Snails

[kirscp]

This week I had noticed that my both my settling chambers seemed to be very clean. It was a little of a surprise. I then noticed a lot of snails (not the trapdoor type), which must have come from my water lettuce. The good thing is they are only in my settling chambers, I'm guessing the koi are eating them in the pond.

This winter the filters will be drained, so I hope it takes care of them. I have 50+ trapdoor snails that do a great job of keeping the pond clean, I really don't want the others. I can see they could easily take over a pond in a very short time.

If they start to take over my pond, I will have to figure out some way to get rid of them, but I'm sure the koi will keep them in check.

 

[Ph1ngering]

Some information i found for others:

- Black Japanese Trapdoor Pond Snails -
These snails are non-invasive and give live birth, not egg layers that overwhelm your pond.

The Black Japanese Trapdoor snail (Viviparis malleatus) is the preferred species of water gardeners world-wide. This snail is black in color, body and shell. We ship them when they get 1-1½" long. Trapdoor snails are one of the few larger varieties that can survive the winter in Northern climates. This snail is a great asset in keeping algae under control as they groom your plants, planting pots and watergarden walls. They also cruise the pond bottom and consume decaying matter such as leaves and fish food. These are live bearing snails. They only breed a couple of times a year so don't expect them to multiply fast like regular egg laying snails. Full grown snails are around 3" long.

 

[Ph1ngering]

How big is your pond kirscp?

 

[kirscp]

Approximately 5,000 gallons.

I have 50+ trapdoor snails, since they do give live birth. I just don't know where the others came from.

At this time I'm not too concerned, as they are only in my filters, and doing a great job of keeping them clean. If they do get into the pond, that will be another story.

I'm just hoping I can contain them in my filters, then they will get killed off this winter.

 

[PHYLAL]

I had snails hitchhike into my pond via plants. Early spring they breed like the proverbial rabbit. It was not long until the goldfish ate all the small ones. After my neighbor gave me her large koi, all the adult snails are gone as well. The only place I see snails are in the filter and on the water fall rocks, I do not mind them being there. As soon as they venture into the pond, they are fish food.

 

[kirscp]

I had snails hitchhike into my pond via plants. Early spring they breed like the proverbial rabbit. It was not long until the goldfish ate all the small ones. After my neighbor gave me her large koi, all the adult snails are gone as well. The only place I see snails are in the filter and on the water fall rocks, I do not mind them being there. As soon as they venture into the pond, they are fish food.

That's where I'm at now. I won't worry about them then. Do you live in a cold climate where you drain the filter in winter?

 

[PHYLAL]

That's where I'm at now. I won't worry about them then. Do you live in a cold climate where you drain the filter in winter?

I do drain the filter in winter. Sorry to say, but this will not eliminate the snails (at least not all of them). Enough will survive in the pond somewhere and begin to reproduce next spring. However, my fish seem to keep the numbers down substantially, where they are not a problem, at least too me.

 

[kirscp]

I do drain the filter in winter. Sorry to say, but this will not eliminate the snails (at least not all of them). Enough will survive in the pond somewhere and begin to reproduce next spring. However, my fish seem to keep the numbers down substantially, where they are not a problem, at least too me.

Thanks, I haven't found any in my pond yet, so the koi are indeed keeping them at bay.

 

[rob199]

I had heard form someone that some snails could carry disease, now that i am thinking about it they were referring to having them in aquariums, is there any thoughts about this in a large 5000+ pond? There must be way too much water for anything like that to occur no?