Will the Great Pond Snail eat my aquarium plants?

They prefer algae and decaying plant matter, but if they are hungry, they will not hesitate to eat healthy, soft-leaved aquatic plants.

Do they need a heater in their tank?

No, they are a true coldwater species native to temperate climates and thrive in unheated aquariums or outdoor ponds.

How do they survive the winter in a pond?

During winter, they move to the deeper, slightly warmer water at the bottom of the pond and enter a state of dormancy until spring.

Why is my snail's shell turning white and pitting?

This is a sign of shell erosion due to acidic water or a lack of calcium. You should check your pH and consider adding a calcium source like cuttlebone to the water.

How can I tell if my snail is male or female?

You cannot, as they are hermaphrodites. Each snail possesses both male and female reproductive organs.

FreshwaterTropicalBeginner

Great Pond Snail

Lymnaea stagnalis

The Great Pond Snail is a large, hardy coldwater invertebrate renowned for its algae-grazing abilities, though it must be monitored around delicate aquatic plants.

List this species for sale Find Great Pond Snail near me

Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 4 – 22 °C
pH range: 7 – 8.5
Hardness: 10 – 25 dGH
Adult size: 4 – 7 cm
Min. volume: 20 litres+
Lifespan: 1 – 3 years
Diet: Omnivore

About the Great Pond Snail

Lymnaea stagnalis, commonly known as the Great Pond Snail, is one of the most recognisable and largest freshwater snails native to the Northern Hemisphere. Instantly identified by its sharply pointed, right-handed spiral shell, it is a staple of garden ponds and coldwater aquariums. As a pulmonate snail, it possesses a primitive lung and must occasionally travel to the water's surface to breathe atmospheric air. They are remarkably active for snails and are fascinating to watch as they glide upside down along the surface film using surface tension.

Find Great Pond Snail

Search current listings in your chosen area. If none are available, save an alert and we’ll let you know when a match is listed.

Find locally Check compatibility Add to a Setup

Availability alerts only use public sale listings. Adding this species to a Setup updates your private records.

Is it right for your tank?

Check Great Pond Snail against a habitat you already keep. We compare water type, temperature, pH, adult size, group needs and everything living there.

Where Great Pond Snail comes from

Native range

Europe, Northern Asia, North America

Countries / regions

United Kingdom, France, Germany, United States, Canada

Habitat

Still or slow-moving freshwaters, including ponds, lakes, ditches, and marshes with abundant aquatic vegetation.

A highly successful Holarctic species found across much of the Northern Hemisphere.

Similar species

Wandering Snail
Radix balthica
Ramshorn Snail
Planorbarius corneus

We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

View all compatibility

White Cloud Mountain Minnow
Tanichthys albonubes
Peaceful coldwater fish that occupy the upper water column and will completely ignore the snails.
Great
Ramshorn Snail
Planorbarius corneus
Shares similar water parameter requirements and peacefully co-exists as a fellow algae grazer.
Great
Fancy Goldfish
Carassius auratus
While adult snails are usually too large to be eaten, large goldfish may continually peck at their antennae or consume juvenile snails.
Compatible with caution
Clown Loach
Chromobotia macracanthus
Clown Loaches are specialist snail predators and will quickly decimate the population, plus they require tropical temperatures.
Not recommended
Dwarf Pufferfish
Carinotetraodon travancoricus
Pufferfish are highly adapted to crush and eat snails, making them a lethal threat to this species.
Not recommended

Current marketplace listings

Checking the marketplace…

See all Great Pond Snail listings

Public Wanted requests

No open requests for Great Pond Snail in this market yet.

Looking for Great Pond Snail?

Search current listings near you, or post a wanted request so local sellers know what you’re looking for.

Search Great Pond Snail listings Post a wanted request