Trapdoor Snails, the Pond’s Cleaner
Pondkeepers in search of help in controlling algae growth on the bottom, sides and rocks in the pond will be glad to hear that the Japanese Trapdoor snail ( Viviparis malleatus) just might be the answer.
Pondkeepers in search of help in controlling algae growth on the bottom, sides and rocks in the pond will be glad to hear that the Japanese Trapdoor snail ( Viviparis malleatus) just might be the answer.
Recently, we wrote of the scourge of the pond known as algae. One of our treatments in the forefront of the battle to control algae is the very popular AlgaeFix from Pondcare Labs. This product was produced to kill nuisance algae while still being safe for any fish, plants or wildlife that might come into contact with the product.
Despite the fact that it is a natural process, the growth of algae in the ornamental pond is something most pond keepers consider unacceptable. The majority of the algae fall into one of two types, free floating planktonic algae and filamentous algae. The only things either of these require to grow is sunlight, water and nutrition in the form of the fish wastes, nitrate, and phosphate. We can try to control the algae by providing competition in the form of ornamental plants for the available food source.
Pondkeepers in search of help in controlling pond algae growth on the bottom, sides and rocks in the pond will be glad to hear that the Japanese Trapdoor snail ( Viviparis malleatus) just might be the answer.
In an attempt to provide the best in nutrition for our Koi, the hobbyist has access to many different types of foods that meet specific requirements for the fish. Nearly all Koi foods are a floating pellet or stix to bring the fish to the surface and allow us better viewing during feeding. It also allows us to monitor how much food to feed, as excess pellets floating around the pond after a few minutes indicated we offered too much koi food.