Pleurocerid snails are extremely abundant and dominate macroinvertebrate biomass throughout the mid-order shoals of the Cahaba River in central Alabama.  In preparation for studies of secondary production, daily instantaneous growth models were developed for 3 species of pleurocerids:  Pleurocera vestitum, Elimia clara, and Elimia showalteri.  Individual growth was tracked by tethering snails on monofilament line, allowing access to natural food/substrate.  Thirty individuals of each species, representing a body-size gradient, were tethered with 20-cm line.  Initial aperture widths were measured and re-measured at ~30 d intervals for 8 mo over the natural temperature range of the river.  Small sizes were continuously introduced when available.  Aperture widths were converted to body mass using length/mass regressions.  Preliminary models are:  log g (P. vestitum) = -2.780 - 0.666 (log M) + 0.069 T (r² = 0.65); log g (E. clara) = -3.627 - 0.272 (log M) + 0.0635 T (r² = 0.53); log g (E. showalteri) = -5.401 - 0.369 (log M) + 0.251 T (r² = 0.60), where g = growth rate, M = body mass, and T = temperature (all variables p<0.01).  Such growth rates will not only allow production estimation but will provide estimates of grazing pressure on the shoals habitat.