Mystery Snail Care Guide

Guida alla cura delle lumache misteriose e profilo delle specie

Mystery snails are one of the most popular additions to freshwater tanks. These slow-moving, peaceful herbivores, let you sit back whilst they do some of the cleaning for you.

Most people will buy snails, such as nerite snails, to clean the glass and rocks of algae. No matter what level of experience, any community tank will benefit from these Gastropods.

In this app, we will talk about how to care for these fun little snails, including their appearance, breeding eggs, compatibility with other species, and much more…

These snails have many names, one being the scientific name Pomacea bridgesii. Like all snails, they are members of the class Gastropoda. However, most people will use the common name mystery snail or common apple snail.

There are lots of other names for this snail including; mystery apple snail, golden mystery snail, spike topped apple snail, and Pomacea australis. The correct scientific name however is Pomacea bridgesii.

Because they are so common among aquarists, use the following general rule when purchasing snails for your tank. Take a few minutes to observe the group of snails at the store and pick the ones who are moving or attached to a surface; never buy a snail that has a cracked or damaged shell.

The worst feeling when buying a snail is getting home only to realize the beautiful shell you picked out is just that: a shell.

In the wild, these snails will live for around 1 year. They eat dead plants and clean the environment. This allows any nutrients that are trapped in detritus to be returned back to the ecosystem.

A really interesting feature is their complex eyes which are placed on a cephalic eyestalk. There are no other sensory organs in the eyestalk, so it can completely regrow after a few short weeks if severed.

Another interesting note is there are other species of this snail from China under the scientific name of Cipangopaludina chinensis and Japan under the scientific name Cipangopaludina japonica. They are considered invasive species in some areas.

Both the Chinese and Japanese snails are members of a different family; Viviparidae. They were originally brought to California for the food trade due to their size. Common apple snails are used in the aquarium trade.

This app will focus on the common apple snail, Pomacea bridgesii.