Where to Get Snails for Pea Puffers

Last Updated on July 3, 2022 by cmoarz

You might be overwhelmed with the fact that pea puffers need live feeder snails as a course in their diet. But where the heck do you even get them? This article will explain the different avenues you can get live feeder snails for pea puffers, sometimes for free!

Local pet store

I can’t speak for every local pet store, But most will give out these pest snails at absolutely no charge to you. They are considered pests after all.

Bring your own container and ask if you can pluck some out of their tanks and most of the time they will be happy to let you do so.

Of course, Not all pet stores are willing to give you snails, So be sure to ask beforehand.

Some pet stores may also sell these either as live foods or as pets. They are usually very very cheap because they breed so quickly.

Snails like these include pond snails, dwarf snails, bladder snails, and Malaysian snails.

Local ponds

Local ponds are usually chalked full of pond and bladder snails. Just wade in and pluck out some plants and pluck out some snails and you are good to go.

Just remember that most ponds are on private property and you should always ask permission from the pond owner before you go picking snails.

Also, remember to be careful. Ponds can be dangerous, You can get stuck inside the mud with your boots, and there may be leeches in the pond. It’s best to go in with a friend and be very careful.

Craigslist and Kijiji

Sites like Craigslist and Kijiji are great sources for free snails. I’ve seen people give away hundreds of snails for free on these sites.

Just remember to be safe if you choose to meet up with someone in person. If at all possible, Bring a friend with you who will watch your back while you’re meeting the other person.

I’ve never had any problems but it’s always better safe than sorry.

Usually, people give away or sell very cheaply pest snails as live food sources or just to get rid of their populations.

And if none are available, you can always buy handfuls of duckweed or other plants, these are usually chalked full of pest snails.

Reddit

Subreddits dedicated to fish keeping are really good posts to get snails from.

Sometimes you will see people offering to mail out snails to people, but nothing is guaranteed. Never hurts to ask, however.

Online vendors for US, EU and Canada

When in doubt, Just buy them from online vendors straight up. You will get a package in the mail with the snails you’ve ordered, then all you have to do is plop them into a breeding tank.

Here are a few vendors:

Amazon Vendor US

Azgardens (US)

eBay (Global)

Aquaticarts (US Can)

Fishaddicts (Can)

And many more, too many to list. I definitely recommend eBay as your first stop.

Bonus: Starting your own breeding tank

You’re going to want a large number of feeder snails so you never need to deal with purchasing them again. To do this, we recommend setting up a 5-10 gallon breeding tank.

Most snails will breed in freshwater without any other issue, pond snails, bladder snails, and dwarf ramshorns especially.

Just plop some in, add a filter and remember to feed generously. You will have more snails than you know what to do within no time at all!