To snail or not to snail, that is the question?

[Panzer13]

I have done a bit of research on trapdoor snails. While I think have a few may be a nice addition to the pond I do have a few questions.
Are they beneficial to a pond or more for looks.
Do they harm plants?
Lastly, I live in Washington State, and last year the pond got as cold as 22 degrees. Would they survive the winter?

 

[Jhn]

Have had them in my ponds for years without issue. Omnivorous from what I remember, but mine are grazing on the algae covered rocks and liner most of the time. Gives my terrapins something to chow on as well. IMO beneficial to the pond.

My pond ices over anywhere from 6” to a foot thick every year and they do fine.

 

[addy1]

I have lots of them, put in years ago. You can see the trails they make in the coating of algae.

Our pond goes down to 32, we ice over for months, sometimes, the snails do just fine.

 

[Panzer13]

Thanks. addy1 and jhn. I don't want to put them in the pond only to have them die when it gets cold. I just have goldfish so hopefully they won't just eat them.
Think I will just buy a couple and see what happens. I have a small pond so I should be able to keep track of them.

 

[Panzer13]

Bot a couple of trapdoor snails last night. Guess I wait and see what happens.

 

[Mmathis]

I have lots of trapdoor snails. Mine never bother the plants, though other little invasive pond snails do seem to. When I scoop leaves and stuff off the bottom of the pond is when and where I find most of my TD’s congregating, which tends to reinforce their benefit as pond cleaners. Anyway, I believe in biodiversity.

 

[Panzer13]

I have lots of trapdoor snails. Mine never bother the plants, though other little invasive pond snails do seem to. When I scoop leaves and stuff off the bottom of the pond is when and where I find most of my TD’s congregating, which tends to reinforce their benefit as pond cleaners. Anyway, I believe in biodiversity.

I agree, keeping my small pond as natural as possible is the goal. I have kept live plants in fish tanks, but they could never keep up with the biological load. I have had good success with plants in my pond, and I am going to make some containers for bog plants this weekend. The weather here is still cold, so I can't really do allot yet.
It's driving me nuts bring on the sun already!

 

[Panzer13]

Well bad news, the fish are trying to eat the snails. This is my fault really. I feed them warms when I work in the garden, and have even fed them a slug or two.
My only hope is that they lose interest in try to get the snails out of their shells. But that is unlikely as they are persistent little things.

 

[Jimmy Gibson]

If you have Goldfish..,... They will probably do fine.......I bought 50 Trapdoor snails off eBay last spring and they did great until my Koi discovered they like the taste of snails......koi and snails do not mix..... Even the little pond snails that found a way into the pond from plants..... Have disappeared

 

[Panzer13]

If you have Goldfish..,... They will probably do fine.......I bought 50 Trapdoor snails off eBay last spring and they did great until my Koi discovered they like the taste of snails......koi and snails do not mix..... Even the little pond snails that found a way into the pond from plants..... Have disappeared

You're rite, the fish seemed determined to eat them. But today I was doing maintenance and found them both alive. Guess the fish must have given up.

 

[Faebinder]

Between my 1 koi, my 1- dojo loaches and the 8 darters I have (one of which I saw today).... the snails in my pond are none existent. I have plenty of them in my bog.

 

[Panzer13]

Between my 1 koi, my 1- dojo loaches and the 8 darters I have (one of which I saw today).... the snails in my pond are none existent. I have plenty of them in my bog.

Would though it would be too cold for coaches in PA for loaches this time of year?

 

[Faebinder]

Would though it would be too cold for coaches in PA for loaches this time of year?

Dojo/Weather loaches hide in the plants and under the algae layers. I've had mine for 3 years out in the pond with no problems. They came out all week last week. You will not see them when the pond's water gets below 50F, they hide. They are just as good as goldfish when it comes to water. One person used to say online, if the world dies from a nuke, the damn loaches would still survive.

PS: in a pond, they grow very long and thick. Most of mine are now 7-8 inches.

The above does not apply to other types of loaches like clown etc etc.