In the wild, adult P. urceus mate at the end of the rainy season and burrow into the
substratum as the water levels of the rivers and swamps decrease (Lum Kong and
Ramnarine, 1988). The snails therefore use a decrease in water level as the cue for
spawning. Conditions that occur in the wild were simulated in this study and it was found
that a decrease in water level did in fact trigger mating and spawning. In the tanks where
the water level was maintained, no mating or spawning took place. This method is cheap
and reliable and has important practical applications for the culture of P. urceus.
Although adult P. urceus may be left to incubate their eggs, Lum Kong and Kenny (1989)
found that egg mortality ranged from 16% to 100% due to predation by dipteran larvae,
fungal infection and desiccation. With the incubation method developed in this study, egg
mortality was reduced to 4% under humid conditions. Although there were no predation or
disease problems, egg mortality in the treatment where relative humidity was left to fluctuate
was still 65%. Death of embryos was most likely due to desiccation. Egg incubation in
humidity chambers is inexpensive and reliable, and is well suited for use by the small farmer.
The average clutch size recorded in this study was 55 eggs, less than that recorded by
Burky (1974) who reported clutch size between 50 and 100 eggs in Venezuela. The lower
fecundity observed here may be related to adult diet and it may be feasible to increase
fecundity by simply placing the broodstock snails on a more appropriate diet for several
weeks prior to induction of spawning. Such a diet has yet to be determined.