Should I give them soil to eat?

[alexc1981]

I just read the below on a website selling snails.

"There are several substrates to use in your tank, the
most common being an organic compost or soil, other
substrates include spagnum moss, capillary matting
and coir, but please bare in mind it is important to make
sure your snail has access to soil as snails do eat a
small amount of soil which is fairly important to the diet.
It is also important that the substrate is kept damp."

Is this true? They should have some soil because they eat it? My tank has never had any soil in it.

[Deleted]

I doubt it.

[sezzy5889]

I wrote that....

because someone on here once wrote that annnnnd the other day someone asked if it was dangerous that there snail was eating coir and Paul said no they do commonly eat it.
Mine do all the time, it seems to help flush their systems a bit...

[Deleted]

I don't think it's that important for their diet. I've never seen my snails eat soil. Most of my snails are on cappillary matting and they're fine.

[Paul]

According to Nisbet, he thinks it is important for digestion as he and plummer noted a two-stage digestion cycle involving soil and faeces the second time around. They require bacteria also from the soil for digestion.

Also, many of us have reported that between food, sometimes there faeces is a long dark string, indicating they've eaten soil.

So, I would definitely say it is safer to have some.

[alexc1981]

Righto. I think I'll put a tray of soil in. It will be interesting to see what they make of it.