BonniesPlants.com

I recently saw a post you commented on regarding snails. It caught my attention as I have never had snails in my pond--- until about 1 month ago. I didn't put them in my pond. I live in KY and the weather was still pretty nice 65-60 outside. I went to do my fall pond maintainence and found lots of little snails in my collection chamber. I have a bottom drain which is pulled via gravity, the pump is in collection chamber, pushing water to the UV and then to the falls. I haven't seen snails in the pond before (perhaps the koi like escargo). But anyway, I assume these guys will die off with the colder temps. Right? Or is there something I can use to use get ride of them if they come back in the spring? They were starting to clog up the intake on the pump. I fear if given the environment to overpopulate, they will make a mess of the collection tank and prefilter set up. I haven't added any fish this year, and the only plants I introduced came from Bonnie, which they were Q'd. SO -Where do these guys come from?

Thanks

Most likely source is from birds - the kind that like to frolic in our stream-beds and water falls

They will not die over the winter. You have not seen them in the pond because the fish love them. So the only place they will be found is in the places the fish can not get to.

We use a commercial product, not available to home owners because it requires licensing, to treat our plants prior to shipping.

Other than that there is not anything I am aware of that will work on the snails.

Any one else have any ideas?

Bonnie

KickJ9

I've had them in my garden so the bird thing makes a lot of sense.

There's plenty of snails in my pond. Granted I do not have koi so I am not reccomending this by any means but as my fish seemed to slow down on feeding that's when i noticed the abundance of snails. I have a soft spongy brush (like for washing bottles) to scrape the sides of the pond to jar loose the snails. My fish gobble them up and many will attach themselves to the sponge as well. Those attached to plants are a total pain and I have found no other way but handpicking. Maybe a very fine screened net etc. to catch them after jarring?

I read of baiting snails by using certain foods like lettuce or algae wafers - possibly place inside a nylon?, wait til darkness sets and remove (move in for the kill ), in which the snails will be attached to. This sounds like a good idea actually. I would remove all plants at that time and clean them.

Someone needs to invent birthcontrol for these pesky hermaphrodites

Good Luck ~ Pam

Pam I had forgotten about lettuce leaves. It is been so long since I have had a snail problem....

Yes it does work too.

Kind of gross but a lot of what our "yard birds" eat, goes right through them undigested.

When working in the beds in our landscaping, I keep a bucket close by to toss the snails and slugs in to feed the fish. Can we say caviar?

Bonnie