Physidae sp. [Bladder Snail] Manuvering Along Submerged Peppermint Sprig

A Bladder Snail moves between the branched root system of Mentha × piperita (Peppermint), gliding much faster than someone might think for a lowly Pulmonate.

In the background, bits of detritus and duckweed slowly rise and fall as escaped gases dictate their altitude and buoyancy.

I am quite fond of Bladder Snails, ever since High School, where I spent most of my Senior Year's lunch periods and after school times studying their growth through a microscope. They are cute, stout things, unabated by the many issues of their immediate surroundings. They are quite stalwart and simplistic, lending themselves to scientific experimentation.

My experimental Aquaponics system has been affectionately referred to as the "Pasilalinic System", as it utilizes Bladder Snails, an incredibly low-tech organism, to release nutrients into water that is being absorbed by plants. Duckweed helps to filter out excess nutrients, and aeration occurs passively, which, while not optimal, might be acceptable for some plants more than others.