snails

[JKO]

This is my question, do sails eat plants? I have read completely different opinions on this. I have one regular pond snail right now and was wondering wether or not he would eat any plants I may add. And thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Avalon]

In short, no, they don't. They do however eat decaying plant matter. Sometimes it appears as if snails may be eating your plant, but they are only eating the decaying areas on the plant. Ramshorn and Malaysian Trumpet snails are excellent tank cleaners. Some larger snails keep the same diet. All that I've kept (those that are normally available at the LFS) have not eaten plants. I'm not sure if there is any one species in particular that will eat plants. I've never known one that would eat live plant matter. Maybe someone else can chime in?

 

[dethjam316]

certain types of snails WILL eat plants. the canaliculata apple snails will ravish your plants. the normal apple snails won't do this...they'll do what avalon suggests here. i have one of those canaliculata species, and it severed half of my vals and devoured a sword plant wholly before i moved into a "safer" tank. in that "safe" tank, it even devoured all the java moss!!! unbelieveable!

check out http://www.applesnail.net/ for more info.