For more information about planted aquariums, Natural Aquariums recommends "The Simple Guide to Planted Aquariums" by Terry Barber and Rhonda Wilson.
Pond Life "This inexpensive guide is one of the most useful books I've ever owned and my favorite beginners guide to pond life. I can't even say how many copies I've gone through and given away." - Rhonda Wilson


"Nature Aquarium World 2" The second Nature Aquarium World book from Takashi Amano. Mr. Amano's aquariums and photography make him the most celebrated planted aquarist in the world today.

Christel Kasselmann's "Aquarium Plants" is the most complete encylopedia of aquarium plants to date. A must have book for the aquatic plant enthusiast.

Freshwater Invertebrates

Malayan Livebearing Snail

The Malayan livebearing snail, have a long cone shape. They are also called trumpet snails. The color is usually tan with shades of brown and small red spots. These snails are very good at going through the aquarium gravel and keeping it clean. They also don't seem to bother plants and can be useful in the aquarium.

These snails are prosobranchs. They have gills and an operculum. As their name implies these snail bear live young, which is somewhat unusual in the world of snails.

Unfortunately like most of the other small snails that invade the aquarium Malayan livebearing snails tend to be prone to overpopulation. Since they hide in the gravel cleaning it and feeding, the exact extent of the population may not be known until some tank upset sends them to the top of the tank in huge numbers. Malayan livebearing snails have a much harder shell than ramshorns and pond snails and are equipped with an operculum making them much more difficult for fish like Botia to eat. They are very hardy and can survive some drying, some chemicals, and gravel treatments that would kill most other animals.

For more information on snails:

Snails
Ramshorn Snails
Pond Snails


Hydra | Moss Animals | Leeches, Worms, and Planaria
Arthropods | Crustaceans | Small Crustaceans | Insects | True Bugs | Flies
Mollusks | Snails | Ramshorn Snails | Pond Snails | Malayan Livebearing Snails | Clams