Do Pond Snails Eat Algae?

Do Pond Snails Eat Algae? Yes, however, it does depend on what type of algae we are talking about in a garden pond. As a general rule of thumb, yes they do eat algae.

Pond snails will eat algae of varying different species. Indeed, it’s a case of, they can’t eat single-cell algae in a lot of cases. So your green pond is not going to clear overnight. If you send in an army of algae eating pond snails, but they can, however, consume a certain amount from the surface layer. Any surface layer, whether you’ve got stones and rocks under the water. Whether the surface you have, is a bare pond liner, exposed concrete. If it’s a surface layer under the water, they can consume algae from it. They will even eat algae off the surface layer of plant material.

Depending on what type of algae you have in your garden pond. Will depend if pond snails will eat your garden pond algae?

Yes, as above a quick general answer is yes, but as a sort of like a more technical explanation. Freshwater crustaceans prefer different types of algae to other kinds of algae. So it could be a case of putting pond snails. Into combat a specific sort of blanket weed or slime algae.  

So, for instance, you might be searching online for blanket weed or filamentous algae solutions. Somewhere you have read like just now that pond snails are the right way forward. But we know, they eat algae right. However, they’re not going to sort out your major blanket weed problems. Sometimes pond snails can make blanket weed even worse.

For instance, going back to slime algae. Sometimes it’s a matter of having a lot of pond snails in the pond. That will be eating the slime algae. In turn, fewer surface areas covered in slime algae is going to help the blanket weed. Or the filamentous algae grow because that green slime isn’t there to use up the nutrients. So, enjoy the wetland filtration of these specific types of algae will provide for you. These types of algae will grow on the surface area of rocks and gravel, but the water will sparkle.

Are pond snails good for your pond?

Because most pond snails are not aggressive, they are not aggressive feeders. You would need a whole army of snails in your fish pond. Typically what happens is, when you’ve got a lot of blanket weed. You’ve got a lot of nutrients in the fish pond.

You buy lots of snails to put them in your fish pond. Well, that is what’s going to turn into more nutrients. That is only going to feed your blanket weed infestation more because those fish are going to eat the snails.

A blanket weed full fish pond is always a case of nutrients. Nutrients that has got to come from somewhere. Too much fish food, not enough mechanical filtration. So you will end up with having lots of pond waste. Pond sludge=stored food, just like fat on the human body.

If you’ve got lots of fish in a pool, you will not have lots of snails. Or any fast-growing pond plants, so in return, you’ve got lots of blanket weed. In a pond with a lot of blanketweed, it is better to tackle the cause of the problem. Reduce the pond sludge, reduce the food, and treat the fish pond or fish pool with enzymes and minerals.

So yes, a pond snail will eat algae, but remember they only eat certain types of algae. At the individual rates depending on the pond snail, you want to keep.

So the answer ‘do pond snails eat algae?’ Yes but it not that easy.

Here is a video about Wildlife Pond Snails, Lymnaea stagnalis, Beneficial Pond Snail

If you interested in snails then this might interest you – Why are wildlife ponds important