How do I clean my Mystery snail's shell?

[Herefishie]

I've had my mystery snail for about eight months now and he has a fair amount of algae on his shell. Can someone advise me as to the best and safest way to clean it off? I read you can use hydrogen peroxide but that makes me nervous?

[Guppysnail]

Hydrogen peroxide is not safe. If even a paper towel dampened touches the flesh it will injure them. 
My nerites clean the mystery snail shells as well as my bn pleco. Some folk give them a hair cut to keep it short. You can gently wipe most of it off with just a moist melamine pad (algae eraser). 

[Herefishie]

On 7/21/2023 at 6:24 AM, Guppysnail said:

Hydrogen peroxide is not safe. If even a paper towel dampened touches the flesh it will injure them. 
My nerites clean the mystery snail shells as well as my bn pleco. Some folk give them a hair cut to keep it short. You can gently wipe most of it off with just a moist melamine pad (algae eraser). 

Thank you! I just googled to see if Mr. Clean eraser pads are melamine pads and sure enough they are. I happen to have some. I just cleaned his shell and it looks great. Thanks again!

[Lennie]

I wanna say Just don’t. You have it for 8 months, u probably got him when it was around 2-3 months.

So already pretty close to complete its lifespan sadly. Mysteries don’t live too long.1-1.5 year is usually the average.

Let it live its old age peacefully and don’t risk applying or using anything on its shell

[Twood]

On 7/21/2023 at 9:16 AM, Herefishie said:

I've had my mystery snail for about eight months now and he has a fair amount of algae on his shell. Can someone advise me as to the best and safest way to clean it off? I read you can use hydrogen peroxide but that makes me nervous?

Depending on the type of algae, you may just get some mollies. My mollies love to pick at things and usually if I have any algae they will pick away at it until its gone.

[Lennie]

On 7/26/2023 at 4:52 AM, Twood said:

Depending on the type of algae, you may just get some mollies. My mollies love to pick at things and usually if I have any algae they will pick away at it until its gone.

Mystery snails easily get skittish tho. If there will be a fish picking on algae on their shell based on their liking, the snails probably won’t open up no matter what. Their eyesight is poor so they depend on their antennas mainly. When you walk by a tank and create some shadow you can see them instantly getting in a position to close up or start to parasnail to the ground. So they can’t manage to understand what’s going on around them clearly 
 

So a fish that potentially gonna pick on algae on a shell is not a good idea overall and would probably make them scared

Edited July 26, 2023 by Lennie

[Huckleberry]

Wipe it off or leave it be. 

On 7/26/2023 at 12:59 AM, Lennie said:

Mystery snails easily get skittish tho. If there will be a fish picking on algae on their shell based on their liking, the snails probably won’t open up no matter what. Their eyesight is poor so they depend on their antennas mainly. When you walk by a tank and create some shadow you can see them instantly getting in a position to close up or start to parasnail to the ground. So they can’t manage to understand what’s going on around them clearly 
 

So a fish that potentially gonna pick on algae on a shell is not a good idea overall and would probably make them scared

I dont have that issue . Molly's will poke them a little but the mystery snails don't really care.  In my swordtail tank it's like a big game. The snails climb up and the swordtails knock them down. 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 7/21/2023 at 9:53 AM, Lennie said:

I wanna say Just don’t. You have it for 8 months, u probably got him when it was around 2-3 months.

So already pretty close to complete its lifespan sadly. Mysteries don’t live too long.1-1.5 year is usually the average.

Let it live its old age peacefully and don’t risk applying or using anything on its shell

I would agree, just because it stresses the snail when you mess with him/her.  Shrimps will clean snail shells.  They love to (and it's very cute to watch).  Add a few shrimp!

On 7/25/2023 at 9:52 PM, Twood said:

Depending on the type of algae, you may just get some mollies. My mollies love to pick at things

Would disagree here because I've seen it happen - an antenna gets mistaken for a worm and the snail gets hurt.

Edited July 26, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea