Indian / Malayan louver snail - Melanoides tuberculata

The Indian, or Malayan, spire snail, with scientific name Melanoides tuberculata, has - as its name suggests - a spire-shaped shell with a lid tapering to the rear. Another trivial name is needle crown snail, and indeed it has a crown-like rim around its shell opening. It is made up of tines of the mantle that lies on the inside of the shell, and is probably used for supplemental oxygen intake. The shell is light brown to dark brown, often with a small dot pattern. Very often, the Malayan Turmdeckelschnecke is simply referred to as TDS.

Originally from Southeast Asia, the TDS has spread to virtually everywhere in the subtropics and tropics and is considered an invasive species in many places. In the aquarium, the Malayan trumpet snail is an exceptionally useful helper, especially if the substrate consists of fine gravel or sand. Like earthworms, the Malayan trumpet snail burrows through the substrate of the aquarium, loosens it, prevents hardening and sedimentation and thoroughly mixes the different layers. In this way, they also transport important nutrients to the roots of the plants and thus support their growth. In the process, "waste" such as food residues or detritus is eaten and utilized by the burrowing turret snails - nutrients that are then in turn also available to the plants.

During the day, TDS live practically exclusively in the substrate of the aquarium. They are completely inconspicuous and rarely seen in the aquarium. Only at dusk the Malayan Turmdeckelschnecken leave their cover and come into the free water. Then they can also be found on the aquarium glass. If you see large numbers of the Malaysian trumpet snails hanging on the glass or plants even during daylight, this indicates poor water values (especially oxygen deficiency or a high nitrite value). This characteristic makes the Indian trumpet snails a natural "indicator" for the quality of the aquarium water.

Malayan trumpet snails live mainly on food remains, foliage, biofilms and algae coverings, which they find predominantly on and in the substrate. Additional feeding is therefore not necessary. If there is a high food supply, TDS tend to proliferate, but the population can be kept under control very well by adapted feeding.

The Malayan Turmdeckelschnecke is separately sexual, however, one meets in the aquarium almost never male animals. The females reproduce by virgin reproduction, i.e. they clone themselves. So one single snail is enough to populate the aquarium in the long run! The Malayan Turmdeckel Snail does not lay eggs, but gives birth every few days to a single live young animal that has previously developed in its brood pouch.

This peaceful, useful TDS can be socialized with virtually any aquarium animal. It even gets along in brackish water tanks and keeps them clean there as well, as well as in very soft, medium and hard water. It can even be socialized with snail eaters. Due to their burrowing lifestyle, a base population will persist in most aquariums.

Our food recommendation: With the Natureholic Snail Feed Power Paste you create a feeding lawn that is very well accepted by all aufwuchs feeding snails. Also delicate wild caught snails like racing sn ails or staghorn snails, which are stressed after transport and do not go to conventional food, can be fed up well with it.

Our plant recommendation: Use for the planting NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.

Actively prevent outbreaks: With the invisible Natureholic Slug Barrier you prevent the escape and loss of your snails from the aquarium.