How To Stop Mystery Snails From Breeding

Mystery snails are known for their insatiable urge to breed, and as a result, you may find egg clutches sticking all over the place. While some people see this as a nuisance, there are actually a few benefits to having snails in your tank.

For example, snails help keep the tank clean by eating algae and uneaten food. They can also provide a source of food for other fish in the tank. If you’re a beginner at keeping snails, you may be wondering how to control the snail population in your tank.

How to stop mystery snails breeding INFOGRAPHIC

How To Know If Snails Are Breeding

To know if mystery snails are breeding, you need to observe their behavior and look for certain physical signs.

Mystery snails are most active at night, so you may need to do some observing during this time. Breeding activity will usually involve the male snail crawling up on top of the female and fertilising her.

If you see two snails in this position, it’s a good indication that breeding is taking place. You may also see clusters of eggs attached to the shell of a Mystery snail.

If you observe any of these behaviors or physical signs, it’s likely that the snails are breeding in your aquarium.

Ways To Stop Mystery Snails Breeding

Separate The Sexes

If you don’t want your mystery snail population to grow, you could try separating the sexes. The easiest way to do this is to buy two snails of different colors. If you can’t find snails of different colors, you can look for snails with different shell shapes. Male mystery snail shells are usually taller and thinner than female mystery snail shells.

Prevent The Snails From Reaching Each Other

Even if you have separated the sexes, mystery snails may still be able to reach each other and mate. To prevent this from happening, you’ll need to keep the snails in separate tanks or in different areas of the same tank.

Change The Water Regularly

Mystery snail eggs can hatch in as little as 9 days. To prevent this from happening, you’ll need to change the water regularly. A good rule of thumb is to change the water every week.

Lower the water temperature

One way to prevent mystery snail eggs from hatching is to lower the water temperature. Mystery snails are most likely to lay their eggs when the water temperature is between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. By lowering the water temperature, you can make it harder for the eggs to hatch.

Remove The Snails That Lay The Eggs

If you have mystery snails in your tank and they are laying eggs, you will need to remove them. Eggs will hatch into more baby snails, so it is important to get rid of them before they can reproduce.

You can either remove the mystery snails by hand or use a net to scoop them out of the tank. Be sure to dispose of the eggs in the trash so they cannot hatch and turn into more snails.

Use Petroleum Jelly

If you do not want to remove the mystery snails, you can prevent them from laying eggs by applying a layer of petroleum jelly to the inside of the tank. This will create a barrier that the snails will not be able to lay their eggs on. You will need to reapply the petroleum jelly every few weeks or as needed.

Cut Back On Feeding

Mystery snails are more likely to lay eggs when they’re well-fed. To stop this from happening, you can cut back on feeding. Instead of feeding your mystery snails every day, try feeding them every other day. You can also give them smaller meals.

Use Chemicals

You can use chemicals to stop mystery snails from breeding. One option is to use copper sulfate, which can be found at most hardware stores. Mix one tablespoon of copper sulfate with one gallon of water and pour it into the tank. Be sure to only use this chemical if there is no other aquatic life in the tank, as it can be harmful to them.

You can also use potassium permanganate. This chemical can be found at pet stores that sell fish supplies. Mix one teaspoon of potassium permanganate with one gallon of water and pour it into the tank. Again, only use this chemical if there is no other aquatic life in the tank.

With a little effort, you can easily control the snail population in your tank. By following these tips, you can enjoy the benefits of having snails without dealing with an overrun tank.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Mystery Snails Breed By Themselves

Mystery snails are not asexual and do require another snail of the opposite sex to breed. They lay their eggs above the water line on plants or other surfaces and the fry hatch a few weeks later.

Baby mystery snails are very small and need to be fed very small food items. They are also very vulnerable to being eaten by other tank mates, so care must be taken when housing them with other fish.

How Often Do Mystery Snails Breed?

Mystery snails lay eggs quite frequently, typically every 4 to 6 weeks. During peak breeding season, they may lay eggs even more often. Each clutch can contain 50 to 300 eggs, though the average is around 150. The eggs are relatively small, about the size of a pinhead.

Mystery snail parents do not care for their young. Once the eggs are laid, the parents move on and leave the eggs to fend for themselves. The eggs hatch in about two weeks, depending on temperature and humidity. Baby snails, or juveniles, are very small and vulnerable.

They must find food and shelter immediately to survive.

How Do I Control Mystery Snail Population In My Aquarium?

One way to control mystery snail populations is to remove them from the water when they become too numerous. This can be done by hand, using a net, or by using a trap.

Another way is to control mystery snail populations by changing the water conditions so that they are not conducive to mystery snail reproduction. This can be done by raising the temperature of the water, or by adding chemicals to the water that will kill mystery snails.

Lastly, you can control mystery snail populations by simply removing the food that they eat. This can be done by removing aquatic plants from the water, or by changing the type of fish food that is used.

Why Does My Mystery Snail Keep Laying Eggs?

If your snails keep laying eggs, it’s likely because the water conditions in its tank are conducive to reproduction, and plenty of healthy food is available for them.
If you don’t want your mystery snails to keep laying eggs, you can try to change the water conditions in its tank or remove some of the food sources.

Final Words

If you don’t want your mystery snails to breed, the best way to prevent it is by separating the males and females. They are not asexual and will need a partner of the opposite sex to breed.

If your snails have already done the deed and you have a bit of an invasion of mystery snails, then the steps above will certainly help you in controlling them. By following the simple steps in this article you can keep your mystery snail population under control.