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Snails and plants


Caryl

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OK, an article in the Aug AW magazine stated that ramshorn snails eat plants and apple snails don't. I have had someone email to say that is wrong and ramshorns don't eat plants but apple snails do.

It was my understanding that there are yellow and brown apple snails. One colour eats plants and the other doesn't but I can't remember which way around it is.

Anyone with experience of either of these snails have anything to offer? Agree or disagree? I can add replies to the next mag.

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Mooloo (from Manukau :lol: ) was looking for 4 inch apple snail shells which I was amazed by and did some research on them - I posted this on that thread but will put it here to see if someone can disprove it for us.

Pomacea canaliculata, or Gold variant apple snails, closely resemble their cousins the Pomacea bridgesi. The best way to tell the difference is in the shape of the shell spiral. Bridgesi have a pointed spiral that extends out from the shell, whereas Canaliculata's spiral is almost flat with the side of the shell. There are other differences but the spiral is the most obvious. There is however another VERY critical difference. Bridgesi do not eat plants typically, whereas Canaliculata are voracious leaf eaters. Mistaking the two species could have a devastasting effect on a planted tank.

On a side note anyone Know a restaraunt / deli in Hamilton that sells / consumes snails.

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My breeding tank is LITTERED with ramshorns, and they never touch the plants, my big apple snail however ate the javamoss like spaghetti, my indian fern like lettuce and my anubias like a cookie.

Theres two kinds, Pomacea bridgesi (Golden apple snail) <-- dun eat plants, and Pomacea canaliculata (Chanelled apple snail) <-- eats plants. Obviously i've got the wrong kind :(

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We had 2 Apple snails once, Gary and Matilda, We bought a hole heap of plants that filled our tank pretty much completely..... a week later we had no plants left and have been left with millions of babies (we had to take them back coz we wanted a planted aquirium).

Heres a pic of Gary....he was a great snail! Lotsa character, he would crawl over to a plant near the bubble wall and "jump" into the bubbles, then float around the tank! It was halarious to watch!

Just remembered, we went to oz for a week (after they had eaten all our plants) and left them to munch on an entire lettuce..... they were on the last leaf when we got home! Little piggys!

Garythesnail.jpg

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Sorry to burst so many bubbles, but ramshorn snails do eat plants.

I have some at the moment with just stalks of indian fern left in their container.

I have also seen cabomba bowled by them

They also looooooooooooove fresh lettuce leaves.

It is actually my choice of trapping them using lettuce.

Alan 104

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