Snails in pond
Nutcracker, Dorset
Posts: 96
I have a small pond 1 x 1.5 metres, about 60 cm deep. I have noticed seemingly hundreds of flat black snails, about the size of a honesty seed (which is what I thought they were to start with!). Do I need to be alarmed? They look nothing like any pond snail I've seen before.
0
Posts
Snails will find a pond like birds find food. They're good for the health of a pond and it shows you have a healthy one.
Are these Ramshorn snails?
Scroll down here to see some http://www.watergardenplants.co.uk/Pond-Snails
They look just like that. How big will they grow? There are lots and lots. Hope the rest of the pond ecology won't suffer. I've only ever had the pointy shell snails in previous ponds.
They'll be great for the ecology of the pond - they eat algae etc and will keep the water clear. Sounds perfect
Oh good. I've already got a barley straw cylinder at the bottom, but still plenty of algae and the dreaded hair weed around. Kingcups just about to blossom and have seeded into my boggy bit, irises and water forgetmenot coming up. Just a shame no frogspawn this year, although there were frogs in the pond last year. we also have toads, so I'm hopeful for the future.
We made our pond in 2014 - we've had frogs visiting and this year the first frogspawn has arrived - some pics and lots of interesting stuff on this thread http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/talkback/small-wildlife-pond/962681.html
I too have noticed what I think are small Ramshorn snails which I've never introduced. Am I correct in thinking that they are better snails to have in the pond than the pointy shelled ones? Frogspawn for the first time this year Which has made me so happy!
Hi all - when I was researching my pond, there were 2 post-implementation recommendations for clear, healthy water - oxygenating plants and these algae-eating Ramshorn snails (black, round, grow to about the size of a ten pence piece). The pointy shell ones eat the oxygenating plants!