The Light Fish Blog: Shouting Out Their Article!
Aquatic snails: the focus and love of this blog. I started this blog to help streamline information for fledgling snailkeepers, and I want to promote helpful resources, so I'm taking some time today to shout out The Light Fish Blog and their article on black mystery snails. The owner of the site and blog, Miles Harrison, has over ten years of experience in the aquarium hobby. (You can check out his Instagram account here!)
The Light Fish Blog also has a thriving community site, which you can check out. It's always fun to meet and network with others in the hobby.
(Note: I am not sponsored by The Light Fish Blog, thank you!)
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I'll highlight a few key points in the article that I think are especially helpful and insightful.
"Their calcium-based shells have a traditional spiral pattern, and their eyes appear at the tips of their upper tentacles. It’s believed that these snails can see subtle differences in light, which they use to navigate around the aquarium surface. Black Mystery Snails also have two lower tentacles, which they use to feel for new potential food sources.
Interestingly, these snails also have a small respiratory system, and as such, are capable of living outside of the water. Don’t be surprised if you find your snail cruising around the glass above the waterline, where they will occasionally come up for air."
This is an excellent overview of their anatomy and biology! I'll note that one question I often see from beginner snailkeepers is about this mysterious tube coming from their snail's side. As this articles mentions, this is part of their respiratory system. They have both gills and a lung! This tube is called a siphon, and they use it to pump oxygen into their lung. Don't be alarmed if your snail is doing so. This is totally normal.
"Black Mystery Snails can be sensitive to changes in water chemistry, but one of the most important things to watch out for is copper. Exposing black mystery snails to dangerous levels of copper can be lethal!"
Copper is a common cause of death for beginner snailkeeper's mysteries. You absolutely do not want it in your water. In very small amounts, it's safe in food.
"Planted tank hobbyists often inject CO2 directly into the water column to promote plant growth, but this CO2 injection can lower the pH, which can be deadly for black mystery snails."
This is something I learned from this article: I had no idea that CO2 could have this effect on water. Definitely be sure to monitor your pH level (ideally, should be 7 and above). Low pH can cause shell erosion.
"To ensure they’re getting the correct amount of nutrition, you can supplement their diet with sinking invertebrate pellets, algae wafers, and even blanched zucchini!"
Very true! Mystery snails eat quite a bit, so it's important to ensure you meet their nutritional needs with a diet rich in variety. Protein is integral to healthy operculum (trapdoor) growth, so be sure to include sinking pellets with protein.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading!