Do you know that some aquarium animals could molt?. Molting is when an animal shed off it’s shell or body in order to develop another shell body which is bigger. If some water animals such as crayfish, crab could molt, can aquarium snails do the same thing?. In this article, you will learn about different types of water snails and if they can shed off their shells.
Do aquarium snails molt. Aquarium snails and snail at large don’t molt. They only expand their shells for them to grow.
Aquarium snails are kind of unique. They are a bit different from other aquarium animals.
Related: Why did my Crayfish Stop molting?
This is due to the fact that they are born with their shells, and they grow with them while it expands. In fact, they can’t live without it because it is their home.
Wonder why people normally say, ” snails do carry their home wherever they go”. This simply means that the home is their shell which they can’t do without because they’re attached to it naturally.
Does Aquarium Snail Leave their Shell?
You may be thinking ‘ because the shell is their house, maybe one way or the other, they will somehow leave their shell and get back in later.
Snails can’t leave their shell. Because they are naturally attached or glued to it, so their shell is part of them.
Have you ever seen a snail leave its shell before? I mean either land or water snails. If you have not seen it, then I have not seen too. This is because they can’t possibly do that or they will die.
Related: Do Aquarium Snails hibernate?
Related: 5 signs your Fiddler Crab is about to molt
Snails are nothing without their shell, remove that and they will become very vulnerable to anything, in fact, they won’t survive an hour. So the shell is their protector and more importantly their home. So they can’t and will never leave their shell because it’s not possible, and I don’t think they will, even if it’s possible.
Why did my Aquarium Snail Leave it’s Shell?
If you have a water snail and you one day found out that the snail is not in its shell anymore, then am sorry because it’s dead.
Snails don’t leave their shell unless something happened, which is, either they have been eaten by a predator or they have died long ago and their flesh inside the shell have rotted away for a long.
Although the flesh can rot, the shell can’t! it can only turn to Fossil.
So whenever you find your Snail’s shell empty, it doesn’t mean it left, it means it’s dead or it has been eaten.
Are Aquarium Snails Born with Shells
Yes, they’re born with shells. Every snail has Its own shell which they develop when they are still an egg or in its parent’s body.
The shell will grow with them till they die, how is that possible?. Well, snails can’t shed their shells as I have explained.
They only grow by expanding the shell as they grow, thereby making the shell grow with them.
Related: Can Apple Snails live in Cold Temperatures?
Related: Do Apple Snails bite?
And again, they can’t leave nor lose the shell because it’s part of them and they will die in a matter of minutes without it.
Do Aquarium Snails Die when their Shell Breaks?
If they can’t leave their shell, you might ask, ” what if the shell break?. what will happen to them?
When their shell break, they won’t die. They will repair or regenerate the broken shell slowly and steadily.
One of the unique features of snails is, they’re able to regenerate a broken shell and will do it perfectly.
Every snail could do this, including land snails, but some species of aquarium snails such as apple snails could do this very fast, so you won’t even notice they broke it once.
So they don’t normally die when the shell breaks. Although it depends on the level of breakage or damage, as they will die if the damage is very severe.
Related: Can dead Aquarium Snails kill Fishes?
Related: Can Assassin Snails live with Mystery Snails?
Can WaterSnails Live Without a Shell?
The sole purpose of snail’s shell is to give them protection and a home.
Water snails can’t live without a shell. They will die Immediately if they lose it.
They’re glued to it and if you try removing them from it, you will notice that major parts of their body will still be inside the shell.
So that is to say, they’re part of their shell and can’t live without it, so it’s impossible.
Related: Can different types of aquarium snails breed?
Can WaterSnails Change Shells?
Asking if they can change shells is the same as asking if they can Molt.
No, snails don’t change shells, they can only live with one shell in which they are born with.
So they don’t change shells and also can’t molt, but can only be able to regenerate their shell when it cracks or break at some parts.
Related: 7 Surprising Vegetables Nerite Snails Could eat
Serious breakage might kill the snail, because it won’t be able to regenerate it.
Do Aquarium Snails Regenerate?
As you might have known by now, aquarium snails and even land snails could survive minor breakage on their shells, so do they regenerate?
Yes, aquarium snail can regenerate. This is why they could easily survive shell breakage.
They can easily regenerate the lost or broken parts of their shells and still move on as if nothing happened.
Related: Are Nerite Snails Asexual?
Although snails could do this, mystery and apple snails are known to be able to regenerate very fast, especially when they have large amounts of calcium at their disposal because calcium helps them a lot with shell building and shell regeneration.
Why is my Aquarium Snail’s, Shell Peeling?
If you have Aquarium Snails, you might notice at some point that their shells are peeling, and you might be wondering why.
Your aquarium snail’s shell might be peeling because it’s lacking calcium, the water condition is not suitable for it, or It’s getting old.
These are the possible reasons why your aquarium snail shells might be peeling off or changing color, as the case may be.
Related: Can Nerite Snails live out of water?
Snails and so many creatures do require calcium in large quantities, either to build or maintain their shells, teeth, bone etc, so your Snail’s shell peeling off might be a sign of lack of enough calcium.
This means that the shell is not getting enough of it to maintain itself, hence it starts peeling.
