Please tell me everything I need to know about taking care of a mystery snail.

[Emily Z]

About a few months ago, I owned a mystery snail.

This was my first ever mystery snail. He was a magenta snail named Goomy, and I got him from a breeder in Maryland off Ebay. He was the size of a pea, and I loved him. My whole family loved him, watching him climb on top of my betta's little cave and jumping off. Unfortunately, Goomy died a premature death from malnutrition and a severely irritated foot only a few months later because of my lack of research.

For one, my tank wasn't ready for a mystery snail. This tank was desolate (it still is, but earlier today I ordered more plants from Aquarium Co-op to fill up those bare areas) and it was not suitable for a community tank. Secondly, my "research" was 2 hours of reading articles off the first page of Google that claimed mystery snails could thrive living off only algae from the glass and algae wafers. I didn't know mystery snails actually needed a diverse diet of blanched vegetables up until after Goomy's death. At the same time, Goomy had also developed his irritated foot as he "tip-toed" across the sand often and his foot was curled up, so inevitably after a whole month of him having an irritated foot and stunted growth with me not noticing, he died. I ended up burying him in an indoor pot which has now grown into beautiful purple flowers.

I want to own another mystery snail. It was really... relaxing. For my whole family, not only me. Seeing Goomy crawl up the glass and rocks, it was fun and entertaining for my family to see this cute little snail explore. However, I do not want to make the same mistakes as last time. I want to give my next snail a long, fruitful life. I don't want any future mystery snails of mine to reach the same fate as Goomy.

Therefore, for all those on this forum that have experience with mystery snails, please tell me everything I need to know about caring for them. What to do when they get sick, how to recognize when they are sick, what and how to feed them, what's right and what's wrong, things I should avoid, and the like. It would be really helpful, so that I would be more prepared for next time.

I appreciate all your effort and advice, thank you so much.

-Emily

[Guppysnail]

I’m so sorry for your loss. It hurts every time one of mine passes 😢 ( I think I misunderstood I thought this was your new one). 
mystery snail diet it seems you now know. Variety of veggies and wafers.  They like to be kept above ph 7.0 anything below will deteriorate it’s shell. They need calcium. High calcium veggies like broccoli stalks green beans etc. also if you can get them coop sells wondershells that are a great addition. If not let me know there are alternatives. They are ok in nitrates up to 40 then they are less active. If your snail is inactive consistently there is somethi Bothering it water quality tank mates pecking at them nipping tentacles etc. copper is dangerous. They need trace amounts and that is safe. Food, water source, fertilizers contains copper are safe but do remember they are cumulative and add up to levels that may not be safe all used together. If the float once in a great while they are ok. If they do it a lot it is a defense mechanism to relocate on the tide to a more hospitable place or a place with more food. They do eat A LOT especially when young. 
Most medications that are fish safe have some negative to detrimental affects on snails. Do research before using as some can absorb into your silicone and substrate and leech back out. If there are ever any specific questions do not hesitate to ask I had tons and tons when I first started with mystery snails. Best of luck with your new friend. 

Edited November 30, 2021 by Guppysnail

[Brandon p]

I raised blue mystery snails 100’s in a tank. @Guppysnail is great and has a great Journal. I keep mine on sand substrate with no plants except rest root floaters. I do feed them things like green beans, corn, leaves from plants o have trimmed Romain lettuce, they are very Fascinating

[PineSong]

One thing to be aware of is that snails may prefer veggies blanched softer than what you would consider 'blanched'. When I first started feeding veggies the veggies would sometimes sit in the tank for a day or so before my snail would show interest. I started cooking them a bit more and she's now on them much sooner--on Thanksgiving she had a green bean and was wrapped around it nomming within five minutes. So if at first your snail appears uninterested, make them a bit softer.

[Brandon p]

Make sure you make sure there is enough Calcium in the tank I Feed mine similar I use unsalted canned green beans they have in most grocery stores as the store brand.

[johnzhe]

I also used to have two pea-sized mystery snails, and both of them died from starvation even in a planted, active tank. 

