Algae Eating Trapdoor Pond Snails
Small Quantity
Japanese Trapdoor Snails (Small Quantities of trapdoor snails are bagged and sent from our nursery in the same box as the bags of pond plants; Large Bulk Quantities are sent separately from our fishery). Please only place your order during periods when the delivery area is expected to be below 90 degrees. We do our best to ship spring orders mainly before then but placing orders mid and late summer for snails should only be done in areas below 90 for highs. Ordering snails when destinations are expected to be above 90 is at the risk of the client/receiver.
Japanese Trapdoor Snails (pond snails, (Viviparous Malleatus) are algae eaters, feeding on the hairy algae that often grows in spring and summer. Japanese trapdoor snippets produce 20 - 25 young people in their lifetime and do so over several years. Typically, you should see one snail per every 12 - 18 gallons of water in a small, ornamental pond. One snail per every 20 - 25 gallons per 1500-8000 gallons. On larger ponds or lakes, the number is even fewer. Overall, pond snails are less expensive than weekly algaecide. Pond snails, if used in the right numbers, is a great defense against bottom sludge and hair algae. You will rarely see trapdoor pond snails as they will stay on the bottom or on the stems and leaves of plants beneath the surface of the water and do not have lungs like mystery snails so they have no reason to surface like those snails to breathe. If you want to see the snails in the pond, choose the warm-weather mystery snails instead or in combination!
HOW TO ADD SNAILS TO YOUR POND:
Please, NEVER FLOAT BAGS LIKE YOU WOULD IN AQUARIUMS!
We recommend a small fish net and bowl or bucket but only a net is needed.
1. Take the box of snails unopened to the area immediately near the pond. The point here is to keep the clear bag totally out of the sun or the bag will heat up even on a cloudy day 20+ degrees in moments (too quickly) and kill the snails.
2, Away from the pond open your box and get your fish net ready to pour out any dirty water onto the ground (never into the pond as dirty water will spike the pond ammonia).
Open the bag with the snails, if in paper gently remove the paper - sometimes we pack larger shells in paper to prevent them banging around / smaller snails in a little water with oxygen. Pour the water and snails through the next catching only the snails and letting the dirty water go into the grass or ground. Now slowly lower the net of snails into the shallow area of your pond. They will be afraid to move having been disturbed for 30 minutes to as much as 12 hours.
If your snails are not alive you will know it, they fall out of the shells dead.
Should any arrive dead or die within 24 hours of arrival please email us photos - PondQuestions@gmail.com , in order to claim the alive arrive guarantee. Waiting past 24 hours to report with photos accepts all responsibility for live orders and voids a guarantee. Please be sure to report anything in less than good condition on arrival and it is fully guaranteed and we will take care of the situation!
