The Golden Mystery Snail

The Golden Mystery Snail (Pomacea bridgesii) is a member of the class Gastropoda (meaning foot mouth) and the family Ampullariidae which are known as the Mystery Snails as a group. Some defining characteristics of this group are that they have gill and lung function so they can survive out of water, and an operculum. The operculum is a piece of shell that fits over the opening where the snails body extrudes from the shell. The snail can withdraw into its shell and protect itself by closing this “trapdoor” and sealing itself off from the outside world. These snails also have a siphon that acts as a snorkel allowing them to breathe air without leaving the water and thereby protecting them from terrestrial predators. Mystery Snails get to be about two inches and come in a variety of colors other than the Golden Mystery Snail we are discussing here. Other colors include white, blue, black, brown and of course the gold.

Mystery Snails are originally from South America with populations Bolivia, Brazil, Peru and Paraguay. They also have wild populations in areas well known for the aquarium trade such as Southeast Asia, Florida, and there are also introduced populations in Hawaii, and beyond. Most likely these populations in areas that are not known for pond or outdoor aquaculture such as Florida and Southeast Asia are most likely due to aquarium releases. Sadly enough, these snails were also released in Hawaii and parts of Asia as a food item. They are a delicacy in some parts of the world but didn’t fully catch on and acted as an intermediate host to a parasite that needs to be thoroughly cooked. In addition, they have caused issues with other agricultural crops in these areas such as taro in Hawaii. These snails are considered “generalists” ecologically, which means that they can survive in a lot of different habitats. Having gills allows them to survive in waters with high oxygen levels, and their ability to breathe above water allows them to also flourish in smaller, stagnant bodies of water – because they can always surface and breathe. Living in environments that might flood seasonally see large changes in dissolved oxygen levels too, and so its possible that the adaptation helps snails that get stranded in pools as the flood waters recede. While mystery snails are generalists and can feel right at home in many different environments, they are not able to survive temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mystery Snails (in large part to them being generalists) will do in almost all aquarium situations. Minimum aquarium size is almost anything – and as long as you live in a temperature-controlled home, temps should not be a concern whether it’s an unheated tank with goldfish or koi, or a tropical tank up to about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Very small tanks along the lines of a few gallons might have issues because these snails can produce a lot of waste – but its unlike to affect the snail, under most adverse water conditions they will just surface to breathe. Mystery snails get big and grow fast. In fact, they can be reproductive size (about the size of a golf ball) in as little as a few months. Obviously tankmates play a role in what makes a suitable home. If your goal is to breed Mystery Snails, some fish may eat the offspring while small. Additionally, fish such as loaches and pufferfish will search out and eat snails. Do research before adding mystery snails to your aquarium, and make sure that the fishes aren’t going to make a quick lunch of your Mystery Snails.

Feeding a Mystery Snail isn’t difficult, but they deserve a more diverse diet than what most people will give them in an aquarium. Yes, Mystery Snails eat algae, but they are also great detritivores as well. A detritivore is an animal that eats detritus, or dead organic material. Mostly this means that they eat dead or dying plants. They are actually still a great choice for planted aquariums because they won’t eat healthy plant tissue and so they can keep the tank clean of excess fish food, algae and old or dying plant leaves. Their diet can be supplemented in aquariums with additional fish food, especially foods that target more vegetarian diets, or actual vegetables weighted down so they can eat them. Blanching vegetables and then spearing them on a fork to keep them anchored in one place is a great way to attract aquatic plant eaters. Calcium supplementation can help with young and old snails whether they are rapidly growing new shells or maintaining a healthy old one. Small pieces of cuttlebone can be added to the aquarium for this purpose.

Breeding Mystery Snails is not very difficult, which is great news for having a sustainable source of aquarium snails and makes for an easy project for young aquarists looking to diversify their spawning portfolio. But it also leads to issues in the habitats they have escaped into and have started to dominate. To breed Mystery Snails, keep your aquarium in a higher temperature range, feed well, maintain water quality and wait. Mystery Snails do require a male and female snail, so if breeding them is your goal, consider getting at least 6-8 snails as this will almost guarantee at least one male and one female. These snails grow very rapidly, and so even if you get small ones, in good temperatures, with good water quality, and good food they can be almost to reproductive size in just a few months. Mystery snails lay their eggs above the waterline, so leave a few inches dry at the top of your aquarium for them to crawl up and lay their eggs. The eggs will mature over a couple weeks to a month, depending on temperature. Once hatched they are fairly easy prey for fish in the aquarium, but they will grow to the size of a pea in as little as a week given ample food and good temperatures. Mystery Snails do need to be about the size of a golf ball to reproduce, which can happen rapidly (within a few months) with their voracious appetite and good water temperatures!

The Golden Mystery Snail is beautiful and can be a great part of a freshwater fish only aquarium or a planted tank. Take care not to release them and accommodate their needs if you are hoping to spawn them. Ask your local fish store to order sustainably sourced Golden Mystery Snails from Aquatropic today!