Yellow Spotted Rabbit Snail - Tylomelania towutica Snail Profile & Care Guide
Table of contents
Introduction
Yellow Spotted Rabbit Snails (Tylomelania towutica) are highly sought after due to their unique appearance and intriguing behaviour. These snails are rare in the aquarium trade, and their rabbit-like faces and elephant-like skin make them stand out from other snails. These snails are peaceful and slow-moving, making them suitable for keeping with non-aggressive tank mates.
Being some of the largest freshwater snails in the world, Yellow Spotted Rabbit Snails require ample space to move around, so a spacious tank with a fine-grained substrate is ideal. Yellow Spotted Rabbit Snails exhibit a distinct preference for specific water parameters that are conducive to their well-being. To ensure their thriving condition, it is imperative to implement routine water changes, thus preventing the accumulation of potentially hazardous levels of water parameters. These snails are most comfortable in pristine, tropical waters resembling their natural habitat. Consequently, meticulous attention to maintaining a clean and well-oxygenated aquarium environment is essential for their sustained health and vitality.
Their black bodies adorned with yellow spots and long spiral-shaped shells with bronze to dark brown hues make them a striking addition to any aquarium. Yellow Sotted Rabbit Snails are also known for burrowing themselves in the sand, and you may catch them resting with only their head peeking out. In summary, Yellow Spotted Rabbit Snails are not only visually appealing, but they also bring unique behaviours to an aquarium that's sure to fascinate any aquarist.
Yellow Spotted Rabbit Snail Photos
Sexual Dimorphism
Yellow Spotted Rabbit Snails are hermaphroditic, with both male and female reproductive organs. As such, distinguishing between the sexes with the naked eye is not possible, as there are no visual differences.
Quick Facts
| Scientific Name | Tylomelania towutica |
|---|---|
| Year Described | 1913 |
| Other Names | Rabbit snail, Elephant Snail, Sulawesi snail |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Classification | Gastropoda |
| Order | Cerithioidea |
| Family | Pachychilidae |
| Genus | Tylomelania |
| Origins | Indonesia |
| Max Size | 12 cm |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Aquarium Level | All Levels |
| Difficulty | Beginner - Intermediate |
| Shoaling | No |
| Best kept as | NA |
| Diet & Feeding | Omnivore |
| Reproduction | Livebearer |
| Average Lifespan | Up to 2 Years |
Water Parameters
| Water Type | Freshwater |
|---|---|
| pH | 7.5 - 8.5 |
| GH | 4 - 12 |
| KH | 4 - 8 |
| TDS | 50 - 400 |
| ℉ | 77 - 86 |
|---|---|
| ℃ | 25 - 30 |
Natural Habitat
The Yellow Spotted Rabbit Snails are native to the freshwater mountain lakes of Sulawesi, a beautiful Indonesian island in Southeast Asia. These snails thrive in warm and slightly alkaline waters with a sandy substrate, often adorned with decaying vegetation. Their natural habitat provides a unique environment for these snails, making them an intriguing and sought-after addition to aquariums. In addition, their love for alkaline water and preference for decaying vegetation makes them an excellent choice for aquarists seeking to create a naturalistic, biotope-style setup in their tanks.
Breeding
Yellow Spotted Rabbit Snails typically reach sexual maturity when they reach approximately 4 cm in length, which can take up to a year due to their slow growth rate. While breeding occurs inside freshwater aquariums with appropriate water conditions, it is not as prolific as other freshwater snails. As a result, the snails have a low reproduction rate, even in large groups, preventing the overpopulation of the aquarium. Unlike most snails, Yellow Spotted Rabbit Snails give birth to live snails, producing one round white pod every 4 to 6 weeks. Typically, one to three baby snails will emerge from the pod within minutes of birth, fully formed miniatures of the adults.
Diet & Feeding
Yellow Spotted Rabbit Snails are efficient scavengers and will happily feed on soft algae that grow on the glass and other surfaces within the aquarium. They also enjoy consuming decaying plant matter that has settled on the tank's substrate. However, providing a diverse diet is crucial to ensure they receive adequate nutrition. The snails will eagerly accept a range of foods, including dried options like flakes, spirulina wafers, algae wafers, and pellets, as well as frozen bloodworms and earthworm pellets.
It's also recommended to offer occasional servings of vegetables, such as cucumber, blanched zucchini, spinach, and lettuce, to provide additional variety to their diet. To support the natural feeding behaviour of Yellow Spotted Rabbit Snails, it's beneficial to provide supplements containing adequate calcium, an essential nutrient for maintaining their shell health.
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