Pond - goldfish - snails

I have a small pond - with goldfish that have been in there for 1-1/2 yrs now. It's quite healthy; some algae but clear enough to see the bottom. Lots of arachnis plants, etc. for oxygen; a fountain and a gargoyle spouting (birds love this). Occasionally I see a snail and will scoop it out; or in the filter when I clean it.
Question -- do I leave them ? One pet store says yes; they will clean up the algae - but do I want it that clean ? The other pet store says to get rid of them as soon as you see them; they multiply and are a nuisance. BTW I didn't put any snail(s) in the pond. Wondering how they got in there.....
Any thoughts ? Thanks
E

I had a lot of small snails last summer - they did no harm so I'd leave them. They probably came attached to a plant that you bought. Nice pond. I do love where I live, but I sure miss my pond in the winter.

My 2000 gal pond is chock full of snails. They don't cause any problems. But, winter slows them down here. Maybe in your climate they can get out of control. I do have a 75 gal tropical aquarium that has snails that had to have hitchiked in on a plant. They get very out of control in the aquarium. I battle them constantly. I can't use a snailicide in the tank because I have Amano and Cherry shrimp so I just hand pick them nearly every day. I have learned that a chemical product that eliminates ammonia, like Ammo Lock, will nearly kill them all. At least it knocks them back pretty hard for quite a while. I picked off about ten today when I cleaned the aquarium so I guess it is time to add another dose of Ammo Lock. Don't need it except to kill the snails.
If you are only seeing one or two that's not a problem. When did you first notice them?

I just see the odd snail now and then; they don't appear to be a major problem at the moment - perhaps when the weather warms up ? I will leave them alone then and just pluck them out if I see to many.
Thanks for the advice.

Hi Guys! I have had plain old river snails or trapdoor snails in my ponds for 15 years and they are great, They have live babys. In fact they are hermorphadites also. Some grow to about 3inches arround. They do keep some of the algy away. The fish eat some and some just crawl out and are gone,but they are very adapted to this cold weather. I have never run out. I have givin a lot away and have given my neighbor abunch over the years but her koi just eat them up so does her pond no good. They are good for the pond. I have had them in the aquarium also. Bev

Some pond stores around here sell trapdoor snails for ponds. I havn't put any in because once in a while I take some anacharis from the pond and put it in the aquarium. dragonfly62 is your aquarium a freshwater tropical? Mine is a 75 gal planted tetra tank with Co2. I have been afraid to introduce the trapdoor snail. I take it they don't cause any problems? Do they eat plants? The regular pond snail overbreeds excessively in my tank. If koi eat trapdoor snails I might give them a try and just not move any pond plants into the aquarium.

snapple! I have fresh water aqua. I do not put any live plants in mine. They are fresh water river snails. What is anacharis? Is it the oxegenating plant also called parrrots feather? I put some of that in the aqua for the snails and the fish to eat. It grows so fast in my outdoor pond I have to throw alot away every year and it hurts because it is so expensive,but it winters over in my 18 inch deep and so does my waterlilies. I have had both for years. Bev

Although they resemble each other parrots feather and anacharis arn't the same. Anacharis is the oxygenator. I have had both in the pond and even though the deep part is 3 1/2' it has neither has ever over wintered for me. Go figure! The waterlillies and rushes and lotus all overwinter just dandy! The indoor tank is heavily planted and it is a "black water" tank with peat in the filter. A bit challenging but satisfying when you finally get everthing working right.

I just leave mine in the water loose and it grows fast. Maybe you need to plant in pots and put tops 6inches uder so it can get some sun or just have it loose on top like I do. Bev

I think your advice is right on target. I will pot it up this spring. There will be spring, right?

There will be Spring some day. Watch your pots. That stuff grows like crazy even on top of the water. Let me know what goes. Bev