Ramshorn & Physa Snails in my Planted Tank

[Riso-chan]

I just found what seems like ramshorn and physa snails in my 55 gallon planted tank. I wanted to know if they'd be safe with my plants.

I will describe them below so you can help me ID them. I did research and from pics I saw I figured they were the above listed species but to be sure...

The Ramshorn types look to be of a goldish shell color and have pinkish bodies. Shells are shaped with the whirls very flat on one side. They almost appear triangular when viewed at a certain angle.

The Physa types have a globular shaped shell with almost transparent, golden-bronze color w/ or without dark specks and light to dark brown bodies. Hints of pink in body as well.

I read the physa were not plant eaters, but would help out with algea and such. The ramshorns I'm unsure. Let me know.

 

[daveedka]

I know little to nothing about the physa'a, but common ramshorns are a Godsend in a planted tank. to me they are the most beneficial creature I own. They eat eveything you don't want in your tank, and never hurt a plant. they are fun to watch and a good indicator of general cleanliness (they reproduce to match food levels so in a clean tank they don't overpopulate)
Dave

 

[Riso-chan]

That's good. However, I found out that physa snails can become troublesom. But I'll double check your article to make sure. They are supposedly the same as pond snails.

 

[Riso-chan]

I put them back in my tank last night. I do notice them often in the gravel, some seem to crawl around on the plants but there isn't any visible damage yet ,so I'll keep watch. They'd be nice to take over the algea & detritus eating niche, since I found my last otto had died. I found him in the gravel while I was cleaning last night. It really is true they don't do so well alone. He did seem to have an air of loneliness about him the following few days. Poor thing...Well, I'm sure he and his little buddies have halos and are happier now.

Back to the snails, I think this seem to target dead or decaying plant material rather than fresh. So far that I've seen anyway. Of course they love algea too. They all come out at night, like it's a party in there or something. Some stay out during the day as well.

 

[RTR]

I have both ramshorns and common pond snails in the majority of my tanks (none with puffers of course) and they are fine with the plants. The largest common pond snails may rasp a bit of the surface of the oldest Swordplant leaves (comparable to the rasping some large bristlenose plecos do on these leaves). If you every see any of this, simply remove the common pond snails appoaching 2/3-3/4" in size.

 

[Kissofthegorami]

A lot of people swear the common pond snails physa damage plants. I dnt know. I have ramshorns and pond snails in my planted tank that I didn't want. The ramshorn snails are more numerous than the pond snails so i think they out compete them. I have noticed some nibbled plant leaves but nothing major. the ramshorns seem to be more benefitial than damaging to my tank.