Other Pet Species And Snail Eggs

[aerliss]

I've read that turtles and koi go mad for snail eggs. I think this is a much better way of coping with overpopulation than simply freezing/boiling the eggs and then dumping them. It's sort of... putting everything to use, wasting nothing.

Unfortunately, I don't know anyone with turtles or koi. I do know someone with a bearded dragon (who intends to breed eventually), but the high calcium content of snail eggs would probably clog up his insides. The poor little fellow can't even cope with phoenix worms.

So... are there other pet species that would be happy to consume snail eggs? Do people in fact sell them pre-frozen/boiled as pet food anywhere, or are they always sold ready to be hatched?

[Katie]

What about Goldfish? I've never actually tried this, but they are related to Koi i think? (might be wrong, but they're fish, and fish are fish to me )

[Katie]

Or are Goldfish and Koi the samething, Koi are just bigger? x

[Dusk]

They're close enough to interbreed if you leave them in the same pond, I think

My largest goldfish are only about 6" body-length, but I have wondered if they'd eat fulica eggs when they're big enough. They certainly are happy to try and eat anything available, including apple snails that are bigger than their heads....

[aerliss]

Goldfish are domesticated carp, koi are also domesticated carp... just different species. I suppose you could think of it like goats and sheep.

You do realise that this just gives me a big excuse to get goldfish, right? I have four already, but they live with my dad; they'd never make the journey from Birmingham to Edinburgh. I've had Bob for 16 years, but he's probably about 20 (don't ask... I had 12 other fish when I named him; I ran out of names), and while Wot, Rolan and Will are only 7 they've already travelled from South Wales to Brum (in a sandwich bag).

I want more goldfish now... I miss my babies.

6" is pretty big, Dusk. I'd think they could manage fulica eggs, easy. Bob was 8-9" the last time I got to say hi. I reckon he could easily manage three at a go with his HUGE gaping maw of a mouth. He'd eat my dad's fingers along with his food if my dad let him.