# Feeding a Mystery Snail.



## colorxmexravyne (May 8, 2012)

Hi all! About a week ago, I got a mystery snail from petsmart. I originally went in for a Nerite, but one of the pet associates talked me into an "apple snail." As it turns out, I have a black mystery snail (with red/orange-ish spots) with a white shell, although it's kind of thin or something because you can see through it just a little?

But that's a different question for a different day. I just wanted know, *how much is "normal" for a mystery snail to eat? And what exactly do they eat*? I feel like mine, who still doesn't have a name and is just most often referred to as "my snail", barely eats. I've tried cucumber, spinach and algae wafers, but to no avail. Well, actually, (s?)he was too fond of cucumber. The first time I offered him spinach, he nibbled at it, but largely left the leaf alone. Also, he only ate a little bit of the algae wafer that I dropped in there the first time. He didn't touch it when I tried again. 

I keep reading all over the internet that most peoples snails love at least one of the three things mentioned. So, do I just have an incredibly picky snail or is something wrong here? :/

My snail shares a heated five gal tank with my betta Bandit. From what I've witnessed, they generally get along pretty well. The snail sleeps/is inactive during the day, but crawls all over everything at night. I've seen Bandit nip at the snail twice, both times at night, but I'm aware that doesn't mean he hasn't done it than that. 

Oh, and it may be beneficial to know that Bandit apparently likes the snail's algae wafers as well. I found out that he's quite the little piggy, so I had to start separating them at feeding time.

Thanks in advance to anyone that read all of this!


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## reggie oaks (Jul 22, 2012)

*Suggestion: first classify, then feed*

This diagram will help in the classification, since some apple snails prefer aquarium plants, and others [if not all] simply are scavengers that will clean glass and gravel of algae. If I remember well, green algae is their favorite. In my opinion, its really hard to underfeed an apple snail. This critter will always find something to eat at any tank, provided you make food go into your tank.


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## colorxmexravyne (May 8, 2012)

I'm 99 percent sure that I have a diffusa. Like I said, I originally went in for a nerite and came out with a mystery snail, so I had to educate myself on what exactly I was getting myself into. My snail has yet to touch any of the wisteria I have in my tank, so I think I'm right. I'll double check though. Thanks!


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## reggie oaks (Jul 22, 2012)

Ok, you gave me an idea. I will make an album in my site with pics of my apple snail. Hopefully it will be uploaded in a few minutes. You can visit and compare yours with the pictures I have.


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## colorxmexravyne (May 8, 2012)

alright. 

edit: i just looked at them and honestly? it's hard to tell, haha. i mean, i suppose they look the same except for the obvious color difference and that yours looks bigger than mine. though i'm not sure if it's because it actually is or because of the way they're cropped.


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## reggie oaks (Jul 22, 2012)

*It's done- Apple snail pics*

http://www.bettafish.com/album.php?albumid=4229


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## reggie oaks (Jul 22, 2012)

*Approx. size of AN*



colorxmexravyne said:


> alright.
> 
> edit: i just looked at them and honestly? it's hard to tell, haha. i mean, i suppose they look the same except for the obvious color difference and that yours looks bigger than mine. though i'm not sure if it's because it actually is or because of the way they're cropped.


Some 7/8 of an inch in diameter [or maybe an inch]. I suspect the way I cut my pic makes it look bigger than he really is.


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## colorxmexravyne (May 8, 2012)

colorxmexravyne said:


> alright.
> 
> edit: i just looked at them and honestly? it's hard to tell, haha. i mean, i suppose they look the same except for the obvious color difference and that yours looks bigger than mine. though i'm not sure if it's because it actually is or because of the way they're cropped.


^^^

i'm charging up my camera right now so that you can see. it'll probably be a while, though. my camera's been dead for like three months.


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## reggie oaks (Jul 22, 2012)

But some species can grow to approx. 6 inches in length. They are the largest freshwater snails. The address in the diagram is very interesting. I suggest you visit this site.


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## colorxmexravyne (May 8, 2012)

i have! multiple times!  when i was researching them, that was my go-to site. i'm pretty sure that i have the diffusa, i just wanted to know how much they eat/what else they eat.

edit: this is the best i could get for now. it's not very helpful...


