Malaysian Trumpet snail Melanoides Tuberculata
The Malaysian Trumpet snail is very popular in the aquarium trade and not always because people buy them! They can attach to live plants (or attach their eggs to the plants) and later surprise hobbyists. The truth is a few of these snails in your aquarium can do more good than harm, cleaning excess algae and uneaten fish food. However, if care is not taken they can quickly multiply and become pests causing nightmares for the hobbyist. Care should be taken not to over feed the tank as this is the main cause for them multiplying.
Common names: Malaysian Trumpet Snail
Scientific name: Melanoides Tuberculata
Average Adult Size: 1-1.2inches / 2-3cm
Place of origin: Southeast Asia
Typical tank setup: Lots of plants and wood for grazing and providing cover.
Recommended min. aquarium capacity: 5 imperial gallons / 20 litres – suitable for Nano aquariums.
Compatibility: Community snail, but could be seen as food by large fish
Temp: 65 – 77 Deg F / 18 – 25 Deg C
Water chemistry: ph 6.8-8 Tolerable of a wide range of conditions.
Feeding: Melanoides Tuberculata doesn’t require any special diet and will happily graze on algae that grow naturally in the aquarium. They will also feed on left over fish food.
Sexing: These snails are hard to sex as both sexes look identical even as adults.
Breeding: Breeding these snails is really easy and often gives merit to them being pests in the aquarium. If not careful the population can quickly get out of hand.
Author: Sina Shakiba
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