Introduction
If you are thinking of adding mystery snails to your aquarium, it’s vital to make sure your setup is suitable for them. The wrong environment will make your snails stressed, and potentially make them sick.
Mystery snails will tolerate water as cool as 65 degrees F, but you should be aware that they will operate much more slowly if they are kept at cold temperatures. Most snails prefer warm water, and this is true of mystery snails. They should ideally be kept between 68 and 82 degrees F.
In this article, we’re going to explore what temperature is too cold for a mystery snail, whether they really need warm water, and if they need a bubbler in order to survive. We will also touch on whether they can live in tap water or not. This should give you all the information you need to provide your snails with the right environment.
How Cold Is Too Cold For A Mystery Snail?
Anything below 65 degrees F is too cold for a mystery snail. Although they can survive at 65 degrees F, they prefer warmer temperatures, and they are at risk of getting sick and dying if you don’t keep them in a warm enough environment. It is really important to keep temperatures up if you want them to survive.
If the temperature in your tank drops below 55 degrees F, it is very likely that the snails will die.
Do not keep snails in a completely unheated tank, especially if the room is cold. The water temperature may drop too low for your snails to survive, and they will be at constant risk of temperature fluctuations.
It is worth mentioning the caveat that mystery snails might live slightly longer in cool (but not cold) water, because they slow down. This can reduce the speed at which they age, and may help prolong their lives. However, it’s difficult to measure the benefits in real terms.
Do Mystery Snails Need Warm Water?
Mystery snails do not need warm water to survive (although really cold water could kill them), but they need it in order to be active. If you have bought snails because you want to watch them exploring, eating, and generally living in the aquarium, you will be far more satisfied if you provide them with warmth.
A small heater will generally be enough to keep the water temperature at around or above 68 degrees F, even in a cool room. If you don’t provide any source of heat, you’ll probably see your snails behaving lethargically, without much interest in food and enrichment.
It’s therefore best to keep your snails in warm water unless you really want to prolong their life and you don’t mind them moving slowly. Even in these cases, you shouldn’t decrease the temperature below 65 degrees F, or the snails may die.
Do Mystery Snails Need A Bubbler?
Mystery snails don’t need a bubbler, no. Many aquatic creatures do, but these snails can function fine without one. Bubblers are used to increase oxygen levels within the water, but mystery snails will generally be fine with the natural oxygen levels. You may sometimes see your mystery snails crawling to the surface for air.
Mystery snails usually absorb oxygen from the water through their skins. The only instance in which you might need a bubbler is if you are keeping a lot of snails in a small container. Crowded tanks tend to end up with low levels of oxygen, because all the creatures will be using the oxygen up more quickly than it is replenished.
On the whole, however, mystery snails will survive fine even in low oxygen environments, and you don’t need to worry about increasing the levels artificially. This is particularly true if you keep your mystery snails in a large container and they are not crowded.
If you are concerned, there is certainly no harm in adding an air pump to the aquarium, and other species may benefit from it. However, if you are just keeping mystery snails, you are very unlikely to need the air pump.
Can Mystery Snails Live In Tap Water?
A lot of people want to use tap water in their aquariums because it is readily available and simple to put in the tank. However, remember that mystery snails breathe through their skins and they have very porous bodies. Using tap water is generally not considered a good idea for these creatures.
Tap water contains a lot of chemicals to make it safe for human consumption. Chlorine is added in large quantities to kill bacteria and minimize the risk of poisoning. Other chemicals may be present for the same reasons. Tap water might also contain large amounts of chalk, which may not be good for your snail.
It is therefore best not to use tap water in your aquarium if you want to add mystery snails – and many other kinds of snails, for that matter. Although most snails are pretty hardy, putting them in tap water could stress them out or kill them, particularly if they are already stressed from being moved to a new environment.
It is especially important to note that most snails are highly sensitive to chlorine. If you absolutely have to use tap water in your aquarium for some reason, you need to tip it into a shallow, wide dish first, and allow it to stand for at least 24 hours. This should let most of the chlorine evaporate from the water, which will make it safer for the snails.
Do note, however, that safer does not necessarily mean safe. The snails might still die from other chemicals in the water, or may get stressed out and refuse to eat. Be aware of this and avoid tap water if at all possible.
Conclusion
Mystery snails cannot live in very cold water. They may be able to survive in water that is about room temperature, but they will move and grow much more slowly than snails that are kept in warm water. It is generally considered better to keep the water warm and the snails active.
