Snails

[Izzdelatorre98]

Kinda wanna start keeping some snails in my ribbed newt tank, just to clean up a little and I think it would be cool to have a little ecosystem in there. What species of snail would be best to introduce to my tank? Also, if the snails are sick or something, could they get my newt sick? Anyone ever experienced this?

Or should I just not keep snails at all..?

Thanks

 

[Autumncrossing]

I think snails could be a vector of a few illnesses and fungus including chytrid so just be careful and use common quarantine sense. Probably might be best to get some larger snails too so the newts don't swallow them .


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[Rupert]

Considering how Waltls will likely snap at anything that's moving, you're better off with soft-shelled snails that either stay small or grow too big for them - which summarizes the choice into :

a) common pond/bladder snails
b) Rams Horn Snails

TBH I wouldn't put snails for fear of possible impaction or worse sharp snail shell pieces damage my newt's insides...

 

[ChristineB]

I'm sure there are snails in their ponds in the wild, right? I have tiny pond snails that tagged along with some plants in my ribbed newt tanks. They have zero interest in them, I think they move too slow to attract notice. Maybe if they got REAL hungry . . . I feel better with tiny snails, if it comes to that. I think they would get frustrated trying to eat the eye stalks of a big snail (would have to be too big to swallow if it wasn't tiny enough to pass) and it wouldn't be able to come out of its shell much. My newts are so greedy, when I skipped a day feeding them I caught one eating java moss (he passed it in his poop undigested but without issue), so if they're not eating snails they are pretty far down the list of preferred food items!