Mystery Snail’s Eggs Have Dried Out [3 Reasons & Solutions]
When you are thinking about expanding your mystery snail collection the best way is to let them reproduce on their own. But this also comes with its own challenges. You see, the mystery snail eggs have a tendency to dry out once in a while when they are not provided the ideal condition for hatching.
Unfortunately, if the eggs once dry out they cannot be saved that easily. But the good news is if you detect the dryness pretty soon and start taking care of the egg cluster there is still hope that they will revive successfully.
I’ve been keeping mystery snails in my aquarium for a long time now and in this article, I’m going to share my experience of how I successfully revived the mystery snail eggs when they dried out.
But first, let’s look at the reasons for the eggs drying so frequently–
Why Do The Mystery Snail Eggs Dry Out?
1. Lack of Humidity
The thing is, mystery snails lay eggs just above the waterline of the tank so that there is enough moisture around the area for the eggs to survive. If the waterline of the tank is somehow lowered then the eggs will never receive their required humidity for hatching.
As a result, the mystery snail eggs will dry out very fast. Since the mystery snails lay eggs on aquarium glass or decorations, it’s important that these surfaces stay moist or remain near the water so that the eggs have less scope to dry out.
2. Water Level Is Fluctuating
Also, if the water level constantly fluctuates a lot then the mystery snail eggs will be exposed to the air for a while making them all dry out gradually. Besides if the water level even increases a bit the eggs can get washed away in water as they lay them just above the waterline.
The important information here is, that the mystery snail’s eggs need enough humidity but they will not hatch at all if the eggs get wet.
3. Poor Site Selection By The Snails
Sometimes mystery snails are just purely stupid. Because they choose the wrong location for laying their eggs and that later results in dried out eggs. For example, sometimes they lay eggs on sites where air currents from the aquarium filter are very strong. As a result, they dry out within a day.
So, to prevent your mystery snail eggs from drying out in front of you, you have to make sure all the three causes mentioned above are taken care of at once. Now let’s see how to ensure that the eggs stay viable and ready to hatch successfully–
How To Prevent The Mystery Snail Eggs From Drying
In terms of my experience with mystery snail reproduction, there are certain things I’ve learned to take care of in order to raise baby mystery snails from the eggs successfully. Now, let’s get started–
1. Maintain High Humidity
Make sure the aquarium where they’ve laid eggs has a high humid condition. In order to achieve this high humidity, you can cover the aquarium with a lid so that it will always trap some moisture within.
Another thing you can do is, lightly mist the area where the eggs are laid on a regular basis so that the egg clusters keep from drying out. Besides, you can use a humidity checker or hygrometer to maintain a proper humidity level in the aquarium. (our pick)
2. Maintain Stable Water Level
Remember that the mystery snail eggs need to be above the waterline but still remain close enough to the water surface to keep themselves hydrated. Also, keep an eye out for the water level to prevent it from drooping too much as it can cause the eggs to dry out.
Besides, if the water level keeps fluctuating a lot, it will sometimes cause the eggs to get wet and other times cause them to dry out as well. This isn’t an ideal condition for them at all. If this keeps happening the success rate of the eggs hatching will be drastically lowered.
3. Transfer The Eggs To A Suitable Location
If the mystery snails have already laid eggs in a site that is mostly unprotected like near a filter that has strong air currents and the sites where the eggs have a chance of receiving very low humidity then the best option for you is to intervene and transfer them to a suitable container.
First, get a small container and make sure it’s clean and free from any chemical contaminations. Then, gently lift the eggs with a small plastic spoon and place them in the container. Be extremely careful while transferring them because the eggs are very delicate.
Now gently mist the container with dechlorinated water to keep the eggs constantly moist. However, make sure you don’t end up going overboard and wet them instead.
After the transfer is done, you have to keep a close eye on them and make sure they stay moist and totally undisturbed. Also, avoid touching them excessively and don’t apply any kind of external pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I know if my mystery snail eggs are dead?
If the eggs are dead they would spread a distinctive bad odor while the healthy ones do not spread any kind of odor. Besides if you let them sit on a damp paper towel the dead egg clusters will leave a reddish or pinkish stain on the paper towel.
Does a snail die after laying eggs?
No, they do not die immediately after laying eggs. They have their own life cycle and they mostly live up to 2 to 3 years on average. During their lifespan, they lay multiple batches of egg clusters.
How many snail eggs survive after hatching?
Normally there are more than hundreds of eggs in a cluster but it’s sad that all of them don’t survive. Most 20-5o eggs from the cluster hatch and even fewer of them actually make it to adulthood. However, their survival rate will be higher if they are properly taken care of.
Conclusion
If the eggs of your mystery snail have dried out the chances of successful hatching will be very much reduced and in the worst case scenario, none of them may end up hatching.
To prevent them from drying out you have to make sure an ideal environment is created which has moist conditions. And that’s it! They don’t need anything else.
If the mystery snail has laid eggs in the wrong place then you have to quickly transfer them to another secure place for successful hatching.
To learn more about mystery snails make sure to check out my other articles about their breeding and nutrition. If you have any further queries, share them with me in the comments section below and I’ll be sure to get back to you soon.
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