Malaysian Trumpet Snail (Melanoides tuberculata) Breeding Guide

Melanoides tuberculata is a parthenogenetic livebearer whose females carry up to 64 embryos in a brood pouch and produce broods of over 70 young, reproducing without males.

Overview

Melanoides tuberculata, the red-rimmed melania or Malaysian trumpet snail, is a cone-shaped burrowing snail of the family Thiaridae. It is primarily a burrowing species that is most active at night, providing natural substrate aeration, and it feeds chiefly on microalgae and detritus.

Sexing

Reproduction is parthenogenetic, so females reproduce without fertilization and males are not required. Males make up only 10 to 33 percent of the population, and a single female is enough to establish a colony.

Egg-laying / Reproduction

Females are ovoviviparous: they carry 1 to 64 developing embryos in a brood pouch and give live birth rather than laying eggs. Broods can contain over 70 offspring, and individuals begin reproducing at just 5 to 10 mm in length.

Juvenile Care

Juveniles are born live at 1.2 to 2.2 mm and immediately burrow into the substrate to feed, requiring no special care. The combination of parthenogenesis and high fecundity allows very rapid population growth, with field densities reaching about 10,000 per square metre.

Common Challenges

Because each female can found a colony and broods are large, numbers can climb quickly in nutrient-rich tanks. Limiting excess food helps control the population, and the species' proven invasive establishment, for example from Florida to Texas, means surplus snails should never be released.