Breeding the Perfecta Rabbit Snail (Tylomelania perfecta)
Tylomelania perfecta is a Sulawesi-endemic rabbit snail with a starry-spotted body. As a dioecious livebearer it produces one large juvenile at a time and reproduces slowly in hard alkaline water.
Overview
Tylomelania perfecta is a rabbit snail endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia, recognised by the pale spotting on its dark body. It is a member of the family Pachychilidae and, like the rest of the genus, is dioecious rather than hermaphroditic. It is a slow algae and biofilm grazer suited to warm, hard, alkaline lake water.
Reproduction follows the slow rabbit-snail pattern, with a single offspring at a time. Because the species is a Sulawesi endemic, captive breeding helps conserve wild stocks.
Sexing
Males and females look alike, so reliable sexing is not possible by eye and a single individual cannot breed. Keep several together to ensure both sexes are present; the arrival of juveniles confirms a working pair.
Conditioning
Stable chemistry and steady feeding condition the adults. They graze continuously and benefit from leaf litter. Keep ammonia and nitrite at zero and nitrate low, and never expose them to soft water, which degrades the shell.
- Temperature: 26-30 °C (79-86 °F)
- pH: 7.5-8.5 (alkaline; avoid soft water)
- GH: 6-14 °dGH
- KH: 4-10 °dKH
- Minimum tank volume: 60 L
Breeding Setup
No separate breeding tank is required. A stable Sulawesi-style display with sand, hiding places and dim lighting is ideal. The reproduction trigger is simply hard, warm, alkaline, well-oxygenated water of excellent quality.
Reproduction & Young
Tylomelania are ovoviviparous: the uterine brood pouch formed from the pallial oviduct releases a single fully shelled juvenile at a time instead of clutches of eggs. Newly born juveniles of some species in the genus approach 2 cm, among the largest of any viviparous gastropod, and graze on their own once free of the calcareous capsule.
Common Challenges
The slow, one-at-a-time output is the main limitation, with long gaps between births. Soft or unstable water erodes the shell and stops breeding. Avoid loaches, pufferfish and assassin snails as tank mates.