Native algea eater.

[Gearhead]

This is the type of snail i ussually catch. I have them in several aquariums, but they are in small numbers because the fish eat the hatchlings. The bog filter is going to have water flow about equal to a creek, so they should be fine, but I'll get some from my local ponds as well. I also ussually catch a few freshwater clams about 1/4" wide, would they be ok in the bog? I have seen shells up to about 3/4", how big do they get?

 

[Noto]

That's a left-handed pond snail, it should do well.

The freshwater clams are probably introduced Asiatic clams (Corbicula fluminea and relatives); I've seen them up to about 2" wide but they are usually smaller. I don't know how well they would do in your bog filter, but they're worth a shot. Just be sure to check your local laws first. In some states it is illegal to possess or transport them. Also be sure you are getting Corbicula and not a native unionid mussel. Mussels tend to be elongate or oval, or if they are clam-shaped, have strong ornamentation in the form of warts, ridges, or wings.

 

[Gearhead]

The clams look just like the ones you find at the beach, smooth clam-shaped shells. I even find them in the retention pond behind my house, so they're pretty common. I've put several in an aquarium but they never survive.

 

[Gearhead]

Ok, so my parents said that I'm not putting the lmb or bowfin in the pond. They dont like predatory fish, so I was thinking of getting some yellow perch instead. So the stocking is now going to be: koi, sterlets, yellow perch and channel cats, along with some random livebearers in the bog. There will be lots of floating plants, so some livebearers might survive in the pond. Any new thoughts on algea eaters? I can easilly switch out the perch for some large shiners or something like that.

 

[henrysusername]

arent channel cats predatory to

 

[aquaculture]

Channel cats are lazy predators also they like to , at least when young, scavenge off of the messy koi.

if yah go snail go with the japanese trapdoor snails and get several hundred so they can keep up with the algae in a pond.I reccomend these snails because the rest that were earlier mentioned were ll eaten by the fish in my pond but not the japanese trapdoors. the bladders were even wiped out wierd huh.

If yah have enough flow coming through the bog the clams should work out, they would do great if hit with water that is 0ppm of ammonia and nitrite but comes right out of the pond full of what the ponds filter could remove. As long as your not going to ditch unwanted clams back into creeks or ponds , you should be good harvasting the invasive clams, and if the water source is clean and away from a city cook em invasives for a shellfish meal.

 

[Gearhead]

The clams come from several creeks in the middle of a big city, and from several retention ponds, so I'm not going to eat them. I'm using channel cats instead of bullheads because channel cats are much more active, bullheads always hide and lurk in the shadows so you never see them. And I'm trying to keep this as native as possible, except for the koi and maybe sterlets, so I dont know if the japenese trapdoor snails are going to get into a nearby pond. We have lots of birds visiting our pond throughout the summer that could easily carry eggs away on their feet. The clams and the filter are going to be on opposite ends of the pond. Would the trapdoor snails survive the winter, and would the perch eat the snails?

 

[aquaculture]

the japanese trapdoors DO NOT lay eggs they give live birth to baby snails the size of a pea, they need a male and female snail to breed so highly unlikely youll polute your local ecosystem with these snails unless you purposely do so. They can survive in an iced over pond because if it gets to cold they hybernate by closing their trap door, and become "rocks" until warmer water.

I haven't had experience with perch and these snais but, at adult size these snails are 2 inches long and an 1 inche wide with a pretty tough spiraled shell and trapdoor they can shut when disturbed.

And all these snails do is graize on my algae in my pond when the water is warm so from spring to fall, when algae grows. they keep the algae down to a extremely low cut f it is the tougher fiber stuff, if it i the algae that wipes off they remove it completely. They are ignored by my pond fish in my signature.

Algae will remain in your pond with these snails but it will be tolerable. the snails do get algae growing on there shells wich helps them blend in to your algae in your pond.
If yah totally want to get rid of algae use algacide, but in my experience this harmed my fish, wiped out some koi and comets with the ****.

I wouldn't eat those clams either.

channel cats are awesome mine does underwater summer salts in the warmer months under the waterfall.

Heres a pick of a japanese trapdoor snail

big huh. thats there max size. can also see their trapdoor. *not me google image.

Also they can be exspensive they are slow breeders and raccons will ignore your fish and go for these snails instead.

 

[Noto]

Those guys (also called Chinese or Japanese mystery snails) are established pests in several parts of North America, especially the Great Lakes region, and are banned in many areas. Native snails are preferable.

*EDIT* Here's Indiana's page on the critter: http://www.in.gov/dnr/files/CHINESE_MYSTERY_SNAIL.pdf

 

[Great Basin Benji]

CRAYFISH!!! You'll have to provide cover for them, but they will DEVOUR algae as long as it's available, and they in turn will provide the occasional snack for the other fish.