Applesnail.net

I visited our Petsmart today and just wanted to say that they had the snails in with the plants, in some decent tanks, and that they had listed on the tank that the snails eat vegetables, vegetation, and algae wafers, which is at least better than saying they are strictly algae eaters-they had two small goldens?, and I almost got one , but I ran out as fast as i could! However, I have to go back later this week, and a snail just might follow me home....

Anyways, I just wanted to let everyone know that these snails are a little better off than some of the others people have seen....

SOME snails (depending on the species) eat vegatation... some won't. My Brig's gobble plant life like there is no tomorrow, while my Cana's will only touch dead or dying plants. This is where the misconception comes in... that if you have plants in your aquarium, forget having snails as pets, they will eat all your plants. I have three baseball sized snails in with anachrish and a Java sword plant and they they won't touch them. Although they love peas, spinich, green beans, lima beans, corn, and lettuce, they won't even look at living plants. My Brigs however, eat any and all plant life like it's their last meal on earth. Don't let the fact they eat plants (anachris is cheap) stop you from getting one (or two) of these wonderful pets, they are a ton of fun.
Momma

PS, The Goldnes you saw are Cana's. Like on the home page.
Momma

CORRECTION: The Golden is a BRIDGES... (I need more coffee)
Momma

Once more.... Bridges won't eat plants, Cana's will. (Norma, more coffee please!) Bridges can live in a planted tank with no problems while Brigs eat every plant in site. I forgot to sign in... this is Snail Momma... (Norma, make it a double!)
Hugs,
Momma
PS,
Go back and get both of them, they are a hoot as a pair.

cloudydy wrote:I visited our Petsmart today and just wanted to say that they had the snails in with the plants, in some decent tanks, and that they had listed on the tank that the snails eat vegetables, vegetation, and algae wafers, which is at least better than saying they are strictly algae eaters-they had two small goldens?, and I almost got one , but I ran out as fast as i could! However, I have to go back later this week, and a snail just might follow me home....

Anyways, I just wanted to let everyone know that these snails are a little better off than some of the others people have seen....

It is the P.Canaliculata species that will eat aquatic plants. P.Bridgesii species rarely eat healthy foliage even if they're starving. Bridgesii have been known to starve to death in densely planted aquaria when provided with no other food source. It makes this statement somewhere on this site.
Anyway, good luck...I'd say Snailius Musthaveius has a good foothold in your life. lol

I think this is the quote you were referring to Sis:

Pomacea bridgesii (spike-topped apple snail, Brazilian apple snail, golden mystery snail and ivory snail) prefers dead and rotting plants above fresh green ones. Occasionally they eat the softer vegetation. Pomacea bridgesii snails are thus a good choice for an aquarium equipped with a nice collection of water-plants. What is even more: they tend to starve to dead in the middle of the vegetation if you don't provide them with enough food.
The Pomacea bridgesii apple snails do very well on all kind of fish food and it could be useful to try some soft vegetables for those cases they would like some green food. Very handy types of fish-food are those tablets sold for algae-eaters, but other types of fish-food will do as well.

Thanks, sweetie! It's heck to get so old that you can only half-remember what you've seen and where you've seen it. Thing is, since I'm like this at 41, what in the world will I be like at 60?!!! :P

I have to disagree here a bit. My brigs enjoy eating my plants. I have about 20 species of plants in the tank. There are only a couple that they don't nibble on. The only big difference I've noticed is that they nibble, not chomp like canas do. Maybe mine are just weird............ or maybe they're learning to eat plants from the Columbian ramshorns.

Nice to know I wasn't the only one not awake this morning...
Momma

mariastuff wrote:I have to disagree here a bit. My brigs enjoy eating my plants. I have about 20 species of plants in the tank. There are only a couple that they don't nibble on. The only big difference I've noticed is that they nibble, not chomp like canas do. Maybe mine are just weird............ or maybe they're learning to eat plants from the Columbian ramshorns.

I've noticed that the only time my Brig's eat my plants is if the plants are not doing well and begin to rot. They'll eat dieing and dead foliage. Mine don't eat healthy growth. But, if my plants aren't healthy, it's not my snails' faults. It's something about the environment that I need to correct (or it was unhealthy plants that I purchased and need to be eaten, anyway... ).

My brigs always eat plants. they devoured the only plant I had in there and they love munching on dandelion leaves. my Planorbidae Ramshorns do too. <3 Glad to know that Petsmart is educated about their snails...much unlike walmart. *shivers*