Snails? Anyone use them?

Joined
Mar 2, 2013
Messages
13
Reaction score
7
Location
Vacaville, CA
I've done a search and didn't find much.

I'd like to get a few snails to help with decomposing plant material and other unwanted waste. There seems to be a few (Trapdoor and Ramshorn snails) that don't reproduce too much, each unwanted material, and leave growing plants alone.

Anyone have pros/cons on snails? Sounds like another way to create a happy microsystem, but I don't want to introduce anything that may be a long term headache.

Thanks!
 

sissy

sissy
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
33,086
Reaction score
15,702
Location
Axton virginia
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
7A
Country
United States
I bought trapdoor and aggie and bert my koi sucked them right out of there shells and ate them .plus it is hard to net the pond with them n there and wild snails found my pond .What a waste of money but aggie and bert did not think so .
 
Joined
Mar 2, 2013
Messages
13
Reaction score
7
Location
Vacaville, CA
I think they are safe...my biggest goldfish is about 3" :razz:

I should add that my pond is +/- 1800 gallons and has a liner and rock edging, and has only had water 3 weeks or so now. Not sure if that makes a difference.
 

sissy

sissy
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
33,086
Reaction score
15,702
Location
Axton virginia
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
7A
Country
United States
snails need algae to live without it you would have to add algae wafers or they will starve and that could add more problems then you want .Wait until your pond is well established
 
Joined
Mar 10, 2013
Messages
291
Reaction score
104
Location
NE Penna.
We use the trapdoor snails. Every year I pick up a couple more in the spring - they help with the ecosystem. The only time I have had any problems with them is when I have lifted a pot and they have been on the side of the pot - I just plunk them back into the pond.
 

taherrmann4

Tmann
Joined
Mar 3, 2011
Messages
3,142
Reaction score
701
Location
Louisville KY
Hardiness Zone
6
Country
United States
I had about a half dozen trapdoors and they did not survive, not sure why. I have a ton of regular old brown little snails in my creeks. I don't have an over population problem, I guess the fish eat them and keep in check.
 
Joined
Apr 10, 2010
Messages
3,214
Reaction score
1,296
Location
Phoenix AZ
I once put a bunch of small snails into the small pond to see if they would have any impact on string algae. They didn't.
 
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
210
Reaction score
164
Location
Vandalia Illinois
Ive got a couple varieties in my pond--they never seemed to help much but they don't hurt anything either--I'm a live and let live type of guy so I just leave them in there.
 

addy1

water gardener / gold fish and shubunkins
Moderator
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
44,340
Reaction score
29,092
Location
Frederick, Maryland
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
6b
Country
United States
I have trapdoors, no koi, you do see tracks the snails leave as they munch.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Similar Threads

monster snails 8
do tadpoles and snails need to be treated for ich? 1
Trapdoor snails 19
Pond snails 4
Bought 4 trap doors snails last week 5
Snails and peroxide? 4
Snails Snails and even more Snails... 8
snails 4

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
30,784
Messages
508,601
Members
13,043
Latest member
cisifom

Latest Threads

Top