Japanese Trapdoor Snail

One of the more interesting freshwater snails to keep are Japanese Trapdoor Snails. This snail has a reputation for being a very tranquil, non-aggressive soft algae eater. In addition, Japanese Trapdoor Snails will spend hours on end scouring the tank for uneaten food as well as other edible material. Japanese Trapdoor Snails may be marketed as Chinese Mystery Snails or simply as Trapdoor Snails.

Japanese Trapdoor Snails also go by Chinese Mystery Snails or its scientific name SINOTAIA quadrata. These snails have a spiral-shaped shell with unique coloration and patterns. They tend to have a mixture of brown, green, and white, every snail will have different patterns and coloration.

These snails are sold at about 1/2″. but can grow up to 2 inches in length!

They are great algae cleaners and will do minimal damage to plants. We supplement their feeding with sinking pellets and blanch vegetables. They are also completely peaceful and will not bother any freshwater shrimp or nano fish.

Recommended Tank Parameters:

Temperature: 68F – 84F

PH: 7.4-8.4

KH: 3-14