Snails for fish tanks

[Pintomad]

I am looking at getting some snails for my tropical tanks but don't know what type/s to get, can anyone give me some advice. I have community fish so don't think anyone would eat them.

[BigBossPants]

As far as I know there are only apple snails and trumpet snails for tropical tanks. Apple snails grow large and will eat plants. Trumpet snails live in the substrate and mostly come out at night, they are small but breed quickly and dont eat plants.

[Ira]

There are a few varieties of applesnails. They're the only ones that aren't likely to become a pest. The ones that do become pests are trumpet snails, pond snails and ramshorns.

[Pintomad]

Thanks Ira and BigBossPants, are the apple snails easy to get.

[Zev]

Ok, time for some pics:

Ramshorn - don't eat live plants, grow up to approx 15mm in tropical, bigger in coldwater, come in red and brown colourways.

Physa sp. - don't eat live plants, grow to approx 7mm, shells go black if grown in a bucket outside.

The flat one - can't remember the name, possibly Planorbis or Helisoma sp. Don't eat plants, grow up to 5mm, breeds prolifically.

I have Malaysian Trumpet snails, but no pic of them, so someone else can post a pic.

Others are Apple snails and Blue Mystery snails, some kind person can post those as well, along with some info about them.

[Pintomad]

Thanks for the pics, good to be able to a pic to the name of a snail.

[suphew]

Apple snails will monster your plants, the best bet are mystery snails. In New Zealand I have seen brown and blue ones they get to about the size of a golf ball don't eat plants and you have to have one of each sex for them to breed, unlike most other snails so they normally don't take over your tank.

[Carlos & Siran]

Here is a pic of one of our Blue mystery snails, they are cool and growing so well.

[Pintomad]

Thanks for all the great advice and pics, I have decided to put a couple of blue mystery snails in one tank and a couple of apple snails in the other.

[Stephanie]

If you ever want ramshorn snails I think Allister has some in his tanks. Apple snails are cool though. I have two at the moment but want more, I keep them in coldwater with minnows outside and they're growing so fast! They go mental over watersprite if you have any, it's like a drug for snails I think. :roll:

P.S - you can come guppy fishing any time you're down this way. Out of control! :lol:

[Pintomad]

Thanks stephanie, will contact you next time we are heading your way. All the other fish have settled in nicely and are growing well. A big thanks to your and Allister for all your help.