Thinking about adding a visual attraction to your aquarium? While getting some new fish is way too much, mystery snails can be the best option.
Not only does it keep your aquarium healthy, but mystery snail colors also enhance appeal to the given space.
Mystery snail, some people call it apple snail (although it’s not entirely the same), is a popular species of freshwater snail that originated in South America.
At a glance, it looks pretty similar to a typical snail with a basic shell atop its body. But it is the color that makes mystery snails visually adorable—it also differs them from other species.
There is a variety of colors and patterns of mystery snails you can find on the market. While some colors are more popular than others, some other colors are considered rare.
Read on and get more information about the colors of mystery snails.
Mystery Snail Colors Based on Their Body Parts
Scientifically called as pomacea bridgesii, mystery snails have intriguing color variations. What’s more interesting, these color variations come not only in their shells but also body.
According to experts, these adorable colors are the mutation of genes that come out as pigmentation.
Based on different body parts, there are some color variations of mystery snails.
Shell
Shell is the most visible body part of all snails and mystery snail is no exception. When it comes to shell color, this type of aquatic snail has a solid color that forms the base of the overall color.
There are four variations of shell colors, including white (ivory), purple, yellow, and green.
The basic color shells alone make mystery snails mesmerizing. What makes it better, some snails come with two primary pigments. For instance, a snail has yellow pigment as the base and brown pigment at the same time.
Stripes
Stripes may be found on the shells of mystery snails. While some snails may have dominant stripes, others may have a plain color. The stripes are commonly found in different colors like black or brown.
These color and pattern variations are limitless, making mystery snails more attractive among enthusiasts.
Body
Mystery snail body has at least one dark pigment. With this pigment, a mystery snail can be either dark or colorless (albino). Albino mystery snails, in most cases, don’t have white pigment in their entire body.
Rather they have slightly greenish or yellowish pigment with their primary color condensed in small spots.
Common Mystery Snail Shell Colors
With a range of shell colors, you may want to know the variations commonly found on the market. Take a closer look at common colors below that will add visual appeal to your tank and get one that attracts your attention.
Purple
Mystery snails with purple shells commonly have a tiny body with light color. The pink or purple base shell has no stripes but some snails also come with stripes.
The species with stripes is commonly brighter than no-stripe species.
Ivory
Ivory is one of the common snail colors. Mystery snails with ivory shells are also known as an albino with body spots that manifest their colors.
Identifying albino snails is quite easy as it has a distinctive shell color ranging from slightly yellow to plain white or off-white.
Gold
Golden mystery snails are pretty easy to distinguish from other varieties. They have an opaque or semi-transparent yellow color with a yellowish or white foot.
Jade
Jade mystery snails commonly have a dark body with a variety of shell colors, from transparent yellow to opaque. The end of their shell may have a slightly lighter color.
Blue
What’s great about blue mystery snails is an appealing body with bluish-black color and semi-transparent shells. The body shines through the shells which look amazingly stunning in your freshwater tank.
Sometimes, blue mystery snails also have a white shell that looks attractive, too.
Black
Also known as wild mystery snails, this variety of snail has a blackish-brown shell. That’s why they are known as a black snails. You may also find them with neat stripes which range from brown to black color.
Dark with Olive Stripe
This is one of the interesting colors you can find on local breeders. Compared to other dark-bodied snails, it has a distinctive greenish base on its shell and also stripes that range from reddish-brown to dark brown.
Rare Mystery Snail Colors
If you have all the common colors of mystery snails, it’s time to move to mystery snails with rare colors. There are at least 7 types to find on the market, including:
Dark with Purple Stripe
Dark striped purple mystery snails have a beautiful shell with pinkish or purplish color. It comes with a blackish body and purple stripes—some breeders also have snails with black stripes.
Pink
This is a variety of mystery snails that will add visual attraction to your aquarium. Pink mystery snail has an adorable reddish-pink shell and a white body.
Red Brown
Coming out with a dark body and clear shell, red-brown snails have reddish-brown stripes. This variety is quite similar to the wild mystery snails.
Chestnut
Chestnut is an attractive variety that has a brown shell and light body. Some chestnut snails also have a vibrant red tinge that enhances their appeal.
Purple with Light Stripe
Although it is called purple, this variety of snail has a pink pigment in the inner part of the shell. Also, it has an ivory to the pink base with purple stripes.
Light or Dark Plain Purple
Light plain purple snails have a light and dark body with pink or purple shells. This variety doesn’t have stripes both on their body or shell.
Burgundy
Pretty similar to striped purple snails, burgundy mystery snails have a white body and the color may change based on the light source.
This means the color changes based on the angle you see it. It also has a burgundy color with yellow or copper highlights.
Getting some mystery snails in your freshwater tank could be a great idea to enhance the appeal. While some color varieties are pretty common, others are rarely found on the market.
Whether you want common or rare mystery snail colors, make sure you find them in the right place.
