Yes, they can live together! Mystery snails (Pomacea bridgesii) are one of the best tank mates for goldfish (Carassius auratus), but only if a few precautions are taken. Goldfish and mystery snails have similar water requirements which means that the conditions can be mutually established to keep both these species together. Goldfish tanks are also typically large enough to house a few mystery snails to avoid any issues regarding space inside of the tank.
Goldfish can often get along well with mystery snails and few problems should arise from the two being kept together. The main issue with keeping these two aquatic creatures together depends on their overall size. Small snails that are paired with large goldfish may be eaten by the opportunistic goldfish. That being said, these issues can often be easily circumvented with proper precautions.
Types of Goldfish That Can Be Kept with Mystery Snails
Generally, when you want to house your mystery snail with goldfish, you must first establish if you have common or fancy goldfish in the tank. Common goldfish such as the comet, or shubunkin grow to exceptionally large sizes and will be able to fit a young mystery snail inside of their mouth. Common goldfish may also outpace mystery snails in growth, and if you house a mystery snail with a large goldfish, the goldfish may eventually be able to prey on the unsuspecting snail easily.
- Fantails
- Telescope
- Black Moors
- Ryukins
- Ranchu
- Pearlscale
- Orandas
How to Make the Tank Suitable
The tank should be large enough to accommodate both the goldfish and mystery snail. Since goldfish grow to great lengths, a minimum of 40 gallons should be established for a few baby fancy goldfish and juvenile or adult mystery snails.
- Choose a large rectangular tank with a hood or canopy. Bowls, bio-orbs, and vases and not ideal housing for these creatures and will only cause stress from the lack of space and unstable water conditions.
- Place a good quality filter and aeration system inside of the tank. This will help aid the water conditions and keep the amount of waste and debris under control.
- Set up a pre-set heater. This will help to keep the water temperature constant and avoid stressful fluctuations. Mystery snails do better with water on the warmer side, and fancy goldfish can mutually thrive in the same temperature range of 19–23 oC and can be maintained to keep both creatures happy in their environment.
- Regular water changes should be conducted to lower the amount of ammonia inside the tank. Both mystery snails and goldfish are sensitive to ammonia, nitrites, and nitrate, so they should be kept at ideal levels. There should be 0 ppm ammonia and nitrite present in the water and below 30 ppm.
- Add a moderate amount of decoration and substrate. Fine gravel, sand, or smooth pebbles are compatible for both goldfish and mystery snails (though do note that many goldfish fare best in bare-bottom tanks). The substrate should be small enough that a goldfish can spit it out without it getting stuck in the mouth. Substrate is necessary for snails, as they enjoy burrowing. Deeper substrate is possible in snail tanks, as their burrowing antics keep the substrate well-oxygenated and dissuades the growth of anaerobic bacteria.
Feeding Mystery Snails and Goldfish Successfully
Goldfish are known piggies when it comes to feeding time and will eat the mystery snail’s food before they even get the chance to nibble on a morsel. This can pose a problem with feeding your mystery snails.
The easiest solution to this issue is to purchase a bottom-dwelling feeding tube, such devices allow you to place food in a tube which will be transported to the bottom of your tank, not allowing your goldfish the chance to gobble up the food before it reaches the bottom (where the snails may access it).
Mystery snails will not be able to survive on leftover foods from your goldfish. Aside from goldfish ensuring that they eat every morsel of food they are presented with, their food isn’t always conducive to the nutritional needs of a mystery snail.
Aggression Between Mystery Snails and Goldfish
Both goldfish and mystery snails are peaceful and social creatures, which means little aggression should occur between the two. Mystery snails do have the risk of being nipped at by a curious goldfish, and this can be stressful for the mystery snail.
If you notice your goldfish are constantly harassing your mystery snails, you should separate the two as they most likely will not get along and constant stress will only lead to a stressed snail.
Conclusion
If kept well, mystery snails and goldfish can get along great, with minimal interactions occurring between the two. Goldfish will typically ignore the mystery snails crawling around the tank, and your mystery snails will not mind sharing a spacious home with your goldfish. This can spark a mutual relationship between the two and add character and personality into your tank.
Since goldfish are poor tank mates for other fish, a mystery snail will be right for them. We hope this article has helped inform you on the best way to get your goldfish and mystery snails to cohabit peacefully.
If you're new to the world of goldfish keeping or are experienced but love to learn more, we highly recommend you check out the best-selling book, The Truth About Goldfish, on Amazon. From diagnosing illnesses and providing correct treatments to proper nutrition, tank maintenance and water quality advice, this book will help you to ensure your goldfish are happy and to be the best goldfish keeper you can be.
- Related Read: How to Hatch Mystery Snail Eggs: Step-by-Step Guide
Featured Image Credit: Madhourse, Shutterstock
