This post may contain affiliate links.
All hobbyists are always eager to ensure that the animals in their aquariums are taken care of and flourish.
If you plan to add mystery snails to a tank with sand, you may be wondering: Is sand safe for snails? Keep on reading to find out.
In this article, we’ll discuss whether the sand as a substrate is suitable for mystery snails, what are the benefits of using it, etc. Therefore be sure to stick to the end of this article.
So without further ado, let’s get into it.
Is sand ok for mystery snails?
Generally, sand is safe for mystery snails. In fact, there are many benefits of using sand as a substrate instead of gravel. You should use sand in your tank for snails because the snails will effortlessly glide over the sand. Also, the food will sit on the substrate, which the snails can later eat.
Whereas if you use gravel alone, the food will get stuck between them, making it difficult for the snails to reach it. Moreover, some people complain that when snails retract back into their shells, they often take the gravel in with them, which may hurt the snails.
Though pebbles did not always hurt the mystery snails, it’s still better to stick with sand as there are more advantages to it if you are seeking substrate for snails only.
Best Substrate for Aquarium Snails
Which subtract to choose mainly depends on what type of animals you have in your aquarium. For instance, if you have fish and snails in the same tank, you should go with gravel. The space between gravel will allow the snails to hide from fish and lay eggs, but the scenario is completely different if you’ve only got snails in the tank, mystery snails in particular.
Sand is the best substrate for mystery snails or most aquarium snails.
There are many benefits of using sand in the tank, and we’ll be talking about them below.
Benefits of Having Sand As Substrate With Snails
Food Land on Top of the Substrate
It is one of the main reasons people use sand as the substrate for their mystery snails. The food that you drop in the tank for the snails just sits on top of the sand. Later the snails can easily eat the food.
Whereas if you’ve got gravel as the substrate, the food gets stuck between the pebbles, making it difficult for the snails to reach. This can often lead to the snail not getting enough food which is not suitable for their growth.
Sand is Soft
Sand is a soft substrate that won’t hurt the snail. Some people say that sometimes gravel can be caught between the snail’s shell and body, possibly hurting it.
Though there is very little chance of it happening, and the snails usually remove the pebble by themselves, it is still better to be safe than sorry. Hence, sand is the way to go if you don’t want to take any chances.
Furthermore, some snails prefer softer substrates, such as white sand, for burrowing and laying their eggs. If the substrate is too hard, it becomes difficult for them to do so.
Also, another reason why most people use sand as the substrate is that it’s easy for the snails to dig in it. Like Malaysian trumpet snails, many snail species love to bury themselves in the sand.
Aesthetics
It is completely subjective, but many think the sand looks better than the gravel. It gives a more natural look to the tank and makes it appear more peaceful and serene.
Though it’s completely up to you what substrate you want to use, and a bare bottom, sand, or gravel is fine, I still suggest going with sand if you’ve got mystery snails.
Do snails eat sand?
It is a common question that a lot of people have. The answer is No; generally, snails do not eat sand as snails’ primary diet is plants, vegetables, fruits, and algae.
However, sometimes when they need calcium to get thicker shells and for their growth, they sometimes, in addition to eating dying plants, snails can eat soil if it has calcium. Yet it is not so common, but it can happen.
Conclusion
That’s it for this blog. So, there you have it. Now you know that sand is safe for mystery snails and is, in fact, the best substrate for them, you can go ahead and add some to your tank.
In a nutshell, using sand as a substrate helps the mystery snails to reach food easily as it just sits on top of the sand. Also, sand is a softer substrate which will be more comfortable for the snails.
You can also go with a mix of sand and gravel, but that’s your choice; I suggest you go with sand alone if there are only snails in your tank and no other animals like shrimp or fish, etc.