Rabbit Snail
Tylomelania zemis · family Pachychilidae
Parameters
- Temperature
- 25–29 °C
- pH
- 7.5–8.5
- Hardness
- 10–25 °dGH
- Tank volume
- from 80 L
- Maximum size
- up to 8 cm
- Group size
- min 2, ideal 4
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Lifespan
- 3–5 years
Pros and cons
- No population explosion like common snails
- Decorative — unusual head shape
- Eats Cladophora and hair algae well
- Long-lived (3–5 years)
- Expensive ($15–30 each)
- Needs hard alkaline water
- May eat soft-leaved plants (Cabomba)
- Sensitive to copper
Description
Rabbit snail — a large freshwater snail with a wrinkled 'rabbit head'. Breeds very slowly (1 baby every 4–6 weeks) — won't take over the tank.
FAQ
- Do rabbit snails eat plants?
- They leave tough-leaved plants (anubias, Java fern) alone. But cabomba, mosses and thin-walled small leaves can end up on the menu. Keepers compensate by feeding cucumber and pumpkin.
AuthorGoldie Editorial
Goldie editorial team
Practising aquarists with a combined 30+ years of experience · Biologists and editors, fact-checking against FishBase and Seriously Fish · Every piece is reviewed by a qualified ichthyologist before publication
Reviewed byGoldie Science Board
Scientific board — ichthyologists and veterinarians
Ichthyologists and veterinarians with university degrees · Reference FishBase, Seriously Fish and peer-reviewed literature · Sign every reviewed article with their credentials shown
Sources
- Wikipedia: Tylomelania zemis · Wikipedia · 2026-05-22