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Ok, so I know puffers love to eat snails.

I have a figure 8 puffer that is so awesome. I've fed him small snails many times before. I was wondering, however, if it was possible for there to be any snails that he wouldn't eat. I've always wanted to get a big snail for my tank - you know, something different to watch for a while. Plus, I'm sure he'd enjoy a little bit of the algae on the walls.

So, is there any type of snail that would be big enough or unappealing to my figure 8? I thought about buying a really big snail, but I didn't want the puffer to slowly rip it apart. Is there any hope in it being left alone?

Thanks all!

Usually if you get a snail too big for a snail eater to eat they just pick at it until they've taken off too much of it's body or it dies of starvation. My loaches and angelfish will nip at an applesnail everytime it comes out until it starves then they eat it. The snails that were too stupid to close up lost their feelers then their eye stalks and died. I got a different tank for my snail eaters and have a variety of applesnail colors in the other tank.

So basically I'm outta luck with that puffer then. That's ok - I figured as much! Just thought I'd check.

Thanks for your advice! Maybe I'll get a snail or two for my other tank.

Watch out for malaysian trumpet snails, the ones with the conical shells. Their shells are very hard to crack, and a few puffs have died from infections and starvation after cracking teeth on them.

No kidding. I guess I'm just not gonna do snails at all then! Way too many complications. I may still add a few to a different tank, but not in my favorite puffer tank. Thanks everybody!

I've found that if you pre "mush" the trumpet snail, the fish will readily accept them.