My unexpected friends..

So, after getting my 55g tank, around a year ago..
It was operating for six months before I noticed a new little friend, a mystery snail. At first I was dreading this. What did it mean? How did he get there? What was going on. But, he became a fast friend, greeting me at the tank for our daily feeding, hitching a ride on the occasional passing fish, and slowly growing in size.
Well, around 2 months after that, a friend of mine asked me where I got the new gravel from. I was dumbfounded, what new gravel? I hadn't changed that tanks scene since it first started! (Would love to, am just too short to reach the bottom!)
Went and stared, and noticed there were around twenty little snails. Not of the same species, either. They were so beautiful, too! So, some researching later.. They are called Malaysian Trumpet Snails.. And everything I read talked about killing them, again, dumbfounded! A week goes by, I now have around 200 snails, and my curiosity for them didn't disappear...
My Mystery Snail recently passed away, it was an unexpected moment that actually broke my heart.
I still have so many Malaysian Trumpet Snails though, and oh, they are helpful! Since they have ventured into my tank, I haven't had to clean the gravel as often, and my pleco really enjoys knocking them off of the tank walls.. They are amusing to watch plastered on the tank walls as I turn my light on for amusement..
So, I have come to ask myself, why so much hate for the helpful little guys?
My friend took some home to her aquarium, she's in love with them, too.

Don't get me wrong.. When I start up my soon-to-be puffer tank, they might make a trip in there every now and again as a snack.. But, I don't see any reason to hate. I have come to find them to be welcomed guests, and have even deterred from some adjustments to keep them happy.

Originally Posted by Aymbar I have a lot in my 55g.. They entertain me everyday, the pleco enjoys wiping them off the side, haha. I have a couple in my Goldfish tank, I think my Goldfish are too lazy to try to eat them, lol. I'm glad there are more people that are fans of the little guys, I would try to talk about them with some of the people I pet in the fish community before, and they gave me tips on killing them. (No way!)