Mystery snail

[Mcannelis]

I've had 6 mystery snails in my 20 gallon tank with neons guppies catfish and a platy The water line was about 4 inches below the top and some of my snails are males and females. They always hang up top half out of the water. Now one of my golds who was riding with my blue all of yesterday is all out of the water and a little opening on her bottom keeps opening and closing. Could she be laying eggs or is she just trying to escape. I have a kid and had my snails for 3 weeks.

 

[Mcannelis]

She went back down to halfway out and no eggs

 

[brennae]

The snails need to be conditioned. Feed blanched veggies, algae wafers and anything else they like. Mine like Hikari's bottom feeder discs. It seems to me that my snails go to be decent sized before they laid any eggs. Since my largest female has passed on I havent had any eggs but lots of mating. I am not sure why.
Something else important is strength of their shells. You should but either liquid calcium made for reef tanks in or a piece of cuttlebone made for birds. This helps to keep the shells hard and with no cracks. They also need Iodine which again can be purchased for reef tanks. Only use a few drops of each a few times a week. One bottle will last forever.

What kind of lid do you have? Snail eggs need to be kept really humid but not wet and the Versa-top style glass lids are better than the plastic hood for this.

I am attaching pics of a snail laying eggs so you can see what it will look like when it happens.

Good luck!

 

[Mcannelis]

I have the lid that came with my tank I feed them bottom feeder tablets and would the chemicals hurt my fish

 

[brennae]

The calcium and iodine will not hurt the fish but only use a few drops about twice a week.

 

[Mcannelis]

The calcium and iodine will not hurt the fish but only use a few drops about twice a week.

Thanks. Ill try it

 

[brennae]

No problem