Picky mystery snail

Hi yall
I have a mystery snail that I've tried lots of veggies with but he just won't bite, literally. Spinach, kale, carrots, cukes, zuccini, romaine.... not interested. :/ i blanch them, drop them in and end up removing them a day later, if they don't end up stuck to the HOB impeller. I've tried fruits too- strawberry, blueberry, and didn't eat them. It's a 20 gallon planted tank, he's the only inhabitant. There is alot of algae on back wall and sides , and he munches on it in the evening(although not every night), and lately I've seen him hanging on my sponge filter, so I guess he's foraging there as well. Tried algae wafers- he's not interested. Tried shrimp pellets- nah. He will (i think? ) eat bottom feeder pellets, although I can't be 100 percent sure because I put them in and they disintegrate rather quickly so idk if he is eating them or if they are just melting away into the gravel. When I first got him(in June) he would climb onto the food I put in(pellet, a lettuce leaf one time..) but now is just kinda meh about it. I have pieces of cuttlebone in there and I see him hanging out on that lately. Just want to make sure I'm not underfeeding him, but can't seem to find the right veggie for him.
This is my first snail so I'm on the learning curve.

 

Maybe he's full eating the algae

 

Ya I figured maybe bc there is a lot in there. But also read they need variety beyond algae . Should I clean off some of the algae? Don’t wanna eliminate his main food source if that’s what he prefers tho

 

Try algae wafers. That's what I feed all of my snail species and they all love them except nerite snails (I keep 10 different species).

 

Ya I tried them, he doesn’t touch em.

 

Have you tried putting the food right by him? In big tanks like that they can have a hard time finding it.

 

I’ll try that again next time he awakens and starts moving around. I have tried it before and usually he just slides right over whatever ive put down for him. Only a couple times did he latch on.

 

Have you tried snail jello, or "snello"? All 3 of my Mystery Snails are pretty picky eaters compared to the baby Mystery Snails I have (which will consume anything, I bet) and 2 of the 3 LOVE snello. I had to struggle to remove Morty the Gold Mystery Snail several different times. That's the only drawback - it will cloud the water if you leave it in too long. I take it out after 15 minutes, no matter how much they're still eating. I do have to pick them up and put them in the dishes with the snello when I first put the dishes of food in the tank, but 2 of them almost instantly latch on and eat away!
If you haven't tried snello & are curious, let me know & I can post the recipe I used - or you can probably find tons of recipes around here for it.

 

I seem to have the opposite problem. I planted my tank out with water sprite and some grasses the other day and so far hes eaten at least half of the stuff I added :/

They like dead or half dead plants (even alive in my case :/) so why not move a plant that isn't doing so well into your tank and let him munch on it?

 

Have you tried snail jello, or "snello"? All 3 of my Mystery Snails are pretty picky eaters compared to the baby Mystery Snails I have (which will consume anything, I bet) and 2 of the 3 LOVE snello. I had to struggle to remove Morty the Gold Mystery Snail several different times. That's the only drawback - it will cloud the water if you leave it in too long. I take it out after 15 minutes, no matter how much they're still eating. I do have to pick them up and put them in the dishes with the snello when I first put the dishes of food in the tank, but 2 of them almost instantly latch on and eat away!
If you haven't tried snello & are curious, let me know & I can post the recipe I used - or you can probably find tons of recipes around here for it.

I tried a snello recipe with rephashy and calcium carbonate and some blanched veg and he didn’t go for it. I also made the mistake of leaving it in too long and it clouded the water like you said. I tried a green bean yesterday and today - no go. I’m happy to try a different recipe if you have one!

I seem to have the opposite problem. I planted my tank out with water sprite and some grasses the other day and so far hes eaten at least half of the stuff I added :/

They like dead or half dead plants (even alive in my case :/) so why not move a plant that isn't doing so well into your tank and let him munch on it?

I’ve been pruning dead leaves figuring they would increase nitrogenous waste but I’ll leave them in from now on! I’m headed to petco later and maybe will pick up some plants like that if they have them.. they’re selection is usually pretty small .. Anubis’s, java fern... amazon sword... any other suggestions for plants they may like if they don’t have water sprite or grass?

 

Mystery snails are omnivores and need a source of protein. Try tossing in peeled shrimp or the baby kind you can pick up at any supermarket. However, do not buy canned products because of the sodium content. I take a wooden skewer and make a sort of veggie/ shrimp kabob that is easy to retrieve. Hope that helps.

 

I tried a snello recipe with rephashy and calcium carbonate and some blanched veg and he didn’t go for it. I also made the mistake of leaving it in too long and it clouded the water like you said. I tried a green bean yesterday and today - no go. I’m happy to try a different recipe if you have one!

Here's the recipe I used that my Mystery Snails love. I do have to pick them up & put them in the dish w/the food, but they start eating almost immediately & don't stop until I remove them from the food:

Snello
Ingredients:
4oz jar of green bean baby food (JUST green beans, nothing else)
1 1/2 packets plain Knox gelatin
10 Tums (berry flavored, no vitamin D added) crushed to powder
Fish flakes, crushed
Shrimp pellets (or wafers), crushed

Crush Tums, fish flakes & shrimp pellets into a powder using a mortar & pestle. If you don't have one, I hear a pill crusher works, too.
Heat baby food on the stove until bubbling.
Once heated, slowly stir in gelatin with a spoon until well mixed.
Stir in Tums powder-mix & still until well blended.
Spoon mixture into an ice cube tray, or a large flat bottomed container.
Set in the freezer for a few hours.
Remove from mold/tray & store in freezer for few months.

I don't even use the entire ice cube mold, just the bottom & even that I cut in half. I put it in a dish, set the snails in the dish with the food & make sure to remove it after 15 or 20 minutes.

 

Mystery snails are omnivores and need a source of protein. Try tossing in peeled shrimp or the baby kind you can pick up at any supermarket. However, do not buy canned products because of the sodium content. I take a wooden skewer and make a sort of veggie/ shrimp kabob that is easy to retrieve. Hope that helps.

Actual shrimp or can I use frozen shrimp that I have on hand for my fish tank? So put the items on a wooden skewer and just put in in there huh? Interesting I like it

 

Actual shrimp or can I use frozen shrimp that I have on hand for my fish tank? So put the items on a wooden skewer and just put in in there huh? Interesting I like it

You can use frozen but thaw them first.

 

Here's the recipe I used that my Mystery Snails love. I do have to pick them up & put them in the dish w/the food, but they start eating almost immediately & don't stop until I remove them from the food:

Snello
Ingredients:
4oz jar of green bean baby food (JUST green beans, nothing else)
1 1/2 packets plain Knox gelatin
10 Tums (berry flavored, no vitamin D added) crushed to powder
Fish flakes, crushed
Shrimp pellets (or wafers), crushed

Crush Tums, fish flakes & shrimp pellets into a powder using a mortar & pestle. If you don't have one, I hear a pill crusher works, too.
Heat baby food on the stove until bubbling.
Once heated, slowly stir in gelatin with a spoon until well mixed.
Stir in Tums powder-mix & still until well blended.
Spoon mixture into an ice cube tray, or a large flat bottomed container.
Set in the freezer for a few hours.
Remove from mold/tray & store in freezer for few months.

I don't even use the entire ice cube mold, just the bottom & even that I cut in half. I put it in a dish, set the snails in the dish with the food & make sure to remove it after 15 or 20 minutes.

Thank you so much! Will try this
Btw how many oz in a packet of knox? I can only find jars online