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Happy, Healthy Plants Guaranteed
Expertly Grown In The UK
Carefully Hand Delivered
Happy, Healthy Plants Guaranteed
Expertly Grown In The UK
Carefully Hand Delivered

Trapdoor Snails (Viviparus viviparus)

Spiral patterned snails that clean algae from your pond

The Highlights

    • Attractively patterned spiral shells in shades of green and yellow
    • These helpful little snails will eat the algae from the bottom of your pond to help keep it clean. They also feed on dead foliage, plankton and other microdebris as well as excess fish food, preventing fish overfeeding
    • The name 'Trapdoor' is due to their ability to produce an operculum, a tough plate that protects them from predators and prevents dehydration. They can seal themselves for several months if necessary
    • As they have gills and not lungs, they can survive even under frozen water
    • How many snails do you need? We recommend 5 per square metre
    • Hardy and easy to care for, they can adapt to changes in water conditions and form part of your pond's healthy ecosystem

Trapdoor Snails (Viviparus viviparus)

Spiral patterned snails that clean algae from your pond
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The Highlights

    • Attractively patterned spiral shells in shades of green and yellow
    • These helpful little snails will eat the algae from the bottom of your pond to help keep it clean. They also feed on dead foliage, plankton and other microdebris as well as excess fish food, preventing fish overfeeding
    • The name 'Trapdoor' is due to their ability to produce an operculum, a tough plate that protects them from predators and prevents dehydration. They can seal themselves for several months if necessary
    • As they have gills and not lungs, they can survive even under frozen water
    • How many snails do you need? We recommend 5 per square metre
    • Hardy and easy to care for, they can adapt to changes in water conditions and form part of your pond's healthy ecosystem

Know Your Plant

Supplied as:

5 Trapdoor Snails
Our pond plants are supplied in Aquatic Pots which have a mesh-like structure allowing you to plant them straight into your pond. The pot maintains the root structure as it enters the water, but allows the plants to root out into the underlying soil.

Height on arrival:

Eventual height:

5-7cm

Time to first crop:

Habit:

Freshwater
Can be found in deep water with a high calcium content
Freshwater
Can be found in deep water with a high calcium content

Hardiness:

Fully hardy
Hardy snails which can survive under even frozen water
Fully hardy
Hardy snails which can survive under even frozen water

Rootstock:

Spacing:

5 per m2
We recommend introducing 5 snails per square metre of pond

Care Guide

Good pest and disease resistance

Common health problems usually involve a snail’s shell. They need plenty of calcium in their diet to grow a strong one. If the Ramshorn Snails don’t eat enough, their shell growth could become stunted. The opposite can happen if they eat too much, the shell grows faster and discolors. Watch out for white spots on a snail’s shell, this could be a sign of parasites. These snails are not afflicted by other pathogens very often. Copper is toxic to most invertebrates. Never add anything to your pond if copper is listed as an ingredient. MORE

No extra feeding needed

There's no need to feed your snails - they'll find all they need in your pond.

For more care tips and ideas visit our Knowledge page

Planting Calendar

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