![]() Although the snails are active during the day, they’re busiest at night. In fact, the creatures spend most of their time foraging in the tank in search of food or grazing on algae on the tank’s glass and solid decorations. The Japanese trapdoor snail is a peaceful scavenger that won’t hassle any of the other residents of your community aquarium. In some states, the species is regarded as invasive, you’re not allowed to keep them. Even more remarkably, these snails have a much longer lifespan than most other species, surviving for five to ten years! Are Japanese trapdoor snails invasive?īefore you put some Japanese trapdoor snails in your fish tank, check with your local authorities to make sure you can keep them as pets. The advantage of not having a lung means the hardy Japanese trapdoor snail can survive in extremely cold weather, even at below-freezing temperatures. How does that work, you ask? Well, it’s because these guys are one of the truly aquatic snail species that do not breathe air - interesting, right? Japanese trapdoor snails are livebearers, and unlike most aquarium fish, the snail’s gestation period is very long at nine months.Īlso unlike most snail species you’ll find in fish tanks and ponds, the Japanese trapdoor snail doesn’t have a protruding siphon tube that enables the creatures to breathe atmospheric air. A few found their way into the San Francisco Bay, and there’s still a thriving population there today. The snails were first introduced to San Francisco through a fish market way back in the late 1800s, where they were traded as a food source. However, in many parts of the world, the Japanese trapdoor snail (Viviparus malleattus) is now regarded as an unwelcome invasive species. These snails, not to be confused with the Chinese mystery snail (Cipangopaludina japonica), originate in parts of Asia, especially Myanmar, Thailand, Japan, and China. They make excellent low-maintenance pets for kids, too.Īnd while plants are many snail species’ most common food choice, a Japanese trapdoor snail won’t bother live ones. ![]() You can keep them pretty much anywhere: an outdoor pond if you have one in your back garden, a nano tank, or a large setup. These snails are easy to care for and perfect for a brand-new aquarist. While there’s plenty to say about aquarium snails as a whole, we’re focusing specifically on the Japanese trapdoor snail in this guide. The peaceful creature quickly gets busy as an algae eater and clears up general detritus, plant debris, and uneaten food from the substrate. Aquarium snails can make useful, surprisingly attractive, and interesting additions to a freshwater fish tank.
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