Apple snails are one of the most popular additions to freshwater tanks. These slow-moving, peaceful herbivores, let you to sit back whilst they do some of the cleaning for you.
There are lots of other names for this snail including; mystery apple snail, golden Apple snail, spike topped apple snail and Pomacea australis. The correct scientific name however is Pomacea bridgesii.
In the wild these snails will live for around 1 year. They eat dead plants and clean the environment. This allows any nutrients that are trapped in detritus to be returned back to the ecosystem. A really interesting feature is their complex eyes which are placed on a cephalic eyestalk. There are no other sensory organs in the eyestalk, so it can completely regrow after a few short weeks if severed.
These snails are one of the most peaceful creatures you can have in your tank. They spend the majority of their time grazing on the algae that build up on the glass.
If approached by an aggressive fish, they will simply hunker down and hide in their shell. This does mean that keeping them with peaceful fish is important. Making sure they are not scared all the time means they will be more active and able to clean the tank more effectively.
On occasions, you might see the snails go the top of the tank only to let go and free-fall to the bottom. Sometimes they will only let go of the part of the foot and slid down the glass quickly.
Species – Pomacea bridgesii.
Common Name – Golden Mystery Snail, Apple Snail
Origin – China
Diet – Herbivour
PH Range – Alkaline 7.8-8.4
Temperature – Tropical 24°c – 28°c
Breed Type – Egg Layer