Freshwater snails

Great ramshorn snail (Planorbarius corneus) This is a common species of freshwater snails that is found in ponds. They don't get larger than an inch usually, and can survive really cold water tempetures. The shell is usually orange, black, and the juveniles are sometimes white. The color of the body varies from black to dark blue. They are a cool pet, but keep in mind they reproduce really quickly. If you got them from a nearby pond they could get a weird desease and maybe die. They are very common near the edges of the pond and in shallow water, so its really easy to find them.

Great pond snail (Lymnaea stagnalis) This is a common snail in ponds, but not as common as the Great ramshorn snail, but just like them, they can as well survive really cold tempetures. They make cool pets too! The color of its shell is usually light yellow, or dark yellow. The animal is usually a dark cream color. Their maximum size is a 1.1 inches. Just like the Great ramshorn snail, they will reproduce really quickly. They are common near the edges of the pond, and in shallow water.

Bladder snail (Physella acuta) This is a very unique type of pond snail. It is a left-handed snail (unlike most other species) which means, the opening in the shell, is on the left side. The shell is a yellow/gold-like color, with many patterns, while the animal is black. This snail is a bit rarer than the Ramshorn, and Great pond snail.

Sharp hornsnail (Pleurocera acuta) This is a introduced species that is very common in the great lakes. It has many color variations, like blue or orange. It is very fun to collect, and it often washes up on beaches. The best place to look for them is at the surf line, and the high-wrack line. It is difficult to find a perfect specimen though, as the shells are pretty fragile. They're shell can measure up to 1.5 inches in height!

Wandering snail (lymnaea peregra) This is another species of snails that can be found in local ponds. It is similar to the Bladder snail, but don't get confused! The main differences, are the colors of the shells, and the fact that the wandering snail is right-handed, while the Bladder snail is left-handed. The main colors on the Wandering snail shell is yellow, with darker colored patterns, and spots.

Apple snail (Ampullariidae) This is a large freshwater species of snails that is native to South America, West indies, and Southern U.S. It can grow up to a size of 3 inches. There are many color forms, like yellow, orange, blue, brown, etc. They make really cool pets! The have long tentacles that can measure up to an inch in length. If you are looking for them in Florida, make sure to keep an eye out for alligators...

Assassin snail (Clea helena) This is a medium size freshwater snail that can grow up to 1.2 inches in length. It is carnivorous, as it feeds on other gastropods, it's probably why its also called the Assassin snail. It has one color form, yellow with multiple brown bands. The color of the body is cream or gray. This snail, like some other freshwater species has an operculum (trapdoor) attached to it's foot for protection when in potentially life threatening situations.