Aquatic Snails

If you own an aquarium, you WILL encounter snails. They’re a fact of fishkeeping life, just like disease, parasites and algae. But, fortunately, these little critters are much cuter and have a host of plus points. Whilst they are often considered pests, there’s plenty to enjoy about them. So give snails a chance and read on.

Ramshorn snails come in beautiful colours ranging from brown to gold to pink to blue. They have a spiral shell and like to hang out in groups. They move FAST and can clear an aquarium of algae in a very short space of time. They will also eat dead and dying plant matter (whilst leaving your healthy plants intact), making them excellent gardening assistance. However one of their most endearing features is that they will often swim upside down on the surface of the water, and it’s the cutest thing. They do this to access oxygen and use the surface tension of the water to float and surf along. It never fails to fascinate!

Pond snails are similar in behaviour although tend to have a more generic brown ‘snail’ look. This is great for a natural look aquarium where blue and pink stick out like a sore thumb. Although, there is every chance with selective breeding some interesting variations would appear! They will, like the ramshorns, assist with cleaning the aquarium and keeping things in check.

Malaysian trumpet snails have a long spiral shell and are nocturnal. They burrow into the substrate and hide out until the lights go out which can make it a little difficult to keep tabs on the population. They are live-bearing snails, unlike the egg layers above and have the ability to seal themselves in their shell where they can survive for a surprisingly long time! This can make them hardy against predator fish and more likely to survive in snail-hostile environments. They have better survival rates against hostile water conditions, temperatures, lack of food and can even survive out of water for prolonged periods. Hopefully, your snails won’t be subject to such conditions but their ability to survive is truly fascinating.

Mini ramshorn snails are a slightly different species with a similar look to regular ramshorns, but they are tiny! Their shells are often thinner and their general size is much smaller. They don’t seem as hardy in my experience and may be more sensitive. I hear they are excellent detail workers and can be a wonderful addition to an aquarium, particularly for those that don’t enjoy the look of larger snails, because of their size they are more often hidden out of sight.

Whichever type of snail landed in your aquarium, don’t immediately write them off as pests. Watch their behaviour, keep an eye on what they clean up and if you have inquisitive fish you might even catch them playing with their new companions. You may find joy in these tiny little creatures just as we did.