Will my mystery snail outgrow its shell?

[dora'sfishtank]

I just acquired a mystery snail (apple) and was wondering if I'll need to provide it a new shell eventually? Do they outgrow theirs?

 

[strokinbyeu]

nope there shell will grow with them, i belive your thinking a hermit crab. to keep the shell healthy maby add soem cuddle bone to your filter or straight to the tank, its supose to keep the shells looking nice(or some type of calcium) i never tryed it till jsut a few weeks ago for my stripped nitate snail. i never did this with my mystry snails and there shells got to looing pritty bad and most likly what killed them. darby is really good with snails from what i have been reading she will prob comment

 

[Andrewz00]

+1 for Darby.... ive said it before.. shes my "go to snail gal"

 

[dkpate]

Awww guys! Thanks! I still don't know everything though, I just love my snails!

Unless she detaches from her shell from an injury, she won't lose her shell.
The shells grow like fingernails. Like Stroke said, the cuttle bone (bird stuff) will help to make the shell nice, since it's calcium. I add about 1/4 tsp-1 tsp in my tanks about every 2 weeks, ground up with a cheese grater. You could probably go with just 1/4 tsp if you only have the one snail. I have a pantload of snails, so I use a little more.

 

[dora'sfishtank]

The cuttlebone's a good idea. Just add it straight to the water? Tomorrow I'll see if I can tempt her with some veggies, she's still a bit shy.

 

[dkpate]

I just sprinkle it in after grating it. You can also bury half of it in the substrate.
I feed mine algae wafers, she loves them and is getting quite good at keeping the other bottom feeders off of it LOL.

 

[strokinbyeu]

i just broke off a peice of the cuttl bone and put it in my filter after the media. been there for about 2 weeks and loks like i just put it there it last along time

 

[dkpate]

Yeah, but you don't want the cuttlebone to block your filter. If it's against the media, that's less water that passes through the media and back into the tank.