I have heard newbies ask some funny questions and one of them is, Can Mystery Snails outgrow their shell?
Mystery snails are very colorful and one of the largest aquarium snails. They are freshwater dwellers and are peaceful too just like every other snail.
Related: Why is my Aquarium Snail not in its shell?
In this article, you will learn how snails grow and if they could outgrow their shells or not. So, read to the end to learn more.
Do Mystery snails outgrow their shell? No, snails don’t outgrow their shells, it’s part of them, and they grow with it.
Shells are like snail’s houses which they can never leave unless they die and rot away, while their shells remain.
The snail shell is made up of hard substances and it’s very hard and protects them from harm, while the snail itself has a body made of soft tissues which are very vulnerable.
Mystery snails and Snails, in general, don’t Molt like the crustaceans, etc, they have their method of growth which is to grow their shell and their inner body at the same time.
Related: Can Turbo Snails change shell?
The fact is, they are born with their shells, which are very tiny at that time, but as time goes on, due to the types of food they eat such as calcium, iron, vitamins, etc, they will grow gradually with their shell till they become very big.
This is why it is recommended to give your snails foods that contain some minerals like calcium, iron, etc, they use them to build up their shell to grow, not only in size but even harder and tougher too.
Do Snails Get Too Big For Their Shells?
Snails Can never get too big for their shells because they will, first of all, grow their shells before their internal organs.
They don’t molt to grow, and they can’t leave their shells unless they are dead.
So, they can never grow more than their shells because they grow hand in hand with them, and the shells are the first to develop even before the internal organs do so.
So, there is no how a snail can outgrow its shell in such a situation.
Do Blue Mystery Snails Shells Grow?
Blue Mystery snails are one of the biggest species of mystery snails, they can get to 3 inches or a bit more as adults.
Do blue mystery snail’s shell grow? Blue Mystery snail shells grow with their internal organs, that’s why they could get so big.
Just like every other snail, blue Mystery Snails grow by developing their shells too.
Why Does My Snail Not Fit In its Shell?
If you have seen your snail hanging out some parts of its body outside its shell, you might be wondering why, here are the possible reasons.
Why does my snail not fit in its shell? A snail might hang out some parts of its body out of its shell because its mantle is swollen inside, or the environment is very suitable for it.
Snails only hang out their eyes and some of their bodies outside their shells because they like the environment, they want to eat or their internal mantle is swollen.
Related: Can Aquarium Snail molt?
Seeing snail’s body parts outside their shells doesn’t mean they can’t fit into their shells, but they are doing it for some reasons and will get back in their shells when they feel like it.
Do I Need To Get My Snail A New Shell?
Snails can’t leave their shells because they are part of it, and they also grow with it.
Some aquatic animals could occupy the shells of other animals, but snails don’t do that.
Once any snail, be it Aquarium or land snail leaves its shell, it’s dead.
In fact, it’s impossible for them to willingly leave their shells because they’re part of It unless something eats them.
You can’t get your snail a shell, rather give it enough calcium, iron, and vitamins for it to grow more and develop a more strong shell.
Conclusion
It’s impossible for Mystery snails and snails, in general, to outgrow their shells because the shell is part of them and they grow with it which makes it impossible for the inner organs to grow more than the shell.
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