Snail Lay Eggs Without Mate?

So I have a single Golden Mystery Snail. It dwells in a 10 gallon with a ghost shrimp, betta, and corycats. It’s by itself, but it layed a huge patch of pinky white eggs on the filter. I was wondering: could it do this without a mate? I’ve only had it for a few weeks, so it is possible that is might have been fertilized in the breeder tank at the store.

 

Hello!
Mystery snails are either female or male. So you need both sexes a male and female for your snail to lay eggs. Generally when your snails mate the female can keep the eggs and only lay them when she sees fit. So if she wants to lay the eggs in 3 days or 4 months it’s up to her.

If there is no male in the tank then of course the female cannot lay eggs. Only snails that I know of that lay eggs without a male are nerite snails.

EDIT: The snail you have might have already mated with a tank mate at the store before you bought it.

 

Ok thank you - so she won’t be able to lay any more eggs without a male, right?

 

she might have stored some sperm or gotten pregnant while she was at the store

Ok thank you - so she won’t be able to lay any more eggs without a male, right?

nope I don't think she can but not 100%

 

Mystery snails do need both genders to reproduce. However, they can store sperm so if she mated once, then she can lay multiple clutches from the one mating. You will probably see a few more egg clutches before she runs out of sperm.

 

Ok thank you - so she won’t be able to lay any more eggs without a male, right?

Once she's used up all the sperm she has stored.. not sure how many clutches they can lay without a mate, but she will likely lay at least another. Trust me when I tell you, don't hatch them!! I got 200+ from a clutch.. it's a nightmare to find enough tank space!!

 

Once she's used up all the sperm she has stored.. not sure how many clutches they can lay without a mate, but she will likely lay at least another. Trust me when I tell you, don't hatch them!! I got 200+ from a clutch.. it's a nightmare to find enough tank space!!

Just sell them or give them away! Your lfs will probably take them, if not Craigslist

 

Just sell them or give them away! Your lfs will probably take them, if not Craigslist

Lol... this was awhile ago, don't have many left, but my only lfs is petsmart sadly, and I can't bring myself to subject my snails to their snail tanks (the mysteries there aren't ever even in display tanks they look so bad). I wanted to ask them about taking some, because I had so many, but never could work up to actually asking lol.

 

Yes, I scraped off the clutch. Don’t won’t baby snails crawling around everywhere!

 

I wouldnt either because although they are cute, you would end up with an army of them XD

 

I wouldnt either because although they are cute, you would end up with an army of them XD

Haha! No, you really don't!

Although, if you ever get the urge, you can cut off like 1/2 - 2/3 of the clutch, let the unwanted half dry out before throwing away, and keep the "good" half humid and warm (tank temps). I've not tried it myself, but I know it works. You will damage some of the eggs, but if you use a sharp razor blade or something, it'll be a cleaner cut.

 

Agree with NightShade I was so excited when I got my first clutch. Ended up with 30 babies. As mentioned what a fiasco. Just gave away 5. Might think about offering them for trade on BTSF thread, but not sure about shipping with the colder weather. Good Luck.

 

Agree with NightShade I was so excited when I got my first clutch. Ended up with 30 babies. As mentioned what a fiasco. Just gave away 5. Might think about offering them for trade on BTSF thread, but not sure about shipping with the colder weather. Good Luck.

30?!? You got lucky!! LOL I got 200! Got around 30 now..

Yea, I'm shipping a few out next week.. but I'm in NC, shipping to California.. Ohio is different Lol!