Japanese Trapdoor Snails

Japanese Trapdoor Snails are a unique and fascinating species of freshwater snail distinguished by their operculum plate which seals the entrance to their shell. Their shells come in various shapes and sizes, so no two snail shells look exactly alike. 

These snails are among the largest aquatic snails in the hobby. Depending on where they are from, the shells will come in various shades of mint to green, to beige. They are similar to Mystery snails in that they like to breathe air. Keep the water line lowered a little, so they can go wandering.

Some benefits of having Japanese Trapdoor snails in your aquarium are that they clean algae off of glass, plants, and decorations, and they keep your substrate clean and the correct color.

They will be 1/3 of an inch to 1 inch wide.

Cassandra's notes:

These little guys play such an important role in a balanced aquarium! They are nature's recyclers, and work tirelessly to scrub detritus, algae and fish poo from your tank.

Peaceful and easy- going, you may see them resting on green foliage in order to scrub away any algae or biofilms on the surface. 

These guys are undemanding, but would prefer a planted, community tank within normal parameters. They do like a bit of cuttlebone here and there to keep their shells hard and clear. Grab some of that here: Cuttlebone by Weight.  Keep your PH above 7, or their shells could begin to erode!

These snails may reproduce in a freshwater aquarium if you keep more than one together. 

If you do not see any visible algae anywhere in your aquarium, it would be pertinent to place a blanched piece of vegetable on the substrate every few days. Be sure to remove within the day, as you won't want to foul up your water! They will also happily accept little algae wafers (the kind advertised for bottom feeders such as Plecos)

Under 40F where you are? Don’t forget your HEAT PACK!