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## colorxmexravyne (May 8, 2012)

deleted the pictures cause they were blurry and totally unhelpful.


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## reggie oaks (Jul 22, 2012)

*Good pic*



colorxmexravyne said:


> i have! multiple times!  when i was researching them, that was my go-to site. i'm pretty sure that i have the diffusa, i just wanted to know how much they eat/what else they eat.
> 
> edit: this is the best i could get for now. it's not very helpful...


Are you kidding? This picture is great, maybe not for identification purposes, but I definitely like it. I suppose we have the same kind of snail.It is a scavenger in all the extension of the word. I suspect its preffered food is vegetation Vegetables, wil have to try carrots and stuff like that.


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## colorxmexravyne (May 8, 2012)

^ another one from my phone from the day i got him. i think this would help the most.


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## colorxmexravyne (May 8, 2012)

reggie oaks said:


> Are you kidding? This picture is great, maybe not for identification purposes, but I definitely like it. I suppose we have the same kind of snail.It is a scavenger in all the extension of the word. I suspect its preffered food is vegetation Vegetables, wil have to try carrots and stuff like that.


haha, well thanks. sooo, i should try carrots then? am i supposed to blanch those, too?


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

I feed my trapdoor snails and my 1 black mystery snail cucumbers or zucchini. However alot of times I end up having to toss the veggie because they won't eat it and it rots in the water. I also feed them "tank nibblers". I get them at walmart and they stick to the side of the wall. 

http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Tank-Ni...&qid=1343286052&sr=1-1&keywords=Tank+nibblers

I drop in 2-3 a day plus fresh veggies but I also have 2 giant wild trapdoor snails and about 30 babies in the tank plus the one mystery snail.


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## colorxmexravyne (May 8, 2012)

so, what would you recommend for just ONE mystery snail? i can't seem to find a good feeding schedule for him. :/


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## cjconcepcion (Jun 7, 2012)

i think i stalked this thread long enough... i started a new thread with my question but no one seems to have answered it... ive got my mystery snail in my spawn tank right now, theres lots and lots of plant matter in there, oak leaves, banana leaves, indian almond leaves, and some live plants, do i still need to give him wafers and veggies?


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## TheCrabbyTabby (Jul 7, 2012)

CJ, I would supplement a veggie, like blanched carrots or cucumber, or an algae wafer every once in a while, if you feel that its current source of food is not enough. If the snail doesn't eat it completely within a set amount of time, remove it and let them feed on whatever is in the tank for a while. 

Ravyne, I usually don't have a set schedule for feeding my mystery snails. I usually just throw in something like a veggie or two a few times a week. Some people even like putting them in a separate tank to feed them, to minimize the food waste polluting the water of the main tank.


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## colorxmexravyne (May 8, 2012)

TheCrabbyTabby said:


> CJ, I would supplement a veggie, like blanched carrots or cucumber, or an algae wafer every once in a while, if you feel that its current source of food is not enough. If the snail doesn't eat it completely within a set amount of time, remove it and let them feed on whatever is in the tank for a while.
> 
> Ravyne, I usually don't have a set schedule for feeding my mystery snails. I usually just throw in something like a veggie or two a few times a week. Some people even like putting them in a separate tank to feed them, to minimize the food waste polluting the water of the main tank.


Okay. I just feel like mine NEVER eats. And there's not really that much in my tank. At least, I don't _see_ any algae or anything. I've been offering him spinach and algae wafers for the past two days, but he won't eat it. I guess I'll keep trying? Thanks.


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## cjconcepcion (Jun 7, 2012)

do all the leaves and such count as food for him though?


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## iElBeau (Feb 20, 2012)

I'm having the same problem with my mystery snails  I don't know what to feed them! I haven't tried algae wafers yet, but put a cucumber in today, and I don't think they've eaten it at all... 

PS. Do veggies affect the pH or the nutrients in the tank at all? And I read somewhere that they should be in between 8 and 12 hours tops... does this sound about right?

Thanks!


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