one. It is ongoing and will be updated as I go along......
I am conducting a life-cycle study of one Subulina octona which is being raised in isolation. It is my belief that this species can lay viable eggs without mating. Out of the hundreds that are in my tank I have never seen any of them mate! Please don't take my belief as fact - I am conducting this study to find out!
So the purpose is:
* To determine the growth span and maturity rate (they are very fast growers)
* To establish whether or not this species can lay viable hatching eggs without ever having been in contact with another snail (at least since a few hours after hatching anyhow).
The snail that I have chosen for this study hatched 12th September, and I have removed it along with some eggs shell remains (this was done on the 12th). I have taken some photos of it with my USB microscope, and plan to take photos twice per week.
Day 1, 12th September - approximately 1.8mm would you say? Funny - they look like they'd just be little more than 1mm when you just view them without an optical aid. Perhaps because their shells are so clear.
Thursday 16th September - 5 days old. Now has alot more colour and has grown by roughly 1mm to nearly 3mm in shell length!
Sunday 26th September - 3mm in shell length, 15 days old, clearly darkening and the whorls are developing.
Apologies for missing a couple of photos out, I went longer than I intended between photos, I just didn't get the chance.
I am conducting a life-cycle study of one Subulina octona which is being raised in isolation. It is my belief that this species can lay viable eggs without mating. Out of the hundreds that are in my tank I have never seen any of them mate! Please don't take my belief as fact - I am conducting this study to find out!
So the purpose is:
* To determine the growth span and maturity rate (they are very fast growers)
* To establish whether or not this species can lay viable hatching eggs without ever having been in contact with another snail (at least since a few hours after hatching anyhow).
The snail that I have chosen for this study hatched 12th September, and I have removed it along with some eggs shell remains (this was done on the 12th). I have taken some photos of it with my USB microscope, and plan to take photos twice per week.
Day 1, 12th September - approximately 1.8mm would you say? Funny - they look like they'd just be little more than 1mm when you just view them without an optical aid. Perhaps because their shells are so clear.
--------------------------------------
Thursday 16th September - 5 days old. Now has alot more colour and has grown by roughly 1mm to nearly 3mm in shell length!
--------------------------------------
Sunday 26th September - 3mm in shell length, 15 days old, clearly darkening and the whorls are developing.
Apologies for missing a couple of photos out, I went longer than I intended between photos, I just didn't get the chance.
