I've had my mystery snail since June and there have been plants in the tank since before I got him. I make sure to stick an algae wafer or a shrimp pellet in the tank every other day so he gets enough to eat. Yesterday I received a new banana plant and I plopped it in the tank. I noticed a few jagged edges when I checked the tank this morning. A few minutes ago, my snail spent some time on one of the leaves. Now I know he wasn't munching on the algae and was actually devouring the leaf itself. Why would he do this to the banana plant and not the anubias that have been in the tank since he was introduced?
Hello fellow Pennsylvanian! I'm thinking it could be one of two things. (1) the newly planted banana plant is experiencing some type of transplanting melt and your mystery snail is cleaning up what would become detritus, or (2) your mystery snail prefers banana plant over other available food sources. I suppose you will only find out which of the two it is in time... on the plus side, you will either have one very happy and well fed mystery snail or you will have a well groomed banana plant... I'm sorry it may not be both. :-/
My snails go after the big leaves on my bannana plant about a month after they open. I dont know if its because they are already starting to die, or if at that point they become tastier and irresistible to the snails. So maybe its an older leaf and is now yummy?
Banana plants are tasty, it's as simple as that. Anubias do not taste good and most snails and fish will avoid them. Anubias are even recommended in cichlid tanks--a fish known for destroying plants. It is a myth that Mystery snails do not eat plants. The fact is they can't eat most plants, their teeth are just too small. That doesn't stop them from trying and they are certainly capable of eating soft-leaved plants.
