Malaysian trumpet snail (Melanoides tuberculata) care guide

Group

Snails

Other names

Red-rimmed melania, Malayan livebearing snail, MTS, Thiara tuberculata, Melania tuberculata

Family

Thiaridae

Origin

Native to northern Africa and southern Asia; now widespread in the tropics and subtropics through the aquarium trade

Water

freshwater

Maximum size

3.6 cm

Temperature

18–30°C

pH

7–8.5

Hardness

6–20 dGH, 3–15 dKH

Minimum tank

10 litres

Care level

beginner

Lifespan

1–2 years

Care

The Malaysian trumpet snail is a small freshwater snail with a long, conical shell of 10–15 whorls, usually light brown with rusty red spots, typically 2–3.6 cm long (exceptionally much larger). Some populations are darker. It has an operculum. Behaviour and role: it spends much of the day buried in the substrate and comes out at night or when food appears. By burrowing it turns over the substrate, stopping it from compacting and going stagnant, and it eats algae, detritus and leftover food. Many keepers value it as a cleaner; others treat it as a pest because numbers can explode. A sudden rush of these snails up the glass in daylight is a useful warning of low oxygen or poor water. Water and set-up: very hardy. It tolerates low oxygen, warm water and even brackish water, and suits any tank with sand or fine gravel. Very soft, acidic water erodes the shell. Invasive species: introduced through the aquarium trade, it is established in many warm countries and in heated waters elsewhere, where it can push out native snails and spread parasites. Never release this animal or empty its tank water into drains or waterways. Health: in the wild it is an intermediate host for many flukes (trematodes), some of which infect people and fish. Tank-raised snails are generally harmless, but wash hands after handling and do not collect wild snails. Copper: copper-based medicines and some plant fertilisers are toxic to shrimp, snails and most invertebrates. Never dose copper in a tank holding this animal, and check fertiliser and medicine labels before use. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanoidestuberculata). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Microalgae, biofilm, detritus and leftover fish food. No special feeding is needed in a stocked tank. Numbers grow with the food supply, so overfeeding leads to a population boom.

Breeding

Most snails are females that reproduce without mating (parthenogenesis); males are only 10–33% of populations. They are livebearers: embryos develop in a brood pouch and are born as tiny, fully formed snails of about 1–2 mm, often dozens at a time. Snails can breed from about 5–10 mm long. A single snail can start a colony. Control numbers by feeding less and removing snails with a lettuce or vegetable trap overnight.

Compatibility and tank mates

Harmless to fish, shrimp and healthy plants. Eaten by loaches, puffers and assassin snails, which can be used to control numbers. Its hard operculum lets it survive many snail-eating fish.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.