When it comes to freshwater aquarium snails, there are many points of view to consider. There has been an ongoing debate as to whether or not aquarium snails should be seen as beneficial pets or destructive and troublesome pests. Here is some information that you should take into account before you decide to put snails in your freshwater aquarium. ContentsSuperb Snail Benefits4 Freshwater Snail Breeds That Are Considered PetsPest SnailsFreshwater Aquarium Snails That Are Considered PestsPond SnailsHere Are Some Ways To Control The Snail PopulationA Note on All SnailsShare Your Thoughts The majority of snails are scavengers, with their tiny mouths; they will devourer dying plants, leftover fish food and algae. Owning a snail or two would allow you to keep your aquarium water quality clear and virtually free of algae. They are also able to remove dirt and algae in hard to reach areas that you may not be able to see from your perspective. For more algae eaters, read: 7 Best Freshwater Algae Eaters

Snails will eat live plants but they tend to only eat the dead and decaying plants that you wouldn’t want to keep in your aquarium anyway because decaying plant matter produces ammonia (which is toxic to fish). Sometimes it may appear as though snails are eating a healthy plant but this may be a misperception because chances are, they are just eating the algae off of the healthy plant parts. Snails also add movement and color to your freshwater aquarium and they can be fun to watch. fish tank plants gumtreeThere are many different snail species that come in various colors, shapes and patterns and are pleasing to the eye.fish tank gravel cleaner vacuum Another benefit to having a snail in your aquarium is this; fish tank heater dangers

unlike other scavenging fish species that may eat fish eggs, if you have a breeding aquarium with fish egg clusters, snails will stay away from them. The Nerite Snail is an a-sexual proficient algae eating tank vacuum. They may also be known as Tiger Snails and Zebra Snails. The most popular species have a rounded striped shell with a yellow base and dark stripes. Their range of colors include, dark brown, dark green, olive, golden and reddish brown. They are very active which makes them appealing and fun to watch. This adaptable and hardy species will grow to the size of about one inch. One of the best things about Nerite Snails is that they will not reproduce in freshwater and therefore it will be easy to keep the snail population under control. They may lay eggs on roots or stones but they will not hatch. Another helpful pet snail is the Apple Snail. These peaceful omnivores will require a large tank as they may grow to be upwards of 6 inches! Their colors consist of white, yellow, brown, tan, black and even blue, pink, purple and jade.

They are attractive to watch and will consume large amounts of algae, vegetable matter and other decaying matter. If you are wondering about reproduction, the apple snail is not a hermaphroditic snail. These snails will reproduce, but they lay their eggs above the waterline so you can easily scoop them up before they hatch. The Mystery Snail belongs to the family of the Apple Snail, which consists of around 120 different snail species. These peaceful and hardy creatures can grow upwards of 2 inches. They come in several colors; ivory, golden, jade, yellow, blue, black, pink and burgundy. Similar to the Apple Snail, they will eat algae and decaying or dead plants. They also lay their eggs above the waterline so they will be easy to dispose of before they hatch. One thing to watch for; if insufficient algae is present, the Apple Snail and Mystery Snail may start to consume your live plants. 4. Malaysian Trumpet Snail Malaysian Trumpet Snails are popular scavengers that are useful for your freshwater aquarium.

They will break up plant roots and sand substrate; eat decaying plants, algae and dead animals. These snails will grow to 1 inch, and will need both sexes to reproduce. They will not eat your live plants (unless they are starving) or harm other tank inhabitants. Because of their long hard conical shell, predatory fish such as Loaches and Puffers generally will not be as interested in them as they will have a hard time crushing their shells. One thing to watch for: If they are overfed, they will breed and if the population gets out of control, they may overrun your tank. (Maybe it’s time to buy a Large Clown Loach!) As we’ve seen from the Nerite Snail, Apple Snail, Mystery Snail and Malaysian Trumpet Snail; Snails can be a beneficial addition to your tank but there are some species to stay away from if you would like to keep your tank free of problems. Tip – When Purchasing Snails : Look for snails that are active and healthy looking without cracked or nicked shells.

Avoid the snails that are motionless and be sure you look into the snail shell to make sure that it’s not empty! All snails will produce waste themselves. They will remove the accumulated amounts of decaying matter in your tank but they will also contribute their own amount of waste in your aquarium. This can create a much bigger problem if you have overstocked your tank or have added a wild species that may reproduce like crazy! Because snails lack natural predators, in a freshwater aquarium, snails are prone to multiple rapidly and you must pay special attention to the number of snails you desire to have in your aquarium before it gets out of hand. Once a snail reproduces, your aquarium might quickly get overpopulated and when this happens, it may not be easy to remove all of the undesired snails. The least appreciated snail is the Pond Snail. They are native snails and may harbor parasites or other ailments, which could carry over to other tank inhabitants.

They are hermaphroditic and one of their biggest problems is that they are able to multiply abundantly. They eat live plants and will shred lotus leaves but they do clean up the tank well. Pond Snails are usually acquired when purchasing a new plant. In order to make sure you don’t acquire them via plants; before placing a new plant into the aquarium, make the effort of soaking it in warm and salty water. After 10 minutes, remove the plants and wash thoroughly. This method should remove or kill any uninvited snail guests. Many species will love eating your snails. The Clown Loach, Puffer Fish, Yoyo Loach, Skunk Loach, Upside Down Catfish, will all readily eat snails and help you control your snail population. 2. The Lettuce Method Another way to keep your snails in check is to use the lettuce method. Place a piece of lettuce at the bottom of the tank and make sure it stays at the bottom by placing something heavy on it. At night, your snails will eat the lettuce and during the day, you will be able to pull the piece of lettuce out with the snails attached to it and dispose of them as necessary.

You may need to repeat this a few times in order to control the population. To get rid of unwanted snails, you may use poisons purchased from pet shops but this could be harmful to the other fish and plants in your tank. Organic methods of removing snails work the best. Another organic method of removing snails includes; using a small plastic bottle and putting a piece of food in the bottle at the bottom of the tank. The snails will go into the bottle at night when they feed and you will be able to dispose of the bottle and repeat this method until the desired amount of snails remain in the tank. Most snails are not particularly picky about the water quality but they do prefer hard calcium rich water. To keep their shells healthy and free of damage, they will need calcium rich water that is free of copper and other metals. When choosing a species for your tank, you should know what to expect from that species and be prepared to deal with some common problems like overpopulation and parasites like mentioned above.