Mystery snails have a habit of laying their eggs above the waterline, mostly on hard surfaces like the roof of the aquarium lid or the side of the tank. However, sometimes any disturbance and movements in the tank can cause the eggs to accidentally fall into the water.
And it’s okay to be nervous about it because I was nervous too in my beginning days with the mystery snails. But now after years of keeping mystery snails, I’ve realized that it can happen all the time. But your quick actions can save the eggs in no time.
The good news is, In this article, we are going to talk about what to do if the mystery snail eggs fall into the water, how to save them, and also how to help them hatch like a pro. So, without any delay let’s get down to business–
How To Rescue & Hatch The Mystery Snail Eggs
Before diving in, let’s get a clear view of how the mystery snail eggs look so we don’t end up getting confused while trying to save them.
How Do Mystery Snail Eggs Look?
The mystery snail eggs are pretty small and round in shape. They can vary in color depending on their species from white to pink or light brownish.
Moreover, the snails lay eggs in clusters and sometimes it can be mistaken accidentally as their poop if not inspected carefully. Interestingly, before hatching the snail eggs turn darkish gray and also have small spots all over them.
Can Mystery Snail Eggs Survive In Water?
Normally the mystery snails lay eggs just above the waterline, mostly on the sides and cover of the tank or any other decorative materials.
Unfortunately, mystery snail eggs cannot survive if they are submerged in the water for more than a couple of minutes. Because in submerged conditions, the snail eggs don’t get enough oxygen to develop their embryos properly.
This is why it’s really important to get the eggs out of the water as quickly as possible. However, they also cannot survive if they are kept in a place that’s totally dry as well.
Why Did My Mystery Snail Eggs Fall?
There are many reasons for the mystery snail eggs to fall off into the water–
- Since they lay eggs on the sides or on the covers of the tank, the eggs can fall easily in water due to gravity.
- Again, if there isn’t enough space in the tank the snails themselves can also accidentally knock off some of the egg clusters into the water.
- The female snails also intentionally knock off some egg clusters to make room for another.
- If the waterline of your tank is too high then it will wet the egg clutches and draw them in water.
- Mystery snails lay eggs that stick together. So, if the egg clutch is too heavy then they fall in water due to gravitational pull.
- We can also unknowingly knock some of them off while cleaning and attending to our aquarium.
How To Save Them If They Fell In Water?
If they fall in the water you have to be very vigilant and quickly remove them from the water otherwise they will not survive.
You can use a plastic scraper to get the snail eggs out and place them in a small glass bowl or other container to help them settle down initially. Then you can shift them in an incubation box to help the hatching. Also, remember that the mystery snail eggs need a moisture-rich environment and warm temperature for proper embryonic development.
What Do The Eggs Require To Hatch?
- High moisture content in the environment but not wet.
- Temperature around 76 and 82°F.
- They shouldn’t be submerged in water, rather they should be just above the water surface.
- To increase the hatching rate of the eggs try using an incubator.
How Can I Successfully Hatch Them?
- Normally, you have to let the female mystery snail have enough space to lay eggs above the waterline of the tank.
- If the eggs accidentally fall in the water, get them out of the water first with the help of a plastic scraper and carefully place them on the tank sides just above the waterline.
- Don’t try to move them during the first 24 hours because during this stage they are in a jelly-like stage and there is a high risk of egg damage if you try to move them.
- After a couple of weeks, the eggs will start to turn jelly-like and become translucent.
- Let them harden a bit before you attempt to move them to the incubator.
- An incubator can be a box or a container with a lid cover.
- Now spread a few layers of damp paper towels in the incubator after removing all the excess water from them.
- Place the incubator on the surface of the tank water.
- With the help of the scraper, place the eggs over the wet paper towels but you need to do this very gently as the mystery snail eggs are very delicate at this stage.
- Also, put a layer of damp paper towel on top of the eggs so that they get a better moist environment to hatch.
- Cover the container with the lid because if you leave it open for too long the eggs will quickly lose moisture in the incubator.
- The eggs hatch better in a dark environment so for better results, you can turn the lights off of your aquarium while the hatching is happening.
- However, make sure to open the container lid for a few minutes every day so that there’s enough airflow and oxygen inside for the eggs and also to prevent mold and mildew from growing.
- Make sure you keep the incubator box humid by giving an occasional misting. However, avoid going overboard with it because remember that the eggs are like a damp environment but not wet.
- Wait for the eggs to hatch. It will probably take 2 or 3 weeks.
How To Dispose Of Dead Snail Eggs?
If the mystery snail eggs are left in water for more than a couple of minutes, there is a high chance that they will die. However, the eggs can also die due to very poor water conditions and parasitic infections as well.
Moreover, they might also die due to too high or too low temperatures. Sometimes it can be hard to tell whether the eggs are dead or alive. But you can detect the dead ones easily as they will be spreading a very bad smell.
Also if you keep the egg clutch on a damp paper towel the dead ones will leave a pink or reddish stain. Moreover, the dead eggs won’t have any dark spots on them at all.
The bad or infertile eggs need to be taken out immediately otherwise these will increase the ammonia and nitrite levels in your tank. Make sure you don’t throw them out in the trash can or garden because some of the eggs may be alive and they will hatch if they get proper environment.
As a result, you will eventually end up releasing snails in your trash bin that will later make a nuisance by reproducing without any control. Besides, in many countries like the United States and Canada releasing snails into the wild is not even permitted.
The best way to dispose of them is by crushing them or freezing them for a day and then either throwing them in the trash or flushing them down the toilet. Besides that, you can make use of them by crushing the dead eggs and feeding them to your aquarium fish.
You can also kill the eggs by using a bleach solution containing one part of bleach with 19 parts of water. Just dip the eggs in this solution for a couple of minutes and then take them out and dispose of them in the trash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Mystery Snail Eggs Toxic?
No, they are not toxic at all. So, even if they fall in your tank water they will not cause any toxicity to your other aquatic animals and they will not harm the water quality. However, if they are left in water for too long the eggs will decompose and increase the ammonia level of the tank which is indirectly harmful for your other tankmates.
How Long Can Mystery Snail Eggs Be Underwater?
In most cases, we’ve seen that the mystery snail eggs can still be revived when they are taken out from the water after being submerged for a maximum of 15 minutes. But it can vary depending on the egg ability to survive and also on the water parameters.
How Can I Keep The Eggs From Falling Again?
To prevent the eggs from falling in water you can install a fine mesh net just above the waterline after the female snail has laid the egg clutch and the net will prevent the eggs from falling in water. And even if they fall, the eggs at least won’t be submerged.
Conclusion
Now that we know, that mystery snail eggs cannot hatch if they fall underwater, you need to be very quick to come to their rescue. If you find them in water immediately take them out and place them in the incubation box.
The good news is, in this article, I’ve shared my years of experience with the hatching of mystery snail eggs that will help you to incubate them successfully. However, if the eggs don’t seem to hatch after 3-4 weeks, it means they have died in the water.
In this case, dispose of them according to the direction I’ve given in the article to avoid any unwanted scenario in the future. If they are reproducing too quickly you can stop them from breeding in the first place as well.
When you are not willing to handle the increased population of other snail species such as the apple snails, you can also dispose of them by the same instructions. If you have other queries about them make sure you don’t forget to check out my other articles about the mystery snails.
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