Japanese Trapdoor Snail (Cipangopaludina japonica) Care Guide
A large, peaceful snail with a round operculum (trapdoor) that seals its shell for protection. Excellent algae and detritus eater that does not reproduce rapidly like pest snails, as it is a live-bear…
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Cipangopaludina japonica is a species in the family Viviparidae. A large, peaceful snail with a round operculum (trapdoor) that seals its shell for protection. Excellent algae and detritus eater that does not reproduce rapidly like pest snails, as it is a live-bearer producing only a few young at a time.
Taxonomy
- Family: Viviparidae
- Genus: Cipangopaludina
- Scientific name: Cipangopaludina japonica
- Other names: Trapdoor Snail, Viviparus Snail
- Origin: East Asia, Japan
Habitat
Native to still and slow-moving fresh waters of East Asia, including Japan. A livebearing operculate snail that seals its shell with a "trapdoor"; it grazes algae, biofilm and detritus and tolerates cool temperatures.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L
- Temperature: 18-26 °C
- pH: 6.8-8
- GH: 5-18 °dGH
- Water flow: low
- Adult size: 3-6 cm
- Lifespan: 3-5 years
- Difficulty: beginner
Diet
Classified as detritivore. Recommended feeding frequency: 1x daily. In captivity, offer a varied diet appropriate to the species — quality prepared foods supplemented with frozen or live items of suitable size.
Compatibility
- Temperament: peaceful
- Position in tank: bottom
- Compatible tank mates: Goldfish, White Cloud Minnow, Cherry Shrimp, Corydoras
- Avoid with: Assassin Snail, Clown Loach, Puffer Fish
Breeding
- Breeding strategy: live-bearer
- Breeding difficulty: beginner
Japanese Trapdoor Snail Breeding Guide
Overview
The Japanese trapdoor snail, Cipangopaludina japonica, belongs to the family Viviparidae, a group of East Asian freshwater snails. Members of the genus have a gill and an oval corneous operculum, the "trapdoor" that seals the shell opening. They are native to East Asia and feed non-selectively on organic and inorganic bottom material, including algae.
Separate Sexes
Unlike many aquarium snails, viviparids are not hermaphrodites: reproduction is initiated sexually, so both a male and a female must be present. This is one reason the snail does not overrun a tank the way self-fertile or parthenogenetic snails do.
Livebearing & Young
The genus is ovoviviparous: females brood the eggs internally and produce live, fully formed young rather than laying egg clutches. In the closely related Chinese mystery snail (Cipangopaludina chinensis), a single brood can contain up to 102 young, and female lifetime output is usually greater than 169 young, with females bearing more young in their 4th and 5th years. Females may live up to 5 years and males up to 3-4 years.
Common Challenges
Because young are released a few at a time as crawling juveniles and require both sexes, population growth is slow and easy to manage compared with prolific pest snails. A stable, well-fed pair is enough to produce occasional young over the snail's multi-year lifespan.