Scalz

If you keep planted aquariums you are probably familiar with pest snails. These snails are usually from the genus Physa or Physella and are commonly known as Tadpole Snails or Pond Snails. The other common species are known as Ramshorn Snails from the genus ______. These snails are known to eat holes in plant leaves and can reproduce relatively quickly in the aquarium, occasionally clogging up filters and damaging pump impellers.

The most problematic snails in freshwater aquariums are not even plant eaters. They are burrowing snails from Malaysia called ________. These livebearing snails live in the substrate and emerge at night to feed on algae and detritus, actually doing a service as efficient cleaners. Unfortunately, these very hard-shelled creatures reproduce exponentially and can harm filtration equipment, particularly impeller-driven pumps. Their small size means they can get through filter strainers as well. They are also very unsightly when they walk on the glass and they often emerge en masse at night! If conditions are poor, these snails can also die in great proportions causing a nitrate spike that could result in fish deaths. Occasionally, fish that are not familiar with these creatures will attempt to swallow them and they can lodge in their mouths or throats causing suffocation or distention of the jaws or gills.