Mystery Snails are one of the most beautiful snails out there that you can have in your aquarium and so is apple snails. Although two of them seems to look the same, and they have many colors, especially the golden color ones which are so cool. The question here is, can Apple Snails and mystery snails mate or breed together?
No, although they look alike, but not all apple snails are mystery snails. They are different species and can not breed.
These two species of aquarium snails look alike, no wonder people think they are the same and can mate, which is not likely to happen.
Mystery Snails are big, but apple snails are bigger and talking about mating, although anything is possible, one-day, the two snails might be made to breed etc, but for now, I don’t think they can actually mate and reproduce, at least biologically.
Although you can’t easily differentiate the two, unless they grow and apple will get bigger, that’s why people do talk, ” not all apple are mystery snail”, which means they all look the same and can’t be easily marked.
Apple snails and mystery snails are both popular aquarium species, but they belong to different families and have distinct characteristics.
Apple Snails (Ampullariidae):
- Appearance: Apple snails are large, freshwater snails with colorful, often spiral-shaped shells. They come in various colors, including brown, yellow, blue, and green.
- Size: They can grow quite large, with some species reaching up to 6 inches in diameter.
- Behavior: Apple snails are active creatures that enjoy grazing on algae and aquatic plants. They are also known for their ability to breathe both air and water.
- Origin: They are native to South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Mystery Snails (Viviparidae):
- Appearance: Mystery snails are smaller than apple snails and typically have a more muted color palette, often brown or gray. Their shells tend to be less spiral and more conical.
- Size: Mystery snails usually reach a maximum size of about 2 inches.
- Behavior: Mystery snails are also algae grazers, but they are less active and spend more time hiding in their shells. They are live-bearers, which means they give birth to live young instead of laying eggs.
- Origin: Mystery snails are native to North America and Asia.
Key Differences:
| Feature | Apple Snails | Mystery Snails |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Larger | Smaller |
| Shell Shape | Spiral | More conical |
| Color | Varied | Brown or gray |
| Behavior | Active, algae grazers | Less active, algae grazers |
| Reproduction | Egg-laying | Live-bearers |
| Origin | South America, Central America, Caribbean | North America, Asia |
Both apple snails and mystery snails can make interesting additions to a freshwater aquarium. However, it’s important to choose the right species based on your tank size, water parameters, and desired level of activity.
Apart from looking the same, they both share the same characteristics of egg laying. That’s, they both don’t lay eggs in water, they do go outside the water, where there is moisture and lay their eggs because their eggs don’t hatch while submerged. So this is why it is confusing to differentiate them, and I believe one day, they might be made to breed.
All mystery Snails are sexual and not hermaphrodites, but not all apple snails are sexual. There are some apple snails that are hermaphrodites, so this is where these two species of aquarium snails differ from each other.
But apart from that, they look so much alike in every other things, including being peaceful etc, that’s why I do believe they might be made to breed someday. But for now, it is very hard to mate two species of aquarium snails.
Conclusion
From my experience and research, they can’t mate, but if you have any evidence of them mating, forward it to me, i will update this article.