Malaysian Trumpet Snail (Melanoides tuberculata)

Category: Freshwater Snails
Scientific Name: Melanoides tuberculata
Origin: Native to Southeast Asia with widespread global distribution through the aquarium trade
Lighting: Low to Moderate lighting recommended for natural behavior and best viewing
Substrate: Sand or fine gravel substrate preferred for burrowing behavior
Size: Juvenile to Adult

Parameters (Freshwater Snail Standard):
GH: 6–12
KH: 2–8
pH: 6.8–8.0

What to Expect with Appearance

Malaysian Trumpet Snails have a long tapered spiral shell that ranges in color from light tan to dark brown, often with mottled or banded markings. Their narrow conical shape makes them easy to identify and visually distinct from other common aquarium snails.

Shell size increases steadily with age, and adults maintain a slim profile even as they grow taller. Their appearance may vary slightly depending on diet and mineral availability, with calcium-rich water supporting stronger shell development.

General Care Behavior and Tank Conditions

These snails are well known for their burrowing behavior, spending much of their time beneath the substrate where they aerate the soil and help prevent compacted areas. They emerge primarily during low-light periods to graze on biofilm, detritus, and leftover food.

Malaysian Trumpet Snails are extremely hardy and tolerant of a wide range of conditions, making them ideal for established aquariums. They reproduce readily in stable environments, so population size is closely tied to available food. They are completely shrimp safe and coexist peacefully with fish and other invertebrates.

Bonus Tip

Because they naturally stir the substrate, Malaysian Trumpet Snails are especially useful in planted tanks where root oxygenation and soil health are important.

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