Snailed It! Your Hub for Aquatic Snail Care

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!) ************************************** 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...

I always say that calcium is the key to optimal snail shell health, but...how does one actually go about supplementing it? Sure, there's suggestions on supplies to use; yet, there's not often much clarification about how to use them. When I first began snailkeeping, I was totally lost when it came to calcium supplementation.  Little lady is thrilled about all this calcium! For my beginner snailkeepers, this simple guide will show you four easy ways to ensure your aquatic snail is getting all the calcium they need.  Before we begin, I personally recommend supplementing calcium in both water and diet.  With that, let's dive in! (Note: I am not sponsored by any brands I mention, nor am I affiliated with any sources I recommend. Thank you!) Cuttlebone A delightful tortoise enjoying some cuttlebone. Credit: Richard Mayer, de.wikipedia, (CC BY-SA 3.0)   Snails require calcium carbonate to promote healthy shell growth. Cracked shells are a common sign of inadequate calcium...

  "What is this arm on my snail? Is he okay?" Among the most frequent questions I come across regarding aquatic snails include questions about anatomy — and rightfully so! Snails have very funky anatomy, sometimes mystifying both beginner and long-time snailkeepers. While we still have yet to fully understand how aquatic snails function, there's thankfully much that we do know. Today, I'll break down the components of aquatic snail anatomy, focusing on the mystery snail.  The mystery snail encompasses the anatomical structure present in each freshwater aquatic snail, hence my focus on this specific species. Lola, the master of balance! Siphon That question asked at the beginning usually pertains to the mystery snail. What is that little tube? Most initially guess either parasite or genitalia. You'll be relieved to know that it's neither. This is their siphon! I'll include this video I uploaded to my Instagram account for a fun summarization: My Siphon Vide...

A young golden mystery snail exploring Whether you already own a mystery snail or are planning on buying one, this guide offers comprehensive answers and guidelines for optimal mystery snail care. I'll also share advice and suggestions regarding pitfalls I fell into as a beginner aquatic snail owner. With that, let's dive in! (Note: I am not sponsored by any brands I mention, nor am I affiliated with any sources I recommend.) Tank Size Mystery snails can easily reach around 2 - 3 inches in diameter. They love to roam, climb, and parasnail (more on that later), so it's important that you choose an environment that allows them the space to do so freely. The general rule of thumb is 5 gallons per mystery snail.  In my experience, you can comfortably house up to four in a 10 gallon tank. However, if you are just beginning, I would recommend housing only two in a 10 gallon, as this will give you time to adjust to the bioload they produce (they produce a lot of waste very quickly...