AquariumFish.com
Freshwater fishPurple Mystery Snail
Purple Mystery Snail
Couldn't load pickup availability
The purple mystery snail is a natural hue found among wild mystery snails, and now enough have been bred to offer this color. Mystery snails are hardy, and this aquarium snail grows to two inches over time, is plant-safe and is an excellent scavenger. These snails can handle a wide range of water and temperature conditions, though they cannot tolerate temperatures below 60 degrees.
Be sure to pull out snails and other invertebrates when treating the fish tank for ich and other diseases.
Quick Facts
| Scientific Name | Pomacea diffusa (sold as P. bridgesii) |
| Origin | South America (Amazon basin); farm-raised |
| Care Level | Easy, good for beginners |
| Temperament | Peaceful; plant-safe |
| Adult Size | Up to 2" |
| Lifespan | 1–2 years |
| Diet | Scavenger (algae and leftover food) |
| Water Temperature | 68–82°F |
| pH | 7.0–8.0 (hard water for healthy shells) |
| Breeding | Lays pink egg clutches above the waterline; needs a male and female |
| Shipping Size | Approx. ½–¾" |
Care Guide
Tank setup: Give mystery snails a covered tank with a gap of an inch or two above the water, since females climb out to lay eggs. Keep the water hard and alkaline for healthy shells, and add calcium (cuttlebone or crushed coral) if your water is soft.
Feeding: Mystery snails eat algae and leftover food, but give them sinking pellets or algae wafers too so they don't go hungry.
Tankmates: Mystery snails do well with peaceful fish, shrimp and other snails. Avoid fish that nip antennae or eat snails, like puffers, loaches, large cichlids and some bettas, and keep them away from assassin snails.
Good to know: Remove snails before treating the tank with copper or other medications, which are toxic to invertebrates.
Share