One more thing to consider (if you're getting a small snail again) is tank size. A tank too large will be hard for the snail to find food in if you're not dumping tons of it in. Just imagine a pea-sized mystery snail trying to find a small slice of zuchinni in a 100g tank. Sure, that zuchinni will feed it for a few days, but it might not find the zuchinni without wasting a bunch of energy crawling to it.

(This is more relevant for really tiny snails and breeders trying to maximise their output, but it still matters a bit here.)

Larger snails will be a bit better in big tanks since they move way faster. 

[Chad]

Plus one about the canned green beans. I throw a few in once it’s dark to keep my guppies from eating them all. I also buy beans that are regular and not French cut but I split them in half myself. Don’t know if it’s necessary but it keeps them a bit more contained.

[Stef]

Mystery snails are very peaceful and if you’re planning on having other tank mates (fish), they should also be a peaceful variety. Snail antenna can be tempting for aggressive fish to nibble on. 
 

Also a tight fitting lid to prevent any escape attempts. 
 

The co-op has YouTube vids on mysteries. This is a good one from PrimeTime aquatics on mystery snail care:

 

[Tedrock]

On 11/30/2021 at 8:50 AM, Guppysnail said:

I’m so sorry for your loss. It hurts every time one of mine passes 😢 ( I think I misunderstood I thought this was your new one). 
mystery snail diet it seems you now know. Variety of veggies and wafers.  They like to be kept above ph 7.0 anything below will deteriorate it’s shell. They need calcium. High calcium veggies like broccoli stalks green beans etc. also if you can get them coop sells wondershells that are a great addition. If not let me know there are alternatives. They are ok in nitrates up to 40 then they are less active. If your snail is inactive consistently there is somethi Bothering it water quality tank mates pecking at them nipping tentacles etc. copper is dangerous. They need trace amounts and that is safe. Food, water source, fertilizers contains copper are safe but do remember they are cumulative and add up to levels that may not be safe all used together. If the float once in a great while they are ok. If they do it a lot it is a defense mechanism to relocate on the tide to a more hospitable place or a place with more food. They do eat A LOT especially when young. 
Most medications that are fish safe have some negative to detrimental affects on snails. Do research before using as some can absorb into your silicone and substrate and leech back out. If there are ever any specific questions do not hesitate to ask I had tons and tons when I first started with mystery snails. Best of luck with your new friend. 

Second wonder shells! It addresses hardness and the issue of GH.  I suggest some reading on GH and KH. The coop had videos hosted by Irene.

 

[anewbie]

zucchini works well; btw the other thing to do is always check outside your tank if you can't find him and put him back in - they love to climb out. 

[Brandon p]

Your snails should never starve. They resort to eating your plants for food before that. I have a 55 gal tank that is full of them 100’s. You have to make you make and effort to make sure that they are eating. My like the trimmings  from the Amazon sword and frogbit and read leaf floaters. Most snails die due to lack on minerals in the water especially Calcium. As the snails get bigger the when they fall done from the top of the tank there she’ll will break in a small sport that you my or may not see. This may outright kill the snail or harm the flap the mystery close and then the are free game. As for the sand I would be surprised itf that caused a problem unless it was very angular sand (sharp edged sand that fits tightly together) and then that will cause a problem for any snails fish on the bottom. 

[Flumpweesel]

@Brandon p just slipping off topic here but that baby (guessing) bristlenose is incredibly cute.  

I can't join in this chat as mystery snails are banned over here.  Unless this gets reconsidered since now we are not in the EU now but I imagine snail imports are a low priority to the government at this time 

I will mention that I have soft water and find that is does the development of pest snails.

[Brandon p]

I have very hard water and I do have to watch that. I sell them to a LFS and if start delivering  poor fish or or snails I won’t be selling  them them there any more. 
 

I have about 20 fry albino bristles Nose as well as some regular BN from different generations. Those go to the LFS and other places. I have the lemon blue eyed that I just set up a breeder for and I have 6 L333 but they are a bit to small to breed. I have been looking for a l-134 female.

@Flumpweesel

Edited December 1, 2021 by Brandon p