Gold Mystery Snail - Small

Gold Mystery Snail
 

Gold Mystery snails are one of the first aquatic pets aquarists start with after getting fish and rightfully so. These incredible critters offer a plethora of benefits in the aquarium setting from algae eating to general clean up and are just a great additional species to keep. These are also a very bright and noticeable member of the aquarium that get to the size of a ping pong ball. Caring for these snails is also incredibly easy as they require little to no intervention in care, they also breed quite easily which makes them a very easy species to sell as some additional income through your hobby.

Gold Mystery snails make for a great addition to both large and small aquariums because of how great they are as a utility species. They eat a wide range of algae and uneaten food which can build up quite quickly, especially in aquariums with messy fish. Aesthetically these snails are super bright with a golden shell, through selective breeding there is also a range of different shell colours however these are the classic and original colour. The foot or actual muscle of the snail is a creamy yellow and whilst snails are known to be slow, these mystery snails zoom around in the tank. These snails are incredibly hardy and can be kept in temperature ranges between 20-28 degrees, they also appreciate well-oxygenated water due to them having gills. Mystery snails are also totally plant-safe and will eat dying aquatic plant leaves, that way your plants always look clean. They are also peaceful snails that will mind their own business in the aquarium so it's almost a must-have species in a community aquarium.

There is often a misconception that snails will quickly become a pest in the aquarium but they only reproduce and thrive by the food levels in the aquarium. If there is ever a concern with the amount of snails you see in your aquarium it is usually a sign to feed less or do a good clean of detritus. Mystery snails however will rarely reach these populations because they lay eggs out of the water. This allows you to collect them and stop them from hatching however their egg clusters often come as a surprise to most aquarists.

Tank Recommendations for your Gold Mystery Snail

Gold mystery snails often max out at around 4cm tall and wide which is the rough size of a common ping pong ball. They also have a relatively low bio load in the aquarium due to their diet and digestion so the bare minimum aquarium volume you could happily house one of these snails with other tank mates would be around 30 litres. Aquatic snails move relatively fast for a snail but you won’t ever find them swimming in the water column, they will effortlessly glide across your glass and aquascapes whilst they chomp away at algae. The aquascape or substrate is not a concern for these snails however they will like water with a higher PH for the health of their shell.

Suitable Tank Buddies

The size and hard shell provide the Gold Mystery snail with decent protection however they are best kept in a community aquarium as larger predatory fish might pick at their softer fleshy body or break through the shell.

Usually Compatible

Ramshorn snails, tetras, dwarf cichlids, barbs, betta, goldfish, and essentially all peaceful community aquarium fish.

Sometime Compatible

Fire-mouth cichlids, severum, red tail sharks, and semi-aggressive species may overly pester the snail.

Rarely Compatible

Jaguar cichlids, fahaka pufferfish, predatory catfish, and clown loaches which will be experts at eating these snails.

Feeding your Gold Mystery Snail

In a well-established aquarium, the gold mystery snail will not need much feeding however a common issue is that the tank may not have enough self-sustaining food like algae or detritus. In newer tanks, it would always be recommended to throw in an algae wafer to ensure that snails have some food.