Do you have mystery snails in your tank? Or planning to add some mystery snail in your home aquarium?
Do you know how to identify the gender of your aquatic snails? Obviously not, that’s why you ended up here.
However, mystery snail gender recognition is a little bit easy. But their gender changing tendency makes it more difficult.
By the way, you can identify the snails’ gender following their behavior and appearances.
Also reading this article you will learn about the differences between male and female mystery snails.
As well as it will help you to identify your mystery snail male or female. So read this article till the end.
What is Mystery Snail?
Mystery snail is a species of Apple snail. Apple snail is a huge family of freshwater snails. Mystery snail is one of the parts of this family.
Mystery snail is also known as spike topped apple snail. Originally they are located in South America but mostly found in Peru, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay.
They have a binomial name which is ‘Pomacea bridgesii’. They have 6-7 whorls and can grow to 1.5 inches.
Apple snails and mystery snails have some similarity. Both have gills and lungs to take breath out of water. Also mystery snails have siphons to take breath underwater.
However, the mystery snail is familiar as an algae eater and non aggressive animal. That’s why you will find them in most of the home aquariums around the world.
Mystery (Apple) Snail Male or Female | How To tell if a Mystery Snail is Male or Female
There are some body structure differences and technique to identify the gender of the mystery snail.
You can easily figure out the gender of a mystery snail following some factors how to tell if your mystery snail is male or female.
- Physical characteristics
- Behavior
- Shell color
However, excepting those factors male and female mystery snails have different characteristics. Such as female snails will lay eggs whether male snails will not.
What Does a Male Snail Look Like
Male mystery snail shell color is a little bit different from female shell color. Also they climb up to the other mystery snail.
As well as when you will check your snail you will see male body structure. Except from this you will not get any other difference.
How Do You Know a Female Snail
-In short, female mystery snail body structure, behavior and shell color is totally different from male mystery snail.
That means female mystery snails are different from male aquatic snails.
–Also when you will check the upper sight of the right mantle cavity if you do not see any male organ that means it is a female snail.
-As well as female snails will not climb up to another mystery snail.
–And another interesting way to identify a female snail is it will come to the water line to lay eggs.
It can produce eighty eggs within three to six weeks after mating. Also it can lay eggs without mating.
-However, a female mystery snail’s important characteristic is it will lay eggs. Which helps aquarists to identify the female mystery snail.
How to Tell if a Water Snail is a Male or Female
Water snail is male or female can be identified following the below factors. The facts are:
1. Physical Characteristics
You can figure out your snail gender by checking its body structure. It can be a little bit easier if your snail is big or if it is a baby snail waiting till adulthood.
After reaching the adult period, turn your snail upside down. Now look over the upper part which is located in the right mantle cavity.
If you see any male organ after the gills then the snail gender is male. And if there is no male organ then it is a female snail.
Also if you see the translucent shell the snail is female and this will happen at the breeding period. It only be noticeable when the snail will enter the breeding period.
2. Behavior
Male mystery snails and female mystery snails behave differently from one to another. If you have many mystery snails you will see some different behavior.
When you see any aquatic snail climbing onto another snail be sure that it is a male mystery snail. And female mystery snail do not climb to other snail.
3. Shell Color
You can understand your snail gender by its shell color.
Though it is not proved scientifically, most of the aquarists confirm that this method is workable.
Aquarists believe that if the shell color is brighter it is a male aquatic snail.
However if you have any confusion you can apply the above mentioned method to confirm your snail gender.
FAQs
Are Female Mystery Snails Bigger than Males?
No, it is not proven that female mystery snails are bigger than male mystery snails. Both can grow up to 1.5 inches long.
But if you see that your snail growth is increasing day by day there are a few chances to not be a mystery snail.
There are some other snails which can grow up to six inches and they are one more type of apple snail.
Why do Mystery Snails Change their Gender?
Mystery snails can switch their gender for some reasons. They can change their gender because of the environment. When they are not comfortable with their present situation, they will switch their gender.
As well as they will change their gender for size and water quality where they stay. Though they can change their gender but after this they need male or female partner to breed.
However, aquatic snails can not carry male and female both organs in one body because they are not hermaphrodite species.
How do Mystery Snails Change their Gender?
Though mystery snail gender changing is an interesting thing. But they can do it. Let’s explain the process.
Mystery snail gender changing process period varies depending on the snail. Some can take a long time for transition and some will not.
For what aquarists will not notice the transition while it will not happen immediately. At the time of transition, their testis embellish darker and miniature.
Additionally, if required, they can go back to their primary gender within some hours or some days.