[cfox29]

I am new to this forum and I am sure this has been asked before so forgive the repetition.

Do pond snails eat healthy plants? I was initially under the impression that they only ate decaying plant matter which is probably a good thing. But, now I have seen some suggest they will eat healthy plants.

I only have a small population and I planned to let them be unless advised otherwise.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Kat12]

I have them in my hex and they do fine with plants.

 

[petlover997]

I have hundreds of them in my 5.5
They haven't done anything wrong except over populate

 

[captinplanett]

never had problems with mine. I've looked into it before, seems like they generally don't eat healthy plants. I've got a pretty big one in my shrimp tank that's been chowing down on a patch of bba all day although idk if he even put a dent in it lol

 

[cfox29]

I appreciate the comments, folks

 

[Fajita]

i've seen some suggest they do damage as well but the best information is experience, i've had thousands upon thousands over the years in several tanks...they are nothing but beneficial (unless of course you don't like to look at them) any information to the contrary is conjecture and in my opinion false

 

[Hardstuff]

I guess it depends on how much algae you have. I have 2 -10 gallon heavy bio mass tanks & a 55 planted tank & let me tell you. They eat healthy plants . When their food source gets depleted they snap my stem plants in many sections & plant parts floats all around the tank. I have had pond snails in other tanks in different states & they seem to get to eating plants at some point . In the beginning they seem to clean up algae well but when their food source gets depleted I know for a fact they will eat healthy plants , but thats my experience, my snails. Yours may not. I find snails more trouble than their worth. I end up spending a lot of time culling the population.