Related: Can baby Mystery Snails Reproduce?
So giving it to them won’t hurt.
Apart from not getting enough calcium, wrong water parameters could also cause this.
That’s why it’s important to know the nature of your pet before even buying them, as to know how to take proper care of them when you finally have them.
Related 7 reasons Nerite Snails flip themselves over
So you might have to change their water to suit them, etc.
Also when aquarium snails come to the end of their lifespan, their shell might start peeling.
Although this is normal, as it’s natural, I don’t think there is anything you can do about it.
Related: Are Mystery Snails Asexual?
Do Aquarium Snails Shed Their Shells?
If you must know, aquarium snails are those snails that live in water, just like land snails live on land, so do they shed they shells?.
No, aquarium snails don’t shed their shells. Instead, they expand it as they grow and regenerate it when it cracks or breaks.
Although some people do claim that their aquarium Snails can shed their shells, maybe because their snail changed color slightly etc.
Related: Why do Mystery Snails Seems to attack each other?
list of Aquarium Snails and if they can Molt or shed as the case may be
Do Ramshorn Snails Shed their Shells?
Ramshorn Snails are water snails or amphibian snails, they are hermaphrodites and are considered pests, because they breed too many in a short while and will overrun your tank if not controlled.
Ramshorn Snails don’t shed their shells, but can regenerate it when it breaks.
They are born with their shells and also grow with it by expanding it as they grow.
Related: Can Assassin Snails live with Mystery Snails?
Although they can regenerate the shell when it cracks or break, but not as fast as Apple Snails.
Do Mystery Snails Molt?
Mystery Snails are one of the largest aquarium Snails. And they are very famous for eating algae on tanks, hence many people buy them for this purpose.
Do Mystery Snails Molt? Mystery snails don’t molt. They expand their shells while they grow, and can regenerate their shells when broken or cracked.
This snail, unlike some other aquarium snails can quickly regenerate when it’s shell cracks.
Can Nerite Snails Molt?
Nerite Snails are also know for their algae eating ability. They are amphibian snails, just like mystery, apple snail etc. Do they Molt?
Nerite snails don’t Molt. Instead, they expand and grow their shells as they grow.
This snails, just like any other type of Snails also have the ability to regenerate their shells when broken. They can also eat algae in tanks, but not like apple nor mystery snails.
Do Apple Snail Molt?
Apple snails are considered the largest amphibian snails, and they come in different colors and are known for their algae eating ability, although they can eat anything including vegetables.
Do Apple snails Molt? Apple Snails don’t molt, they can only regenerate their shell when it cracks. They can only expand their shell as they grow.
They’re beautiful snails and can be kept with many fishes without having issues because they are peaceful and can’t be easily eaten by some fishes because of their size.
Do Assassin snails Molt?
Assassin Snail, as the name signifies is smaller than many aquarium snails, but a killer snail. These snails are carnivores and eat nothing but their fellow snails and other animals.
Do Assassin snails Molt? Assassin snails don’t molt, they can repair their shell and expand them as they grow.
Although snails are harmless to their fellow snails, but this type of snail only lives by eating others. It simply can’t shed its shell.
Can Ivory Snails Shed?
Just like any other Aquarium Snails, ivory snails can’t shed nor Molt.
They too have the ability to regenerate like any other snails, and expand their shell as they grow.
They also can eat things other snails eat such as vegetables etc.
Do Rabbit Snails Molt?
Rabbit snail, although the name sounds a bit weird, but is like any other snails that can live in the water. They eat vegetables and other things that other types of snails can eat.
Do Rabbit Snails Molt? No snail can shed it’s shell. Neither land nor amphibian snails could do that, so Rabbit Snails can’t molt.
Although this snail is not very popular in some region, but they’re still nice pet to have in your aquarium. And they can’t shed their shells.
Can Black Devil Snails Molt?
Black devil snails are like any other aquarium snails. Although the name is some what scary ( lol). they’re nice snails, but can they Molt?
Black devil snails don’t molt because they belong to the snail family, and snails don’t molt.
The least they could do is to repair their shells when it cracks or get broken. And can also expand it as they grow.
Do Gold Inca Snails Molt?
Gold Incas are beautiful snails, just as the name signifies.
There are peaceful like any other snails and can make nice pets.
Do Gold Inca Snails Molt? Gold Inca Snails don’t shed because snails can’t melt.
These snails are awesome and beautiful to keep. They can be used to beautify a fish tank etc.
Though they can’t molt.
Do Japanese Trapdoor Molt?
No, Japanese Trapdoor snails don’t molt. they can only expand and regenerate their shells.
Do Trumpet Snails Molt?
Trumpet snail, as the name sound looks like a trumpet, but they are just normal water snails.
Trumpet snails don’t molt because they don’t have the ability to. No snail can Molt.
Conclusion
As a matter of fact, snails don’t molt, be it land or amphibian snails, although they have some common abilities like ‘ regenerating themselves and being able to expand their hard and rough shell.
Also snails can’t leave their shell because they are attached to it.
If they do, which is impossible, they can’t survive.
I hope this article have answered some of your questions.
It won’t hurt to share it.
