Apple Snails

Question
I used to have three apple snails (golden mystery snails, as the pet store called them). Then I had six, which was okay.

Now I have at least a dozen babies, which I cannot keep - I simply don't have the room.

My question is this: Will my snails thrive if (after they get old enough I think the frogs and things won't eat them up) I put them in a slow-moving creek near my house?

I have been told by some people that the snails will freeze to death in the winter.

Other people have told me that they will burrow in the sand or something - and survive.

Simplified: I can't keep all my apple snails and I can't bear to just get rid of them. Can they survive if I put them in a freshwater creek?

Thank you,
Michael Salley

Answer
Hi Michael;

Try to donate them to your local fish store. It is not a good idea to introduce them to your local eco-system. It's illegal anyway because it's an unnatural intrusion as well as possibly introducing pathogens that local wild species are not immune to, but your fish and snails are not bothered by. They probably won't survive but if they do they could cause an imbalance in local waterways.

You can also offer them for sale on Aquabid.com. Find out for sure which strain they are at http://www.applesnail.net/ so you know what to offer. Color variety, sex, size, etc. are all important to prospective buyers. Snails are much easier than fish to ship so don't worry about that. I think there are suggestions and guidelines on the aquabid site to do that too. You can also trade for other things over on the freshwater fish forum at About.com. http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/questionsanswers/a/naavigateforum.htm

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins