Among the mollusks that we usually consume and are considered precious shellfish for our diets are seafood like snails.
I will tell you many curiosities of this seafood worth learning about, such as their benefits, types, and how they reproduce.
Seafood like snails is one of the most coveted treasures in the coastal regions and Worldwide.
Traditionally they are known for their chewy and sweet taste in dishes and recipes. But l prepares delicious recipes to decorate my table. Click here to learn about seafood vs. seafood.
If you want to know more about delicious seafood like snails, I will tell you all its secrets in today’s post.
Let’s go.
Seafood Like Snails Are Called
Seafood like snails is called “sea snails.”
Sea snails is a name used to describe a diverse group of marine snails that live in various habitats and have different sizes, shapes, and colors.
There are edible and non-edible species. Some common examples of sea snails include conchs, cowries, abalones, whelks, and limpets.
Seafood Like Snails In The World
There are thousands of species of seafood like snails, around the world. However, here are a few seafood like snail species:
- Cone snail (Conus spp.)
- Whelk (Buccinum undatum)
- Cowry (Cypraea spp.)
- Tulip snail (Fasciolaria tulipa)
- Nassa mud snail (Nassa spp.)
- Olive snail (Oliva spp.)
- Spindle snail (Turritella spp.)
- Auger snail (Terebra spp.)
- False triton (Cabestana spengleri)
- Flamingo tongue snail (Cyphoma gibbosum)
- Flat periwinkle (Littorina obtusata)
- Florida fighting conch (Strombus alatus)
- Florida horse conch (Pleuroploca gigantea)
- Florida worm snail (Vermetid spp.)
- Fortune’s spindle (Busycon fortunei)
- Fusus snail (Fusus spp.)
- Geoduck (Panopea generosa)
- Giant clam
- Moon snail (Euspira lewisii)
- Wentletrap (Epitonium scalare)
- Top shell (Trochus spp.)
- Hairy triton (Charonia tritonis)
- Purple sea snail (Janthina janthina)
- Limpet (Patella vulgata)
- Murex (Murex spp.)
- Oyster drill (Urosalpinx cinerea)
- Pacific triton (Charonia variegata)
- Periwinkle (Littorina spp.)
- Scotch bonnet (Semicassis granulata)
- Strombus (Strombus spp.)
- Turban snail (Turbo spp.)
- Babylonia snail (Babylonia spp.)
- Bailer shell (Bulla striata)
- Baltic tellin (Macoma balthica)
- Banded tulip (Fasciolaria hwyne)
- Barleycorn turban (Turbo castanea)
- Batik nerite (Nerita tessellata)
- Bittersweet clams (Glycymeris spp.)
- Black-lip pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera)
- Bleeding tooth (Galeodea spp.)
- Blood cockle (Anadara granosa)
- Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis)
- Blue-rayed limpet (Helcion pellucidum)
- Bonnet shell (Mitra spp.)
- Bubble snail (Bullina spp.)
- Bulla snail (Bulla gouldiana)
- Byzantine oyster (Crassostrea angulata)
- California cone (Conus californicus)
- California triton (Fusitriton oregonensis)
- Cantharus snail (Cantharus spp.)
- Caribbean triton (Charonia variegata)
- Carrier shell (Phorus spp.)
- Channeled whelk (Busycotypus canaliculatus)
- Checkered periwinkle (Littorina scutulata)
- Chocolate clam (Megapitaria squalida)
Seafood Like Snail Reproduction
Seafood like snails reproduction has many interesting facts to learn about, most significantly, their unique reproductive system.
As hermaphrodites, they possess both male and female reproductive organs.
With a 5 to 7 years lifespan, snails reach sexual maturity as early as 1 year old, allowing for rapid population growth.
There are two very curious facts about the mating of these animals. During mating, the snail ritual can last up to 12 hours before copulation.
Interestingly, the male and female reproductive organs are on both sides of their body, making partner interaction quite simple.
Most freshwater snails are also hermaphrodites and can fertilize their eggs. They usually lay eggs in groups of 5 to 40 in a gelatinous mass.
These eggs are laid on plants, at the bottom of water bodies, or dispersed by floating.
The eggs hatch after 6 to 8 days and reach maturity in 4 to 7 weeks, depending on the species and environmental conditions.
It’s important to note that different snail species have different reproductive strategies, with some having differentiated sexes.
After the mating ritual, each snail is responsible for fertilizing the eggs in their partner, producing up to 100 eggs.
Depending on the species and environmental conditions, most freshwater snail species reach maturity in four to seven weeks.
The reproduction strategies will be different because there are hermaphrodite species and others where the sexes are differentiated.
These fertilized eggs grow and are buried in the ground, often near rocky areas, to protect them from predators.
Seafood Like Snail Benefits
One of the seafood like snails benefits is that they are food to humans and help clean aquariums.
