Mystery Snail Amazement!

[Dreamroper]

Hi Everyone,

I recently added a couple of Mystery Snails to my tank and I can't believe how they keep the glass clean on the inside of my tank. I used to get these dark brown spots that were difficult to scrub off. Today was tank maintenance day and I was amazed at how clean the glass is. I also have some Malaysian Trumpets that I never see so hopefully they're doing their part of keeping my substrate aerated.

Thought I'd share my lovely surprise, but I'm sure many of you already knew this.

 

[Masha]

I love my mystery snails. Never realized how entertaining they could be. Love the way they jump off from high spots and sail through the water using their foot to steer

 

[Dreamroper]

Yes, I've seen them do that too! I have a golden one and a blue one. I also have pond snails that must have hitchhiked in on plants. I keep taking them out as I see them. The Mystery Snails are really growing fast!

 

[threnjen]

We got some mystery snails on a whim and we're surprised at how fun and interesting they are. I really enjoy watching them and my kids think they are great. They are a lot faster and more active than I expected!
Also they are growing like WEEDS, I'm actually a bit concerned about how fast

 

[Dreamroper]

We got some mystery snails on a whim and we're surprised at how fun and interesting they are. I really enjoy watching them and my kids think they are great. They are a lot faster and more active than I expected!
Also they are growing like WEEDS, I'm actually a bit concerned about how fast

I agree about how quick they can get around! Someone on this forum said that they will get to the size of golf balls and at times go exploring outside the tank. That would not be a good thing at my house. I have a 4 month old Blue Heeler/Aussie mix who grabs anything that hits the ground.

 

[Vatilla]

I love my Mystery Snails! I just don't love their 200+ children that are living in my tank! I don't have the heart to crush the eggs, so the babies hatch, and no one eats them. Be careful, you could end up with hundreds of little Mystery Snail friends!

 

[Tracy Bird]

I've never kept Mystery Snails, although I find them to be very cool...

Do they eat live plants?

 

[Dreamroper]

I love my Mystery Snails! I just don't love their 200+ children that are living in my tank! I don't have the heart to crush the eggs, so the babies hatch, and no one eats them. Be careful, you could end up with hundreds of little Mystery Snail friends!

I hope that I don't have a male and a female. It's my understanding that you need both sexes to have babies. I don't think I'll let the eggs hatch if I see an egg sack in my tank.

 

[Dreamroper]

I've never kept Mystery Snails, although I find them to be very cool...

Do they eat live plants?

No, they've just been cleaning the leaves. I just can't believe how they cleaned the glass. I really wasn't expecting that. I guess some snails eat live plants, but not Mystery Snails. They are pretty cool.

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

I hope that I don't have a male and a female. It's my understanding that you need both sexes to have babies. I don't think I'll let the eggs hatch if I see an egg sack in my tank.

Be careful lol I've heard of them laying eggs on the cover of the tank. You don't see any and one day there's 50+

 

[Vatilla]

I hope that I don't have a male and a female. It's my understanding that you need both sexes to have babies. I don't think I'll let the eggs hatch if I see an egg sack in my tank.

There's a way to tell the males from the females, but I've never been able to do it. Yes, you need a male and female, but it only takes one time. After one mating, the female can then have an egg clutch every 4+ days for the rest of her life. I've had... 16 clutches, but not all successful hatchings. She had 3 in May and 13 in the past 2 months.

 

[Dreamroper]

How soon after you get a pair would the female lay eggs? I bought the blue one about 2 weeks ago. I really don't want babies.

 

[wildroseofky]

When you have mystery snails it is important to check the tank rim, under filter edge and any place out of the water that could possibly hold eggs. They can hide them very well. They lay eggs depending on the water condition. If you have stable water you can get 2 egg layings a week. My recent pair are laying about once a month but they just became adults. They lay eggs whether they have breed or not like chickens. They can have 4-6 fertile clutches weeks or months after breeding. They can also breed before they become adults and hold on to the sperm for when they are adults. They will only eat plants when no other food is available. They will not go hungry.LOL You can tell males from females from the shape of the shell opening. Males have a rounder opening. You can also watch for the penis sheath. Males will often extend it when the breathing tube extends. They will have long tubes on both sides.

 

[Vatilla]

I got my male (I only know because I've caught the other one laying eggs four times) last August and I my female last... I want to say January. So they didn't breed until sexual maturity, a while after I got them.

 

[Dreamroper]

When you have mystery snails it is important to check the tank rim, under filter edge and any place out of the water that could possibly hold eggs. They can hide them very well. They lay eggs depending on the water condition. If you have stable water you can get 2 egg layings a week. My recent pair are laying about once a month but they just became adults. They lay eggs whether they have breed or not like chickens. They can have 4-6 fertile clutches weeks or months after breeding. They can also breed before they become adults and hold on to the sperm for when they are adults. They will only eat plants when no other food is available. They will not go hungry.LOL You can tell males from females from the shape of the shell opening. Males have a rounder opening. You can also watch for the penis sheath. Males will often extend it when the breathing tube extends. They will have long tubes on both sides.

So my only hope to keep from having eggs, is if they're both male? I do have stable water, and I've left a couple inches at the top of the tank because I've also read that they have to have air or they'll drown which is pretty interesting. I've been throwing an algae wafer in for them every other day or so and I haven't noticed any damage to my plants. Thanks for all of the info!
D

 

[wildroseofky]

Yeah the only hope of no eggs is all males. However, their eggs are a lot easier to deal with than any other snail.

 

[rpgmomma8404]

One of mine must be a lazy jerk because my 10 gallon is still covered in algae . I was trying to give him sometime but nope. He's more active at night which is strange because my other two are pretty active most of the time during the day.

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

One of mine must be a lazy jerk because my 10 gallon is still covered in algae . I was trying to give him sometime but nope. He's more active at night which is strange because my other two are pretty active most of the time during the day.

Mine barely even touch the algae. They wait for the algae pellets lol

 

[wildroseofky]

It is surprising how different snails of the same species can be. In my first three i had once that was always speeding around the tank looking for food, I had another that was lazy and often floated instead of crawling around. Then I had a male that spent all his time riding around on one of the two females. He got so annoying to one girl that she would try to throw him off. It was like watching a rodeo. LOL