The mystery snail shell deterioration has befuddled aquarium hobbyists for years. They are looking for its reason and finding the best solution to cure and prevent it.
A snail’s shell is an integral part of its body and can provide protection from predators and harsh environments.
However, over time aquarium snails can develop problems with their shells. The shells can become thin and brittle, and eventually, they may break off.
This shell deterioration is familiar with aquarium snails, but it’s not always easy to diagnose. If you notice your snail’s shell is deteriorating, you should take proper steps to help them recover.
In this article, we will discuss the causes and describe the method of how you fix a mystery snail shell deterioration. You will also get tips to keep the shell of snails healthy.
Let’s get started with knowing what mystery snails are.
What Are Mystery Snails?
Mystery snails are unique creatures that have fascinated fishing enthusiasts for centuries. Their scientific name is Pomacea bridgesii, and they are also known as apple snails.
These snails are tiny and have a variety of colorations and patterns. Some mystery snails come in whitish, ivory, magenta, cream, golden, blue-ish or purple colors.
The female mystery snail can give birth to a young and complete snail baby overnight. The appearance can be quick and dramatic and can leave you behind with the mystery. That’s why it’s called the name of a mystery snail.
How Do I know If My Mystery Snails Are Healthy?
If you wonder if your mystery snails are healthy, you can do a few things to check. A healthy snail will feel heavy on picking up.
And it will be able to hide itself entirely inside its shell. It will instantly react by touching or tapping on its shell. Also, the shell of the mystery snail will be smooth, free of any scratches or dots.
The mystery snail is a happy pet. It will be active when it is in good health and a good mood. You can also find out if it is healthy or not by its eating pattern. A healthy snail used to respond to food fast.
Why Are My Mystery Snail Shells Deteriorating?
Mystery snails’ are very simple to care for. These tiny creatures add versatility to a fish tank. But they are sensitive to shell change due to the lack of a consistent water environment.
Their shells are made out of calcium carbonate and can be very delicate. Lack of proper diet and inappropriate mineral content in water can damage mystery snails’ shells.
Also, they can easily be damaged by environmental factors, such as changes in pH levels or temperature, so it is essential to take care of them.
However, tank size is also an essential factor in keeping up with mystery snails adequately. A tank with a minimum of five gallons of capacity is a must for mystery snails’ well-being. Otherwise, it will start to stress out the snails resulting in deterioration of the snails’ shells.
How Do You Heal a Mystery Snail Shell?
When a mystery snail’s shell is damaged, the first step to healing it is to clean the wound. Use a q-tip or your finger to remove any dirt or algae that may be in the wound.
Once the wound is clean, you can start adding calcium additives to help speed up the healing process. It may take some time to complete the healing process.
There are several different types of calcium additives that you can use: ground coral, liquid additives, cuttlebones, and eggshells.
You can add calcium additives in two ways: by adding them directly to the water or by adding them to the food.
All of these additives provide different levels of calcium and other nutrients that help heal shells. And it’s the best way to heal your snail’s shell.
Also, check the acidity level of your water tank. If it exceeds the pH level of 7.5, then lower it. Or you can change the tank of the mystery snail until the acidic levels are normalized.
Moreover, keep your water parameter optimum, and remove all possible causes that are harming the snail that need to be removed immediately.
How Do You Keep Mystery Snails Healthy?
To keep your mystery snail healthy, you have to care for their diet, habitat, and tankmates. There are a few things you can do.
- Make sure you’re giving them a nutritious diet in the proper way. Ensure there are enough algae and plants in your tank to feed your mystery snail well.
- Mystery snails are sensitive to water temperature. They have a warm environment of 68 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit and clean surroundings.
- Maintain a pH level of 7.0 to 7.5.
- Control the acidic content of your tank.
- Check their health often by looking for changes in appearance or behavior.
If you notice anything wrong with your mystery snail, try to address the problem or take them to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Conclusion
There are many possible causes of mystery snail shell deterioration. The most common causes are environmental factors, such as water quality, temperature, and pH levels.
However, other causes, such as bacterial or fungal infections, can also lead to shell deterioration.
If you suspect that your mystery snail’s shell is deteriorating due to environmental factors, you need to try to adjust the water conditions in your tank ASAP.
We hope that following this writing on fixing mystery snail shell deterioration might help you a lot with that process.
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