However, others find them a difficult pest to control. Sea snails, water, or river snails are essential in aquarium maintenance.
The key is choosing a suitable species. Having snails in the fish tank gives you a series of benefits. Because snails have come out of their shells and are enjoying being our new star food.
Apart from cleaning tanks, other seafood like snails’ benefits are:
1. Protein
“Snails provide a low-calorie source of protein (unless you add butter or some other seasoning).”
They are star food. Protein is essential for building and repairing muscle, and it’s also better for filling you up than carbs and fat.
Snails have more protein than shellfish.
2. Iron
Snails are also a good source of iron, essential for building red blood cells and transporting energy throughout the body.
A lack of iron can lead to extreme fatigue and anemia.
3. Vitamin B12
They are referred to as the “energy vitamin”.
It is needed to make red blood cells, maintain a healthy nervous system, release energy from food, and process folic acid. Luckily, snails have a lot.
4. Magnesium
Snails are also a good source of magnesium. Our bodies need to maintain normal blood pressure, strengthen bones, and maintain a regular heart rate.
5. Selenium
We don’t need a lot of selenium in our bodies, but we do need some to maintain a healthy immune system and protect cells from damage. And yes, snails contain selenium.
6. Omega-3
The much-loved fatty acids, lovers of the heart. “Snails also supply quite a bit of omega-3s,” says Hobson, “which is good news for your heart.”
Seafood Like Snails To Eat
There are different types of seafood like snails to eat. Here are some options:
- Mussels
- Clams
- Oysters
- Abalone
- Conch
- Whelks
- Limpets
- Razor clams
- Periwinkles
- Cockles
- Scallops
- Octopus
- Squid
- Cuttlefish
- Nautilus
- Crawfish
- Lobster
- Shrimp
- Prawns
- Crayfish
- Crab
- Barnacles
- Sea urchin
- Sea snails
- Slipper lobster
- Geoduck
- Sea cucumbers
- Razor shells
- Chiton
- Sea stars
- Sea anemones
- Sea worms
- Jellyfish
- Sea grapes
- Sea lettuce
- Wakame
- Kelp
- Dulse
- Nori
- Herring
- Sardines
- Anchovies
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Cod
- Halibut
- Sole
- Flounder
- Trout
- Catfish
- Grouper
- Barramundi
- Mahi-mahi
- Tilapia
- Snapper
- Perch
- Pike
- Whitefish
- Caviar
- Roe
- Eel
- Lamprey
- Smelt
- Hake
- Turbot
- Monkfish
- Skate
- Ray
- Shark
- Swordfish
- Mackerel
- Herring roe
- Crab roe
- Shrimp roe
- Octopus roe
- Squid Roe
- Fish roe
Seafood Like Snails Food
What is seafood like snail food? Seafood like snail food, is algae and living vegetation.
Some prefer organic matter, while others feed on river snails, for example, Anentome Helena.
It depends on the species; seafood like snails can be omnivorous or carnivorous because some are to fish and other shellfish, while others are dead plants.
Many aquatic snails live on the substrate and benefit from removing detritus (organic remains of uneaten food and fish feces) and aerating gravel or sand.
I help maintain the quality of the water in the aquarium.
Seafood Like Snails Harmful
Why is seafood like snails harmful? Seafood like snails can be harmful if they are contaminated.
“Red Tide” refers to a natural phenomenon caused by the rapidly increasing microalgae in water.
These microalgae are the leading food for marine organisms like bivalve mollusks.
They can cause health problems for people who consume them and result in economic losses for the aquaculture and extractive industries.
Under certain environmental conditions, such as water temperature, salinity, light, and nutrient availability, microalgae can proliferate explosively, causing a phenomenon known as Algal Bloom or “Bloom”.
It can be beneficial for marine life, but it can also cause harmful effects. Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) can be toxic or non-toxic.
Non-Toxic HABs affect oxygen availability and uptake, leading to mortality events in fish and other organisms.
Toxic HABs generate highly toxic substances known as marine toxins.
Filter-feeder mollusks, which feed on microalgae, concentrate these toxins in their tissues.
They turn them into highly toxic foods that can cause severe illness and even death in those who consume them.
HABs can cause poisoning in humans and animals susceptible to biotoxins produced in the metabolism of specific microalgae.
Several marine biotoxins have been described, including paralyzing poison of Shellfish, amnesic poison of shellfish, lipophilic marine biotoxins, brevetoxins or neurotoxic shellfish poison, ciguatera, palitotoxins, and spirolides.
Shellfish, like bivalve mollusks, gastropods, crustaceans, echinoderms, and tunicates, can be contaminated with marine toxins.
Contaminated shellfish do not show any change in color, smell, or texture.
Only specialized laboratory analyses authorized by competent authorities can certify their presence or absence.
