question about snails

Probably, unless the petshop happens to have MTS (Malaysian Trumpet Snails) and not your common Pond Snails

If the snails you saw were large, they're likely apple snails. There are several species, some of which are more likely to eat your plants than others. Mine (Pomacea bridgesii) doesn't touch the plants. She also doesn't bother much with algae - I target feed her; I keep her as a pet, so I don't mind if she's a piggie and doesn't do much cleaning around the house
Check out www.applesnail.net for loads of information on apple snails

alright thanks a bunch. also i have cichlids, i was wondering if i could put an alge eater in my cichlid tank. and i have one more question do cichlids need any types of special places to hide. i herd some where that they need some places to hide but i did not know what to use.

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What type of cichlids? Depending on type, tank size etc. there are many possibilities.

Probably, unless the petshop happens to have MTS (Malaysian Trumpet Snails) and not your common Pond Snails

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Pond snails, MTS's, and common ramshorns won't eat your plants, but none of them are large snails.
As said apple snails most often will eat your plants, mytery snails (which look a lot like apple snails) are said to be plant friendly, but they are mnany varieties, and much confusion on ID at most stores, so it becomes a crap shoot of sorts until you get good at snail ID. Depending on the type of cichlid, almost any snail will become lunch sooner or later.
Dave

It may depend on what cichlids you have, but you could probably keep MTS. As they have quite hard shells and hide in the substrate most of the time, the fish will have a hard time exterminating them. I haven't seen them for sale - just check the planted tanks at your LFS, you'll probably find some of these distinctive conical shells. Buy some plants or fish and ask them to throw some large MTS in the bag.