Mystery snail

[NickFish]

I've been thinking of getting 1 or 2 golden mystery snails for my 10 gallon.
Is there anything i should know about them before purchase?
How big do they grow and will 1 even fit in a 10 gallon?

Thanks

[msjinkzd]

the mystery snails most commonly sold are pomacea bridgessi and get to about the size of a golf ball. On average, you should have about 2 gallons of water per full-grown snail as they produce alot of waste as they graze constantly on algae or decaying plants. Its important to offer them calcium rich foods (especially if you have soft water) in order to promote good shell growth and reduce the risks of shell erosion. Blanched veggies work well, as do homemade foods (snail jello, biscuits, etc). You can also dose liquid calcium (kent's marine is great) being sure to not pour it onto your critters. They are not hemaproditic snails so two sexes are needed for reproduction and they can reproduce at about dime-sized. The eggs are typically laid above the water line and each clutch can result in 100 babies so its best to freeze or smash the clutches unless you have adequate housing to raise them. They breath air through gills and through a siphon (from the water surface). I really love them and think that they are a wonderful addition to a tank with peaceful tankmates. What are their tankmates going to be?

[Rue]

Exactly!

I'll just add that they can get out of remarkably small spaces, so you need to make sure your tank is escape proof!

[NickFish]

Wow very informative msjinkzd thanks!

[msjinkzd]

another thing i woulld recommend is to put a sponge over your intake as they tend to try and graze on algae/debris in their and have been known to get stuck. Good luck, they are one of my favourites!