Melanoides tuberculatus
Malaysian Trumpet Snail
Scientific Classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Mollusca
Class:Gastropoda
Order:Sorbeoconcha
Family:Thiaridae
Genus:Melanoides
Species:tuberculatus
IUCN Status:Least Concern
Quick Stats
Difficulty
Easy
Environment
Freshwater
Temperature
20°C - 28°C
pH Level
6.5 - 8
Water Hardness
50 - 270 ppm
Lifespan
2 years
Origin
Asia, Africa
Adult Size
2 - 4 cm
Diet
Detritivore
Creature Type
Snail
TDS
300 ppm
Water Flow
Low Flow
Aquarium Building Information
Minimum Tank Size
10L
Swimming Zone
bottom
Oxygen Consumption
Very Low
Waste Production
Low
Metabolism Rate
Low
Activity Level
Moderate
Feeding Frequency
Daily
Food Types
Detritus
Algae
Sinking Pellets
Flakes
Wafers
Vegetables
About This Species
Basic Description
The Malaysian Trumpet Snail, often called MTS, is an excellent addition for any beginner aquarist. These small, peaceful snails are fantastic cleaners, spending their time burrowing through the gravel or sand. This digging is very helpful for your tank, as it stirs up the substrate, preventing harmful gas pockets from forming and keeping it clean. They primarily eat leftover fish food, decaying plant matter, and algae, so they act as a natural cleanup crew. You'll mostly see them active at night or when the lights are off, but they may come out during the day to search for food. While they are very easy to care for, be aware that their population can grow very quickly, especially if you tend to overfeed your fish. If you suddenly see many of them climbing the aquarium glass during the daytime, it can be a sign that you need to check your water quality. They are not picky about their water conditions and can live happily in most community tanks, making them a hardy and low-maintenance pet. Their cone-shaped shells are quite tough, offering some protection from small, curious fish.
Detailed Description
Melanoides tuberculatus, commonly known as the Malaysian Trumpet Snail or Red-rimmed Melania, is a highly valued gastropod in the freshwater aquarium hobby for its utilitarian role. Its primary benefit is substrate aeration. By constantly burrowing, MTS prevents the compaction of sand or fine gravel, which in turn inhibits the formation of anaerobic pockets where toxic hydrogen sulfide gas can develop. This bioturbation is especially beneficial in planted tanks, as it helps deliver nutrients to plant roots. As a detritivore, its diet consists of uneaten food, fish waste, biofilm, and various forms of algae, making it an integral part of an aquarium's cleanup crew. This feeding behavior is directly linked to their population dynamics; an abundance of food will lead to a population boom. This makes them an excellent indicator of an overfeeding issue within the tank. Hobbyists can easily manage their numbers by controlling the amount of food introduced into the ecosystem. One of their most fascinating biological traits is their method of reproduction. They are parthenogenetic livebearers, meaning a single female can produce genetically identical offspring without a mate, giving birth to fully formed, tiny snails. This is why their population can expand so rapidly from just one individual. Their nocturnal nature means they are most active after lights out, but a mass migration up the aquarium glass during the day is a classic indicator of poor water conditions, such as low oxygen levels or an ammonia/nitrite spike. This behavior makes them a living barometer for tank health. They are peaceful and compatible with almost all fish and shrimp, though they are vulnerable to dedicated snail predators like pufferfish, assassin snails, and some species of loaches.
Scientific Description
Melanoides tuberculatus is a thiarid gastropod mollusk with a wide native distribution across parts of Africa and Asia. Its remarkable physiological adaptability has facilitated its establishment as an invasive species in tropical and subtropical freshwater bodies worldwide, often introduced via the aquarium trade. This adaptability is evident in its tolerance for a broad spectrum of water parameters, including temperature, pH, and hardness, as well as a limited tolerance for brackish conditions. Its IUCN status as 'Least Concern' reflects this widespread distribution and robust population. A key biological characteristic is its reproductive strategy: M. tuberculatus is primarily an ovoviviparous, parthenogenetic species. Females are able to reproduce clonally without fertilization, giving birth to live, fully developed juveniles. This allows for rapid population establishment from a single individual, a significant factor in its success as a colonizer. Ecologically, M. tuberculatus is a significant bioturbator. Its constant burrowing behavior alters the physical and chemical properties of the benthic substrate, increasing aeration and influencing nutrient cycling. As a detritivore, it plays a role in decomposition and energy transfer within its habitat by consuming detritus, periphyton, and algae. In its native and introduced ranges, M. tuberculatus is of medical and veterinary importance as it serves as the first intermediate host for numerous digenetic trematodes, including parasites of public health significance such as Clonorchis sinensis (the Chinese liver fluke) and Paragonimus westermani (the Oriental lung fluke). Its low metabolic rate and minimal oxygen requirements allow it to thrive in environments that might be stressful for other organisms, and its mass emergence from the substrate is often used as a bio-indicator of hypoxic or otherwise compromised water quality in captive environments.
