Snails ....... difference between pond snails and apple sna

[Georgeer]

Dear expert, was at the krib faq about snails but couldn't find any pictures to see the difference between a pond snail (the bad guy) and the apple snail (the good guy). From the krib description, both look like "football" shape but apple snails have a more sprial shell.

Found this useful link posted by one of the forumer here in the past:
http://www.applesnail.net/

But I cannot relate the difference between the snails I have in my tank whether it is a apple or pond snail.

These snails in my tank have a similiar "football" shell on the back and has a little golden specks on the shell. The usual size is about 1mm to 5mm. I ever had encountered 2 adult size that was aboyt 10mm and killed both of them when they were mating. But to find snails eggs later on the backdrop stylofoam board. Removed them little by little with tweezer later, quite a pain!!

So the snail I have in my tank is a pond snail or apple snail babys? Or is it something else.

Please enlighten me, thanks.[]

[budak]

when there are like over 10,000 species of mollusc around, I doubt you can easily narrow down whatever you have to just two possible choices. And I doubt the species discussed on the US site are the same which are found here.

There is in fact a local Apple snail (Pila scutata) which has a round, dark shell, as well as an introduced species. The BP/Science Centre Guidebook on Singapore freshwater life lists at least 6 freshwater (pond) snails. Also, there are no good or bad guys in nature - just creatures that happen not to fit in our limited scheme of things, but whose worth remains equal to all else. Try buying this little handbook (sold at POpular bookstore for about $5-6)) to see if any of the species there fit your specimens.

If you want quick advice about snail control, get a couple of small loaches (clown if your tank is big enough, or else those smaller loaches available in places like Eco-Culture or Biotope). I do not recommend puffers as these either starve or turn their teeth on tankmates once the snails are gone.

[Georgeer]

Thanks Budak! ever seen that book at popular before. Will take a flip to see what are those snails I have in my tank.

Well, in nature all are equal. But of course we want those good guys to clean out tank while we do not need the bad guy to eat the plant in the tank.