These toxins resist high temperatures, so cooking contaminated shellfish cannot eliminate them.
Therefore, contaminated shellfish MUST NOT be eaten by humans. It is why seafood like snails can be harmful.
Seafood Like Snails Nutrition
These are seafood like snaisl nutritional profiles. This content will energize you to make these seafood parts of your diet.
The snail also has important health benefits due to its nutritional, therapeutic, and regenerative properties for the skin and hair.
Seafood Like Snail Nutritional Value Per 100g
| Nutritional | Value |
| Energy (in kilojoules/kilocalories) | 88kJ/21kcal |
| Vitamin B1 (in milligrams) | 0.17mg |
| Vitamin B6 (in milligrams) | 0.38mg |
| Vitamin A (in micrograms) | 84.0 mcg |
| Vitamin B2 (in milligrams) | 0.30mg |
| Vitamin B12 (in micrograms) | 27.0 mcg |
| Vitamin E (in milligrams) | 3.90mg |
| Vitamin C (in milligrams) | 2.00mg |
| Fats (in grams) | 1g |
| Saturated fatty acids (in grams) | 0.2g |
| Monounsaturated fatty acids (in grams) | 0.2g |
| Polyunsaturated fatty acids (in grams) | 0.4g |
| Carbohydrates (in grams) | 1g |
| Sugars (in grams) | 0g |
| Polyalcohols (in grams) | 0g |
| Starch (in grams) | 0g |
| Dietary fiber (in grams) | 0g |
| Proteins (in grams) | 6.25g |
| Vitamin A (in micrograms) | 84.0mcg |
| Salt (in grams) | 0g |
| Calcium (in milligrams) | 130mg |
| Iron (in milligrams) | 12mg |
| Magnesium (in milligrams) | 305mg |
| Phosphorus (in milligrams) | 200mg |
| Potassium (in milligrams) | 260mg |
| Sodium (in milligrams) 103mg | 103mg |
| Zinc (in milligrams) | 2.2mg |
Seafood Like Snails Digging
What causes seafood like snail digging? Seafood like snail often digs holes in the substrate due to various reasons.
One reason could be due to stressful conditions such as inadequate temperature, elevated toxins, and aggressive tankmates.
Another reason could be to search for food and leftovers, while in some cases, snails may dig to sleep or hibernate.
Snails may also burrow in search of damp conditions if the water in their environment starts to deplete.
However, this is more likely to happen in the wild than in an aquarium.
The water would not evaporate to a critical point where the snail must die to survive.
Some snail species naturally love to dig and bury themselves, such as the Malaysian Trumpet Snail and the Black Devil Snail.
Digging may also result from breeding, where some snails lay eggs or give birth to live snails in any location that suits them.
Mystery snails are scavengers and prefer to eat decaying plants and vegetables.
Still, they may also eat live plants if the leaves are dying.
Before sleeping, they tend to dig themselves into the gravel, sometimes leading to uprooting stemmed plants next to them.
Seafood Like Snails Farming
What is seafood like snail farming? Seafood like snail farming is known as heliciculture.
It is a global activity aimed at raising snails in captivity through their complete life cycle for commercial purposes, primarily in gastronomy and health.
Snails have been present in the human diet for centuries, and the practice of heliciculture has also been used to preserve snails for religious, artistic, medicinal, and cultural purposes.
Heliciculture gained economic value in the early 20th century by implementing more advanced snail breeding techniques.
Today, snail breeding covers different phases of control in the cycle, making it a widely-known zootechnical practice with various types of snail breeding.
Snail farming is a competitive alternative to traditional meat consumption, with low-fat and high-protein content.
Heliciculture is carried out in natural or closed open hatcheries. Meat is highly valued in the European Community, the USA, and Japan.
Experts use land snails found in the wild for heliciculture.
In Latin America, heliciculture is practiced using knowledge from European immigrants in the 19th century.
The European Community authorizes Argentina, Chile, and Peru to export the garden snail (Helix Aspersa or Petit gris), which has highly valued meat.
Otala Láctea is another highly demanded snail species in the gastronomic field. Still, it is not bred in captivity but is collected from the wild.
Heliciculture also plays a crucial role in encouraging snail reproduction and conserving new species to save them from possible extinction.
The use of pesticides, agrochemicals, and the massive snail collection have distorted the ecological balance.
Maintaining optimal conditions in snail farming includes rigorous feeding processes, appropriate temperature and humidity conditions and controlled fattening.
It happens until the desired weight is achieved before being released on the market.
Conclusion
So now you have knowledge of seafood like snails most consumed in the world, all that remains is for you to decide on the one you like the most.
You also know sea snails’ important benefits, including nutritional, therapeutic, and regenerative properties, making heliciculture valuable for gastronomy and medicinal purposes.
However, some of them are contaminated and harmful when consumed. Click here to learn about seafood vs. shellfish.