Bladder snail
Physella acuta
FreshwaterSnail
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 57–86°F
- 14–30°C
- pH
- 6.5–8.0
- Adult size
- 0.6 in
- 1.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 5 gal
- 20 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Breeding
- Easy
- Rarity
- Very common
- Family
- Physidae
- Origin
- Europe
Overview
The bladder snail is a small, peaceful grazer for the bottom of a freshwater tank. It is easy to keep.
Did you know
A single bladder snail hitchhiking in on a plant can found an entire population. That is why bladder snails seem to appear from nowhere.
Caring for the bladder snail
Bladder snails need nothing special and will live happily in almost any setup of at least 5 gal (20 L). They tolerate a huge range of water, at 57 to 86°F (14 to 30°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 8.0.
They work the bottom and the glass, mostly at night. They eat algae, detritus and dead plant matter rather than healthy plants. Tank leftovers and algae keep them going, so they need no special feeding.
Bladder snails are peaceful, solitary grazers, though you rarely end up with just one. Each snail is a hermaphrodite carrying both sets of reproductive organs, and it can fertilize itself. They multiply fast when there is extra food around.
Good to know
Physella acuta is a small air-breathing snail in the family Physidae, with a thin, amber, left-coiling shell. It uses a simple lung instead of gills, so it can cope with low-oxygen water. The species is Least Concern but can become invasive outside its native range.
In the wild
Bladder snails turn up in just about every kind of still or slow freshwater, from ponds and ditches to lakes and stream edges. They come originally from Europe and now live worldwide. They favor spots thick with plants and organic muck, which gives them both food and cover.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The bladder snail is a peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Neocaridina shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (19 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
FreshwaterBrackish2.4 in (6 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Neon tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Freshwater1.5 in (3.8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)
Okinawa cleaner shrimp
Neocaridina denticulata
Freshwater1.2 in (3 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)
Micro bumblebee goby
Brachygobius nunus
FreshwaterBrackish1 in (2.5 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Dwarf amber barb
Barboides gracilis
Freshwater0.8 in (2 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a bladder snail need?
A bladder snail needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a bladder snail need?
A bladder snail is comfortable at 57–86°F (14–30°C) with a pH of 6.5–8.0.
What does a bladder snail eat?
A bladder snail eats algae, detritus and dead plant matter rather than healthy plants. Tank leftovers and algae keep it fed, so it needs no special feeding.
How big does a bladder snail get?
An adult bladder snail reaches about 0.6 in (1.5 cm).
How does a bladder snail breed?
A bladder snail is a hermaphrodite and can fertilize itself. It multiplies fast when there is extra food around.
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