Snails and CFB

[MaDsci]

I just got some new plants the other day and found some pond snails and red ramshorn snails that tagged along for the ride. They're pretty small right now. Do you think the newts will eat the snails?

 

[Critter Mom]

That is what I have heard they will do. I have had the same situation and I have yet to see them actually interact with each other. I don't know if I would be there at the time if they did. I guess as far as what I am doing, I am observing them closely and taking a wait and see attitude. Right now, the pond snails are so small they don't pose a safety issue and there are so few of them it does not matter in my tank. Any pathogens that could have been spread, would have already done so, so I am not worried about that aspect either.

Let me know if you find out anything please, and I will do the same!

 

[SludgeMunkey]

They may eat some of them, but if they get out of hand a bit of time crushing them with tongs and then feeding them to your newts works well.

Bets way to avoid snails is quarantining ANY new addition to your tanks for a while before adding them to the mix.


And those red ramshorns can be selectively bred! I had some years ago, and over a three year period of selective crushing, I allowed pink, yellow, white and green colors to form...it was quite fun!

 

[Critter Mom]

Sounds nice. Do they become a noticeable size? I think I have at least one in my tank.

 

[Jennewt]

Sounds nice. Do they become a noticeable size? I think I have at least one in my tank.

It depends on the variety, but typical pond snails get up to about 1/2-inch maximum, and the common ramshorn type get slightly larger than this. But I find that very few of them ever reach this size in my tanks, for whatever reasons.