Which Aquatic Snail Is Right for You?

 

photos of my various pet snails

Aquatic snails are fascinating and unique additions to any tank; even better, each species of snail contributes to the balance of the tank in their own way. Which snail is right for you? Let's take a look.

Do you want a snail to eat that pesky algae in your tank?

Nerite and bladder snails are your dream team. If you don't want more than one snail, nerite eggs don't hatch in freshwater (and are harmless to your tank). In the photo above, you may notice a small brown snail riding on my young golden mystery snail. This is a black racer nerite. They tend to spend their days as dedicated lawn mowers, steadily eating away at the algae building up in your tank. Nerites come in different shapes and sizes, especially horned nerites.

Nerites tend to live between a year or two. Their lifespan can't be prolonged much, even with top care. Still, they reliably clear away algae during their lives, and they're suitable tank mates for many types of fish. 

Bladder snails, also known as tadpole snails, get a bad rap around the aquatic snail community. They are prolific breeders, and as hermaphrodites, they can reproduce sexually or self-fertilize. Eggs reside in a clear sac, with the eggs slightly visible to the naked eye. However, they produce little bioload, and they are an excellent cleanup crew, especially to larger, planted tanks. They're very hardy, tolerating a wide range of conditions. At the bottom right of the above photo is a picture of my bladder snail, Sailor. 

She kept that tank spotless, and her babies more so. As long as you're not overfeeding, you can keep the population under control. They tend to live anywhere from a few months to a year. It's possible that they live longer, but the longest I've personally had a bladder snail live is five months. Often mistaken for baby mystery snails, bladder snails stay very small (growing to half an inch). With shells speckled with gold, they're very pretty, and they have a few cool tricks up their sleeve. So to speak.

Trapping air underneath their shell, bladder snails can seemingly fly around the tank. In a way, they can become helium balloons at will, doing so to search for food. If they are doing it often, check your water parameters. They are hardy, to be sure, but they also require care.

Both nerites and bladder snails can be purchased online, at local fish stores, and at chain pet stores (depending).

Do you want a snail that eats leftover fish food?

Malaysian trumpet snails and ramshorn snails are your best bet. With shovel-like faces, trumpet snails are a great addition to any tank (ideally, though, a tank with sand substrate, as gravel will wear away their shells), as they dig and aerate the substrate, which prevents buildup of harmful bacteria. In addition, they'll also eat leftover fish food, which benefits the health of the tank. They're also very adorable, and instead of eggs, they opt to live-birth. Usually under the substrate, Malaysian trumpet snails don't take up much space, growing up to an inch.

Ramshorn snails come in a variety of colors, patterns, and sizes. Giant ramshorns and micro ramshorns sit at opposite ends of the size spectrum. Generally, shells can come in blue, pink, red, or brown colors,  with leopard ramshorns possessing spotted shells. In addition to eating leftover fish food, ramshorns will also clear away algae. They can reproduce rather quickly, being hermaphrodites, but unwanted ramshorns can be sold online. There's always a good demand for them, I find.

Do you want a snail with personality?

In fairness, I feel that every snail has personality, but the mystery snail is renowned for their goofy antics. Reaching 2 inches in diameter, these snails love to climb, explore, and even parasnail. Per my last post, parasnailing is the simple act of a mystery snail climbing on the glass or on top of a tank decoration, then simply jumping and floating down. Mystery snails are peaceful, and they can be a wonderful addition to a community tank, so long as the fish are non-aggressive and also peaceful. Purple, blue, ivory, jade, golden, brown, and black: mystery snails come in a variety of colors, some more expensive than others. Unlike nerites, they require protein in their diet, so bottom-feeder shrimp pellets are a good way to supply that.

Conclusion:

Each snail contributes something unique to your tank. It just comes down to what you're looking for. These snails are all very peaceful and coexist well in many tanks. Just be careful that your fish don't make a snack of them if they're so inclined. Non-aggressive fish are good tank mates. (Or, like me, you can have a snail-only tank lol). I'll go into more detail per snail, but I hope this overview helps!