Their average lifespan is much shorter than a betta fish’s and is typically around one year. Mystery Snail Tank Requirements. Member. They will also eat decaying aquarium plans, and will munch on some plants. I had 4 mystery snails in a 36 gallon tank. Dead leaves and other materials to hide under or move through to obtain food. FAQs. Today at 7:21 AM. Live mystery snails are very soft and squishy, but once dead they feel a little tougher. You can check on your snail by gently pushing against the flap where the shell closes. Is it ok for the snail to have eaten some of the body or do I have to take the snail out? How to tell if your snail is dead? Personally? Are Snails Dead If They Float? If you feel resistance, your snail is still alive. The main difference between a dead snail is the unbearable stench from the body compared to a sleeping one. Part 2 of 3: Preparing a Habitat For Your Snail. I thought for sure he was dead. These snails can also be sold as a Gold Mystery Snail, a Golden Mystery Snail, a Golden Inca Snail, a Golden Snail, a Yellow Snail, an Inca Snail or by some other name. Although seeing your snail floating may seem a bit odd, there are various reasons your snail is floating: Trapped Air: When snails, especially the ones with lungs, close their shells, a bit of air gets trapped in the shell and lungs, making them go up to the surface of the water like a little balloon. Though generally, these slimy creatures are like cows and graze around the tank gradually. They will also consume algae that builds up on driftwood or other items in the tank. Jan 8, 2014 #1 I have a 2" black mystery snail in my 75g freshwater tank, and up until now he has been perfectly fine and all over the place. The thing I found to do is take the snail out of the water and smell it. 1 was bought about 2 months ago (bought to but one died very quickly) and the others a few weeks ago. Plecos will eat dead fish and snails too. Does the tank have any diseases in it like Neon Tetra disease? Many people do not even measure the GH and KH, but they should. I have 4 black and 1 gold mystery (apple)snails and they usually only move around at night. You measure snails in diameter as opposed to length because it’s a more reliable indicator due to their build. If the trapdoor is able to open, your snail has died. Ampullariidae, common name the apple snails, is a family of large freshwater snails, aquatic gastropod mollusks with a gill and an operculum.This family is in the superfamily Ampullarioidea and is the type family of that superfamily.. Then I looked on the internet and it said it is common that they will sit for days or even weeks. OR receive one free if you buy 5 or more snails. Stories about them falling out of the shell, stinking. A dead snail will hang limply outside the shell, while a living snail may retract into the shell. RayClem. Mystery snails DO have a specific gender (unlike Ramshorn snails). Advertisement. I've heard many stories of dead snails. Thread starter Doomchibi; Start date Jan 8, 2014; click to vote now! **GUIDE. Identifying a dead mystery snail can be difficult because the animals will sometimes float on the surface or be inactive for days on end. Since Mystery Snails consume dead or decaying plant leaves, try choosing plants that grow fast and shed a lot of leaves. A dead mystery snail expels a very gross and pungent odor. Doomchibi Fish Fanatic. If there is a really foul smell than chances are he is dead. Is My Mystery Snail Dead / Dying? Mystery snails (or pomacea diffusa) are common freshwater snails to breed and/or keep as pets. Meredith Clawson March 23, 2020 at 5:47 pm Thanks for your kind word, Amber! The rest of my fish are doing fine though. Mystery snail is a solitary snail. When the baby snails are already 1 cm in size, you can place them back into your aquarium. Mystery snails are a long-time favorite invertebrate in the hobby. tis has happened 3 time...go to pet store..buy 3 mystery snails..put in tank...all good for 3-4 weeks, then in a couple days all die... Today at 8:01 AM. Best Lighting: Low light: Best Decorations: Caves to hide in. No idea why either. What are the water parameters in your tank? Although, they can attack some fish if they are hungry. My snail has not come out of his shell for going on 5 days. 70 gallon- Betta Enisae pair, betta Ocellata pair, female Betta Pugnax 29 Gallon- Betta Pallifina and Betta Patoti 20 Gallon- Betta Gladiator 5 Gallon- Betta Channoides And numerous Betta Splendens Coming soon: Betta Macrostoma … The average mystery snail size is roughly 2 inches in diameter when fully grown. Mar 30, 2019. abarb. This is why I only have one Mystery Snail, because I know if I get another they will change and breed. Removing a snail from the aquarium is the best way to conclude that it is asleep or dead. No, plecos will not eat live fish, just because they can get away. My pleco loves munching on frogbit leaves. As a supplemental feed nutrition, you can give them algae wafers that are an excellent source of vitamins. These Aquarium snails are one of the most popular types, especially due to their striking colors and large size. Natively, mystery snails have been residing in ponds, rivers, and swamps around Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil. Do Plecos Eat Other Fish? If they still do not move, take them out of the water. Mystery snails are non aggressive peaceful snails that are fun to watch and will help your tank stay clean! This only happens when they’re sick or dead. They can reach 1/2 to 3/4″ within 5 – 6 months or so. Move the snail to a new environment. Member. The ‘smell test’ or removing them from the tank and sniffing near them will be the true test. Please choose the shipping UPGRADE “Include a Care Guide!” if you would like to receive a tri-fold in