snail question

[BStadele]

I have the generic "mystery snails" from one of the pet stores in my aquarium inside and they are going crazy...I just found their 4th egg clutch in the last week just above the water line which means I have about 2-4 weeks before I have tons of little snails all over the place.

Would it be a bad idea to put the ones that actually hatch into my koi pond to help clean up the bottom and walls of the pond? I've read that they don't do well in water colder than 60 F and the nice weather we have had here has brought the pond temp into the upper 50s and low 60s. Obviously the wont survive the winter but they could (in theory) help with some of the algae buildup and muck on the bottom until then...thoughts?

 

[Stephen Noble]

As a long-time aquarium keeper, I have to vote 'no.' There are several called 'Mystery Snails' since some pet shops/garden pond centers just lazily label them that because they don't actually know. Kind of like in the high school cafeteria we would have "Mystery Meat' for lunch! Anyway, here is why: 'Mystery Snails' (Pomacea Bridgessii) are beautiful in the aquarium with their vivid yellow color. But, you won't get to enjoy this in a pond unless they climb out which they sometimes do. They are highly invasive and in some areas, illegal to release into the wild. It is difficult to control their movement (or flow) in an outdoor pond. Again, you might have a different type of Mystery Snail and in that case perhaps someone else can assist.

 

[Jimmy Gibson]

From my own personal experience..... three years ago I bought 50 trapdoor snails off eBay..... they all arrived alive and did great for a few weeks...... as long as they stay upright great.... but one swipe of a foot long koi tail they are upside down..... then to turn themselves over they have to extend all their body out to grip to the bottom to upright themselves..... during that period of time they became koi escargot..... nothing but empty shells in a month..... even the little pond snails that every pond has..... I only see them in my skimmer..... koi love snails

 

[addy1]

i bought 100 many years ago, still have a lot, no way to count. Some are the size of golf balls, but I do not have koi. The goldfish only eat them if I step on one and break a shell.

 

[JamieB]

I have random common snails of a mystery variety, some with the cone shape, some ramshorn shell shape. Unless you know what you’ve got, some types eat living plants, not just detritus.

 

[schizm]

I actually am for having snails in my pond. The fish will eat the young snails so they don't really over populate. I like to have snails cleaning up around. The larger the fish get, the less snails will survive. I haven't seen any in my pond lately, perhaps they've all been eaten?

 

[addy1]

I added trap door snails, the others have just wandered in over the years.

 

[Hanover Gardens]

Is this the type of snails we're talking about? I relocated these from my vegtable garden this afternoon after seeing this conversation.

 

[addy1]

If they were in your garden, they are most likely land snails.

 

[Hanover Gardens]

They seem to be enjoying the moist moss. They're interesting to watch on the move.

 

[BStadele]

good info, thanks for all of the replies!