Before I became an expert on the affairs of mollusks, I had highly misunderstood how snails work. I thought they lived in their shells just like hermit crabs, and would be simply “naked” without them. Actually, the shells function similarly to our skin by protecting their internal organs, and so, without the shell, the snail will immediately die. In fact, any injury to the shell endangers the snail and shortens its lifespan by half, which brings us to the elephant in the room.
Mystery snails do not shed their shells! They can’t leave their shells and magically grow new ones else they will die from their organs being exposed. So, they cannot and do not peel off the outer layers of the shell to regrow a new one like lizards do. If you notice any peeling or cracking, your snail is in danger and needs immediate attention.
5 Signs That Your Mystery Snail’s Shell Is Suffering
Once you know what you’re looking at, it won’t be difficult to decipher when your pet mystery snail is in danger. Sadly, the shells of mystery snails are delicate and heavily influenced by their lifestyle. The following situations explain the dangers your mystery snail’s shell can experience:
1. Cracking Of The Shell
If you notice cracks along the shell of your mystery snail, it could be from some sort of blunt-force trauma. They are notorious for crawling out of their tanks and falling to their doom. Usually, this fall would crack their shells causing them immense stress which could lead to death. Cracking can also be a result of wrong water parameters and malnutrition. If your aquarium is too acidic, it will directly affect the shell and cause splinters and cracks.
2. Denting Of The Shell
You will begin to see dents on the shells of your mystery snails if they’re not fed properly. Usually, all fingers point to calcium deficiency, which is also true, but denting can also be due to feeding you snails one-sided meals. Mystery snails are omnivorous and prefer to be target-fed to stay healthy. This means that you must provide them with both animal and plant-based foods alongside calcium sources for them to survive. If you leave your pets to the mercy of algae, they will eventually grow to be feeble with pits and dents including cracks all over the shell.
3. Discoloration Of The Shell
Discoloration may be due to normal growth and aging, especially when you’re taking care of your pet correctly. However, it may also be a result of a parasitic infection or lack of proper minerals found in vegetables. It usually happens when you’re feeding your mystery snails low-quality foods such as low-value algae wafers or protein pallets. This is why it’s important that you purchase valuable foods or simply feed them fresh blanched vegetables and protein daily.
4. Stunted Growth
Mystery snails get as big as 2 – 3 inches in size fully grown, but in some rare cases, they may grow to exceed this range. It takes 4 months for a mystery snail to grow from hatchling to adult measuring up to the regular size of their species. If your pet remains the size as a juvenile, it most likely is stunted. Stunted growth may also be accompanied by deformed, thin shells, or irregularity along the swirls of the shell. The main reasons for this phenomenon are malnutrition and unhealthy living conditions such as wrong parameters and poor hygiene.
5. Unusual Growth On Shell
Just when you think nothing could be stranger then the aforementioned comes the existence of ciliates. Ciliates are single-cellular organisms that exhibit a communal or parasitic relationship with aquatic organisms such as mystery snails. They attach to the shell of your pets and grow into a visible bump.
Thankfully, most aquatic ciliates are either symbiotic or communal causing no harm to your snails. However, they can grow into cysts in uncomfortable places such as the opening or inside the shell thereby restricting easy movement. They are caused by poor hygiene and irregular water changes which causes them to multiply.
How To Avoid And Treat Mystery Snail Shell Problems
If your aquatic pet’s shell is going through tough times, it’s mostly likely one of the situations we’ve just discussed. Here’s how to go about it:
Always Ensure The Living Condition Is Ideal
To mystery snails, every body of freshwater isn’t the same. The chemistry of water differs from area to area and your pets will find a variety conducive to live in. So, you must make sure the water parameters are correct for their wellness at all times. The water conditions highly affect the shells of mystery snails, and in fact, you can tell how conducive your aquarium’s water is for your mollusks depending on how the shells appear. If any of the parameters are wrong—temperature, pH, hardness, and nitrite cycle—the first aspect to suffer is your mystery snail’s exterior.
Here’s how healthy water parameters for mystery snails should be:
| Parameters | Ideal Range |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 70 – 80 (°F) |
| pH | 7.6 – 8.0 |
| Ammonia (NH3/NH4+) | 0 |
| Nitrite (NO2-) | 0 |
| Nitrate (NO3-) | 0 |
| Copper (Cu) | 0 |
| Water hardness | 150 – 300 ppm |
| Salinity | 0 |
Feed The Proper Diet At All Times
Mystery snails are not as good algae eaters as nerite or ramshorns. So, having them fully dependent on free-growing tank algae is unhealthy for them. Mystery snails need nutritious meals such as calcium-rich blanched veggies and proteinous foods like shrimp, fish, and protein pellets. An all-around alternative is homemade snello, which combines all the nutrients they need in one meal. If your pet is fed with these items consistently, it will have a healthy shell through and through—no cracks, dents, or thinning in sight!
Here’s how to make healthy snello for your pets:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of blanched vegetables (such as spinach, carrots, or zucchini)
- 1/4 cup of gelatin powder
- 1/4 cup of baby food (optional, for added nutrition)
- 1/4 cup of calcium supplement (crushed cuttlebone or calcium powder)
Procedure:
- Puree the blanched vegetables in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, mix the gelatin powder with water according to the package instructions.
- Combine the pureed vegetables, gelatin mixture, baby food, and calcium supplement in a saucepan.
- Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring continuously until the gelatin is fully dissolved.
- Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Pour the mixture into ice cube trays or molds and refrigerate until set.
- Once set, you can cut the Snello into small portions or leave it as individual cubes.
Keep The Aquarium Accident-Free
Since mystery snails are notorious for crawling out of their tanks and falling off to their doom, ensure there is some sort of covering to prevent this from happening. You could use a mesh material or a lid with openings for ventilation to cover the tank and keep your pets safe. Also, beware of strong currents inside the tank including harsh air stones capable of flinging your snails against hard surfaces. Mysteries like to mess around riding bubbles and waves which can injure their exterior if they encounter overwhelming currents.
Make Sure There’s A Consistent Supply Of Calcium
Calcium directly affects the shells of your mystery snails. So, if they’re having a healthy amount daily, they will come out with strong shells through the stages of their growth. A good source of calcium is cuttlefish bone, and if you plop pieces into the tank, your snails will have access to raw calcium at all times to develop their shells. This will solve 50% of your snail’s exterior cracking or peeling effortlessly.
Perform Frequent Water Changes
If your pets have feeble shells despite feeding them properly and providing a calcium supply, the ammonia in the tank may be too high for comfort. Ammonia can be generated in tanks where food and waste are depleted without enough good bacteria to perform a nitrite cycle. This immediately accumulates affecting the health of your pets including the appearance of their shells. By performing regular water changes, you can regulate the possible accumulation of ammonia, saving your mystery snails from toxicity or the presence of pesky ciliates.
What Happens If My Mystery Snail Cracks Its Shell?
Unfortunately, the mortality rate for mystery snails with cracked shells is pretty high. Since their organs are exposed, they are susceptible to bacteria and the harshness of their environment which is different from the safety of their shells. All you can do is double up on providing your pet calcium and high-mineral veggies such as kale and spinach to help rejuvenate the cracked shell. If your pet is healthy enough, it will grow back the missing piece or cover up the broken part in no time.
However, if it’s a gaping hole, you can attempt to save your mystery snail by performing a simple procedure. Using a minimal amount of gel-like glue and a relatively matching part of an eggshell, you can cover the opening on your snail’s shell and keep its organs safe. You must ensure that you don’t put glue inside the shell as this will affect the snail itself. If you do this correctly, you may provide your pet with a second chance at life.