depth guide on Mystery Snail care with custom artwork. This is done after you add the item to your cart. This operculum is a great way to determine whether the snail is alive and healthy, as it will fall off when the snail dies and will not properly close if something is wrong with the snail’s health. Mystery snails breed with the traditional male and female pairing, and they are fairly adept at figuring out how to breed on their own. Remove dead snails immediately to avoid disease and tank pollution (e.g. I had my mystery snail randomly turn up dead one day. One thing’s for sure- they love areas with decomposing or dead plants. By setting up your tank with care, adding the snails to the tank properly, and providing general care, you can maintain healthy, happy mystery snails. Common plecos often attack fish that have a rich slime coat. Especially pH, GH and KH. I’ve never had any luck with that. How to remove a dead mystery Snail to keep the shell.Be careful- it stinks.Wash with alcohol after. How Do I Dispose Of A Dead Snail? Member. And as with all aquarium purchases, avoid buying Inca Snails from a tank with dead or dying inhabitants. The mystery snail’s operculum looks not unlike a large nail when the snail is in its shell. **SIZE. The only time mystery snails feed on … I kept finding it upside down in the tank with the opening facing the surface. There are two options for disposing of a dead snail. Last week before my tank leaked one of the new ones died. This means you need a male & female to reproduce. No. If subpar care has been provided it’s entirely possible for a mystery snail to stop growing at around one inch in diameter instead. You will need a little patience and a keen sense of smell to tell if your snail is dead after a week or so of inactivity. Size. 2 Dead Mystery Snails. Mystery Snails. etc. You can carefully tug at the trapdoor of the snail. Mystery Snail and Tank Mates . If it is closed it is likely it's still alive. ammonia) which can harm your betta fish. https://www.aquariumcarebasics.com/freshwater-snails/mystery-snail When we’re talking about some bigger snail varieties like mystery or apple snails, there is another way. Jorda. They also like to eat dead plant matter. The longer the dead snail remains in the tank, the more quickly the water quality will deteriorate. It will smell really bad (#1 reliable method) ... Mystery Snails are like Clownfish, they have the ability to be one or the other depending on what is needed to be able to breed. Choose an appropriately-sized tank. I had a mystery snail that stayed in the same place for over a week and I was about to dispose of him. Member. Mystery snails are gonochoristic, which means there are male and female snails and you obviously will need both sexes for breeding. If cared for correctly, mystery snails live an average of 2-3 years. And other experienced mystery snail breeders find it to be tricky as well. Then one day he was on his side and looked like he was hanging out of the shell. There is also a noticeable difference in the texture of the dead tissue. As it was mentioned above, they will need higher temperatures for breeding, but more food is very important too. I assumed this was from the hole in its shell that I didn’t notice when buying it. If you want to encourage your mystery snails to breed, we suggest lowering the water level in your aquarium 3 or 4 inches, as the female will crawl out of the water to lay her eggs an inch or so above the water line. Remove the snail and smell the foot. Joined Nov 29, 2013 Messages 106 Reaction score 3 Location Massachusetts, USA. If the shell remains closed and the snail resists your efforts, it is still alive. An effective way to entice a snail to show itself is to move it to a new environment. You cane see the color changes in the Mystery Snail Egg Development page link below. The average size of a mystery snail is 1½ inches in diameter. When the right time comes, gently scrape the eggs into the breeder, and swish them around the water to dissolve. Closing Thoughts. A virus sounds possible, although my snail was an only mystery snail child so to speak. Try to take it out of the tank if it's dead it will fall out of it's shell. Although you could leave the dead snail in your aquarium for scavengers, such as hermit crabs, to eat, I advise you to remove the snail immediately. The bodies of snails fall out of the shell and decompose quickly after death leading to a quick surge in ammonia levels in the aquarium. These snails are quite short-lived and have a lifespan of only one year. The mystery snail, particularly the Japanese variety (trapdoor snail), can be a great addition to keep your tank’s algae under control. So when I got home today, the tuxedo one was dead and the ivory mystery snail was eating the body of the tuxedo guppy. Interesting fact: Mystery snail has been reported to gain weight rapidly (1.7% per day at 27.6 ˚C under laboratory conditions. Mystery snails have a trap door that they pull over themselves when they go into their shells. Not all snails are that big, and their growth can be stunted if they’re not getting the right diet. Dead mystery snails. They help add great color, variety, and beauty to any aquarium, given their beautiful color forms that include golden, brown, white, purple, black, and blue. It is pretty fast, especially in the first four to six weeks. Sexing mystery snails can be done by looking “under the hood” of the shell to identify their reproductive parts. Do mystery snails die soon after laying eggs? 1. A live snail will always contract at your touch, dead snails, of course, do not move. ncguppy830 Male . Mystery snail care is simple, they are very easy to look after, thriving on a mainly vegetarian diet but, upon seeing a dead fish, may enjoy this as a meaty treat.