what are some good bugs that can co-exist with my snails?

[himbrodude]

I just upgraded to a 32 gallon tank, and I think I have plenty of room now to get a few new friends! I currently have 5 garden snails, and while I'll definitely be getting more snails, I'd also like to get a few other critters for my tank. I was thinking plain old worms, would that be good? Or slugs? I just haven't been able to find many people who have experience with other bugs in their snail tank other than pill bugs.

I use coco coir and sphagnum moss with a base of vermiculite and rocks to prevent mold. I have moss, wood, and rocks as decorations. The tank can get a little cold just because it's hard where I live to keep it warm, but it rarely dips below 60 degrees fahrenheit. It's pretty wet in there, and I feed them the normal snail-safe fruits and veg. So is this safe for any other little bugs?

[snaileyhammy]

Hi! These are in fact not bugs but worms, slugs, and “pill bugs” are all actually there own thing. You can add slugs, isopods, worms, centipedes, and all sorts of things to the tank! Just make sure you set up proper things needed for each creature. Slugs being the easiest as they have mostly the same needs as snails.

[morningcoffee]

Mar 10, 2021 23:07:10 GMT himbrodude said:

I just upgraded to a 32 gallon tank, and I think I have plenty of room now to get a few new friends! I currently have 5 garden snails, and while I'll definitely be getting more snails, I'd also like to get a few other critters for my tank. I was thinking plain old worms, would that be good? Or slugs? I just haven't been able to find many people who have experience with other bugs in their snail tank other than pill bugs.

I use coco coir and sphagnum moss with a base of vermiculite and rocks to prevent mold. I have moss, wood, and rocks as decorations. The tank can get a little cold just because it's hard where I live to keep it warm, but it rarely dips below 60 degrees fahrenheit. It's pretty wet in there, and I feed them the normal snail-safe fruits and veg. So is this safe for any other little bugs?

Some people have reported worms in their tank actually entering the breathing hole of their snails and becoming stuck inside the mantle cavity, leading to the death of their snails. I'm not sure how common this is, but something to consider.
Some people keep woodlice and/or springtails in their tanks as a "cleanup crew". I would personally not include any creature that can bite, sting, or secrete harmful/irritant liquid (millipedes, centipedes, spiders etc), as the snails don't have a big area to escape from them inside a tank.

Also your tank should not be kept wet, as the majority of land snails don't like wet, soggy conditions. The tank should be moist/damp but no more than that. Try picking up a handful of substrate and squeezing it firmly - if more than a drop or two of water comes out, it's too wet.
Be careful with rocks as decoration in the tank also as these can easily cause a serious shell break if a snail falls onto one.

[himbrodude]

Mar 11, 2021 9:28:33 GMT morningcoffee said:

Mar 10, 2021 23:07:10 GMT himbrodude said:

I just upgraded to a 32 gallon tank, and I think I have plenty of room now to get a few new friends! I currently have 5 garden snails, and while I'll definitely be getting more snails, I'd also like to get a few other critters for my tank. I was thinking plain old worms, would that be good? Or slugs? I just haven't been able to find many people who have experience with other bugs in their snail tank other than pill bugs.

I use coco coir and sphagnum moss with a base of vermiculite and rocks to prevent mold. I have moss, wood, and rocks as decorations. The tank can get a little cold just because it's hard where I live to keep it warm, but it rarely dips below 60 degrees fahrenheit. It's pretty wet in there, and I feed them the normal snail-safe fruits and veg. So is this safe for any other little bugs?

Some people have reported worms in their tank actually entering the breathing hole of their snails and becoming stuck inside the mantle cavity, leading to the death of their snails. I'm not sure how common this is, but something to consider.
Some people keep woodlice and/or springtails in their tanks as a "cleanup crew". I would personally not include any creature that can bite, sting, or secrete harmful/irritant liquid (millipedes, centipedes, spiders etc), as the snails don't have a big area to escape from them inside a tank.

Also your tank should not be kept wet, as the majority of land snails don't like wet, soggy conditions. The tank should be moist/damp but no more than that. Try picking up a handful of substrate and squeezing it firmly - if more than a drop or two of water comes out, it's too wet.
Be careful with rocks as decoration in the tank also as these can easily cause a serious shell break if a snail falls onto one.

Oh man, that's terrible! If I end up getting any worms, I'll make sure to research them and see if there's any instances of that happening with that kind of worm. I'm hoping since my tank is pretty big and worms like to burrow in really deep, my snails and worms might not even cross paths even if my snails burrow in a little. But I'll stick to pill bugs for now until I can be sure it's super safe. And thank you for the advice! When I said my tank was pretty wet, I just meant damp, not muddy or anything. Like, wet enough for the snails. And I should've clarified, all my rocks are covered in thick layers of moss as a padding!

[snaileyhammy]

Ok awesome! Pill bugs are adorable!

[lla]

I would be careful putting slugs in with snails as many slugs release a very sticky substance when threatened. Granted I'm not sure if they would release the substance or feel threatened by a snail. I like to keep my slug separated from my snails because my slug could eat snail eggs (which I don't mind since i'm not into breeding but if you are that could be problematic) as well as possibly contend with my snails when it comes to food etc. Slugs also have a slightly different way of living, as in they dig into the ground to protect themselves from harsh temperatures etc. So I'd question if putting a slug and snail together is a good idea since slugs are also omnivorous. But do with that what you will