Where did all my snails go?

[studiovette]

I had a ton of snails when I opened my pond for the first time last yr and the pond wasn't even winterized by the previous owner. This year I winterized it and don't see any. Do I need them? I think they looked cool and might want to get some again but wanted to see who else had them and what benefits or problems they could cause

 

[Waterbug]

Their benefits in a pond are more of the theoretical type than the actual type. Algae in ponds just grows too fast.

If by winterized you mean to kept a hole in the ice I'd guess that made the water too cold for them to survive. But could be lots of things.

 

[Dave 54]

Smails arent needed in a system but once you have them they are pretty hard to get rid of so some may well have survived the winter.
When you say winterized do you mean you cleaned the bottom of the pond and filters, or do you mean you covered the pond either way you'll have survivors , it may not be quite warm enough for them to be out and about yet ?
You do realize that sometimes snails can be vectors for parasites etc in your pond which can effect your fish ?

Dave

 

[Nepen]

My 10 gallon nature pond froze solid during winter for up to a week at a time and my snails survived. If you have fish, they might got eaten

 

[studiovette]

The first year the pond froze solid before I was actually taking care of it and that's when I saw all of them in the spring. This past yr I had it netted with air and deicer and filters were off so it never froze.
I do have fish in the pond. I was just curious to see what you guys had to say. I'm thankful that at least all my frogs made it

 

[CometKeith]

Depending what kind you have they can be food for other animals. The local raccoons here love catching my trapdoor snails so I have pretty much given up on getting them anymore. Also we have birds that pick the smaller apple snails off the rocks in the waterfall. I agree about parasites. It seems overly coincidental that I have had outbreaks of disease in the past after I added snails.

 

[Carol Wilson]

Do you take any action to protect for your pond from algae growth because summer has been started and there are high chances for growth of algae.

 

[Priscilla]

Smails arent needed in a system but once you have them they are pretty hard to get rid of so some may well have survived the winter.
When you say winterized do you mean you cleaned the bottom of the pond and filters, or do you mean you covered the pond either way you'll have survivors , it may not be quite warm enough for them to be out and about yet ?
You do realize that sometimes snails can be vectors for parasites etc in your pond which can effect your fish ?

Dave

I put some plants in my pond, without quarantining them, when I was beginner Dave, wouldn't happen again (LOL), but now I have snails Just little things, I thought they would be okay, but now I'm worried.

Snails also got transferred to my fish tank, and they are multiplying alarming there. However in pond, I am beginning to wonder if the fish don't eat them, as I only see them in the filters, I would expect to see them on the sides of the pond, by now I'd think the pond would be infested them, but its not, something seems to be eating them. Maybe the tilapia? Maybe he's actually good for something.

 

[addy1]

I put trapdoors in my pond, about 3 years ago, 100 of them. I do still have a lot of trapdoors but in no way overrun with them. I think like everything in nature, they balance out. I also have ramshorn, little round snails, flat snails, etc etc, but not over run.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

I don't have snails in my pond but I do have them in all of my indoor fish tanks.

I find them interesting to watch and have not had any health issues with my fish because of them.