Hi! So I got an air BiOrb for Christmas last year. All plants have been there ever since along with some isopods and springtails. Today while looking at it I noticed these 2 snails, don’t know if they are alive or not but how did they get there?! Are they harmful to my plants?
by kmglasscreations
6 Comments
I HAVE THESE IN MINE TOO! I don’t know their scientific names
I have no answers for you but your setup is beautiful
I’ve heard various names for similar looking snails, some are detrivores, some are carnivorous. I think they’re overall just called “Glass snails?” they stay super super duper small and like a lot of moisture. I have these in a 2 gallon jar, and my plants vastly outgrow them, and if they’re the ones that eat springtails, my springtails are vastly outbreeding them. So… they’re fine.
They probably hitched a ride on a plant. I got some similar, if not the same, snails in my soil when I got some variegated ficus pumila from Home Depot. I put them in a terrarium the other week.
I would not worry about your plants unless you have fruits or vegetables growing in there—or some species of herb. Outside of veg, fruit, and leafy greens, they eat detritus. So if a leaf dies on your plants they’ll eat that.
If you want to keep them as pets, and thriving, they’ll need a little help with their shell growth. It’s made of calcium carbonate so a piece of eggshell will give them the nutrients they need—the isopods will also appreciate it for their exoskeletons.
They are harmless
I have teeny tiny slugs in mine. In some weird way, I think I’d be marginally less pissed off about snails than slugs, just because snails are vaguely cute.
Currently trying to lure the bastards out with bits of fruit until I can get some nematodes. Unfortunately, they seem to prefer my jewel orchids to anything I’ve offered them.
Good luck with your infestation.