This study was conducted to compare the growth performance and haemolymph metabolites concentrations of two snail ecotypes-normal skin and albino snail raised in captivity for eight weeks. The growth performance was measured by body weight gain, shell length gain and shell circumference gain while the measured haemolymph metabolites were glucose, protein, lipids, Na + , K + ,Ca 2+ , Cl -and PO 4 2-. Normal snail recorded better growth performance and growth rate (3.432x) than albino snails (2.166x). Similarly significantly higher (P<0.05) haemolymph metabolites (35.0mg/dl, 54.0g/l, 24.5mg/dl for glucose, protein and lipids respectively) were recorded by normal snails. However, no significant difference (P>0.05) was recorded in the concentrations of minerals of the two snails species haemolymph. The domestication of the two snail ecotypes is thus recommended for heliculturist.

The impact of management systems on the African giant land snail, Archachatina marginata found in Abeokuta, Nigeria was investigated. The gut microbial load, haemolymph biochemical values (proteins, lipids, glucose, Na+, Ca2+,K+, Cl- PO42+) and proximate composition (crude protein, fat, fibre, ash and carbohydrates) of the flesh were determined in these snails. There were significantly (P<0.05) higher colony forming units (cfu) in the gut of snails from the wild (5.24 x103) than the domesticated snails (3.13 x103). The aemolymph biochemical values and flesh proximate composition were significantly higher in the snails from the wild than the domesticated ones. However, antinutrients and mineral composition of the flesh were not significantly affected by the management systems. The implication of these results on snail meat value in Nigeria is discussed.