I recently started keeping a community tank and added mystery snails to the tank and my kids like them more than the fish I think. I added a single brown, blue, white, and gold to the tank. It wasn't really made clear online and I couldn't find anything in the search here, but what kind of genetics are at work here? If the brown and the gold breed, which seems to be happening, what will I likely see in the offspring? Is it predictable practically like with Mendelian genes or is this a complicated epigenetic thing? They are being bred for stores so I assume someone knows how the inheritance works. What has been your experience and what is known about crossing the different phenotypes?
Mystery Snail Genetics
- Thread starter Michigan Buckeye
- Start date
I do not have knowledge of ‘mystery snail genetics’. But it appears as if you are not talking about actual mystery snails (family Viviparidae), but about Apple Snails (family Ampullariidae).
These are very different in how they feed, how they reproduce, and their Ecology.
Thatis the problem with common names.
In the pet trade, the golden, Brown, blue and white specimens are all the same species of Pomacea. They should all be able to interbreed if allowed and conditions proper. I can not help you with the genetics. Female Pomacea snails lay egg masses outside the water (on glass, plants, etc) which hatch and babies crawl or fall into the water. Female Viviparid snails do not lay egg masses.
Good luck!
These are very different in how they feed, how they reproduce, and their Ecology.
Thatis the problem with common names.
In the pet trade, the golden, Brown, blue and white specimens are all the same species of Pomacea. They should all be able to interbreed if allowed and conditions proper. I can not help you with the genetics. Female Pomacea snails lay egg masses outside the water (on glass, plants, etc) which hatch and babies crawl or fall into the water. Female Viviparid snails do not lay egg masses.
Good luck!
I found this interesting link awhile back, though I can't speak to it's veracity, never did a deep dive on it, just skimmed it.
www.theshrimpfarm.com
Understanding Mystery Snail Colors (+ Color Chart!)
Did you know that mystery snails come in many different shades? Discover all the mystery snail colors and more about this aquarium favorite!
And this one in my old bookmarks
fwgna.blogspot.com
The Mystery Snail Color Genetics Project
Editor’s Note – This essay was subsequently published as: Dillon, R.T., Jr. (2023c) The Mystery Snail Color Genetics Project. Pp 63 – 74 i...
fwgna.blogspot.com
Both of those links are really cool, when I get home I'll look through them a little more in detail. The one is claiming its Mendelian and has a pretty simple pattern of inheritance? I had hoped that was true because it is much easier for me to work out and predict. Very awesome, thank you so much!And this one in my old bookmarks
The Mystery Snail Color Genetics Project
Editor’s Note – This essay was subsequently published as: Dillon, R.T., Jr. (2023c) The Mystery Snail Color Genetics Project. Pp 63 – 74 i...