 | Snails aren't just for escargot!
They're fantastic algae eaters especially in tanks where certain fish might other algae eaters like shrimp and otocats. |
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 | Japanese Trapdoor Snail-
Viviparus sp.Japanese trapdoor snails are a favorite here at Pet Zone SD due to their color- many have this gorgeous splash of light blue!
These snails won't eat healthy plants so they're perfect to add a pop of color to any planted tank. |
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King Koopa Snail (Left) -and- Horned Nerite Snail (Right)
These two snails are both nerite snails that have these cute little horns on their shells. Both are fantastic algae eaters and like all nerites, they won't bred in freshwater as their fry need brackish or salt water to survive!
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 | | Gold Inca Snail -Pomacea sp. The gold inca snail goes by many names including yellow mystery snail, golden snail, and Inca snail.
These bright snails are super beginner friendly though some say they can eat aquarium plants. Avoid this by supplementing the snail's diet with algae waffers or using tough plants such as anubiases.
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Batik Nerite (Top), Tiger Nerite (Left), and Zebra Nerite (Right) Snails- Neritina sp.
Here we have three smooth shelled nerites with very distinct patterns. The tiger nerite has little black spots that form stripes on the shell while the zebra has continuous black stripes. The batik is hardest to describe- the patterns have been called "wavy" and "psychedelic"
Nerite snails are considered the best snails for cleaning. They can even eat the ever so stubborn hair algae! Combined with the fact that they can't reproduce in freshwater makes them extremely popular. Which color pattern do you like best?
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 | Assassin snail -Clea helena
Last but not least we have the assassin snail. This snail is known not for eating algae, but for eating other snails! They eat snails their own size or smaller so your larger nerites and mystery snails are safe from this fiend.
If your tank is overrun with baby snails, assassin snails are your best bet to control the population. This way, you don't have to use any snail killing chemicals which will certainly affect the snails you do want. Keep in mind, they won't get rid of them immediately-there's only so much an assassin snail can eat!!
** pea puffers will also eat baby snails!!
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