what snail do i choose?

[Spen2cer]

I'm going to get a Honey Gourami tank, but I don't know what snail is the best. Opinions?

 

[Colin_T]

My preferred snails for aquariums are Mystery/ Apple snails or Ramshorn snails.

 

[Essjay]

If you are anywhere in the EU, including the UK despite brexit, you won't be able to get apple/mystery snails as the EU banned import of all apple snail species a few years ago.

There are lots of other snails though. As Colin said, there are ramshorn snails (though avoid the Colombian Giant ramshorn, the brown striped one, if you have live plants), nerites in various sizes and colours, and large cone shaped snails such as rabbit snails - again several species.

 

[Colin_T]

why did they ban apple snails from the UK?

 

[Spen2cer]

why did they ban apple snails from the UK?

Well, I’m not in Europe

 

[Essjay]

In that case, apple/mystery snails are an option for you. I would look at the smaller brig apple snail rather than the larger cana apple snail.


Colin, Pomacea insularum was found living in the Rio Ebro delta in Spain. So because the EU operates a one size fits all policy, they banned the import of all Pomacea snails into every EU country including those very northern countries where apple snails have no chance of making it through the winter if they got into natural water systems such as rivers. They were also considering a ban on the import of plants from countries where apple snails are endemic, but in the end settled for making it compulsory for plants from those countries to be treated with snail killing chemicals.

 

[Colin_T]

lol, typical bureaucracy.

That is ridiculous.

 

[Essjay]

I think EU officials read about cane toads in Australia and panicked

 

[NickAu]

Hi

Before getting snails what type of water do you have? If its acidic the snails will suffer from shell erosion and you will need to supplement their diet with calcium.

 

[NickAu]

lol, typical bureaucracy.

That is ridiculous.

Is it? Lets put that to the test. Why would they ban snails? Because people put them in waterways when they get sick of them and they breed fast and without natural predators they take over the water ways.


From pets to pests: aquarium fish threatening north Queensland waterways

A fish monitoring program run by Mackay Regional Council has detected three Convict Cichlids, a common aquarium fish, in the Northview Garden lake.

"It would appear that somebody's been unable to keep them in a home aquarium, and think they're doing the right thing, and have released them in there," councillor Fran Mann said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-14/pet-fish-threatening-north-qld-waterways/7933228

AN OUTBREAK of feral Siamesefighting fish in Fogg Dam and theAdelaide River floodplainhighlights just how vulnerable ouraquatic environment is tointroduced plants and animals,says the Amateur Fishermen’sAssociation of the NT.

http://www.territorystories.nt.gov.au/bitstream/10070/249639/4/sub05feb14004x.pdf


Giant Feral Goldfish Are Taking Over Australian Rivers

The world's biggest goldfish can be found in a river in Western Australia but local researchers aren't cheering, they're trying to eradicate the pests.

In the warm, nutrient-rich waters of the Vasse River feral goldfish grow up to 1.9 kilograms and they're destroying the habitat of endemic native species.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2...are-taking-over-australian-rivers_a_21452357/

 

[Colin_T]

banning mystery snails (a tropical snail) from the UK and countries where it snows, is stupid. The snails will not survive in 5C water. Ramshorn snails will and so will malaysian livebearing snails but mystery snails die when it gets cold.

banning them from warmer countries in the EU is fine but if it snows and the water freezes over, the snails will not survive.

 

[Spen2cer]

I don’t have acidic water, and I never realized that a snail could start such a debate. Getting a yellow mystery snail

 

[Colin_T]

I don’t have acidic water, and I never realized that a snail could start such a debate. Getting a yellow mystery snail

lol, good for you