Orange rabbit snail (Tylomelania zemis) care guide

Group
Snails
Other names
Rabbit snail, Orange poso snail, Tylomelania sp. "Orange"
Family
Pachychilidae
Origin
Sulawesi, Indonesia: endemic to the Malili lakes and Lake Poso region
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
10 cm
Temperature
25–29°C
pH
7.3–8.5
Hardness
6–12 dGH, 4–10 dKH
Minimum tank
60 litres
Care level
intermediate

Care

Rabbit snails are large freshwater snails from the ancient lakes of Sulawesi, named for their drooping, rabbit-ear-like tentacles and long snout. The orange rabbit snail has a bright orange-yellow body and a long, tapering dark shell. Name note: the genus Tylomelania has about 46 described species and the lists we checked do not include T. zemis; the orange snail in the trade is sold under several names and its true identity is not settled, so treat the name as a trade name. Water: unlike most aquarium snails they need warm, alkaline water, roughly 25–29 °C and pH 7.3–8.5, matching their lake habitat. Cool or acidic water shortens their lives and damages shells. Set-up: a mature tank of 60 litres or more with a soft, sandy substrate they can dig into, some rocks and wood, and steady, clean water. They are peaceful and slow and suit a warm tank with shrimp or peaceful fish. They are not known to eat healthy plants. Role: they graze algae and biofilm and sift through the substrate for detritus and leftover food, helping keep sand clean. 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/Tylomelania). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Omnivorous grazer. Feed sinking pellets, algae wafers, blanched vegetables and leaf litter, plus biofilm and detritus in a mature tank. Rabbit snails eat a fair amount and need regular feeding in a clean tank.

Breeding

Sexes are separate, which is unusual among aquarium snails, so at least one male and one female are needed. They are livebearers: the female broods a single egg in a pouch and releases one well-formed young, among the largest newborns of any livebearing snail, every few weeks. Breeding in aquariums is possible but slow, so they never overrun a tank.

Compatibility and tank mates

Peaceful with shrimp (including Sulawesi Caridina, which share their water needs), small fish and other snails. Avoid snail-eating loaches, puffers and assassin snails. Not a pest; plant-safe in general.

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

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