Yellow Rabbit Snail
Tylomelania towutensis
Animalia›Mollusca›Gastropoda›Pachychilidae
📍 Sulawesi, Indonesia
Yellow Rabbit Snails are large, attractive freshwater snails native to Sulawesi, Indonesia, prized for their bright yellow coloration and distinctive elongated shell shape. They are peaceful detritivores that help maintain tank cleanliness by consuming algae, biofilm, and decaying plant matter. These snails are relatively hardy and make excellent additions to planted and community aquariums.
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Tanks keeping this 🐟
Kept by 2 hobbyistsCommunity tanks featuring Yellow Rabbit Snail.
Care Guide
Diet
Yellow Rabbit Snails are primarily detritivores that feed on algae, biofilm, and decaying plant matter naturally present in the tank. Supplement with blanched vegetables such as zucchini, spinach, and lettuce, and calcium-rich foods like cuttlebone or algae wafers to support shell health. Feed supplemental foods 2-3 times per week in established tanks with adequate natural food sources.
Behavior
Yellow Rabbit Snails are nocturnal and spend most of the day hidden among substrate and plants, becoming more active at night. They are solitary snails that do not require companions but can coexist peacefully with other snails. They move slowly across surfaces, grazing on biofilm and algae, and will occasionally burrow into substrate.
Breeding
Yellow Rabbit Snails are gonochoristic (separate sexes) and do not breed readily in freshwater aquariums, making them excellent for population control concerns. Breeding requires specific environmental triggers that are difficult to replicate in captivity, so population explosions are not a concern with this species.
Tank Mates
Both are peaceful detritivores that occupy similar ecological niches without competition
Small, peaceful fish that ignore snails and occupy different tank zones
Peaceful mid-water dweller; generally ignores snails but monitor for aggression
Peaceful algae eater that shares similar dietary preferences without conflict
Bottom-dwelling peaceful catfish that coexists well with snails
Provides grazing surface for biofilm and shelter for snails
Common Diseases
Shell Erosion
Pitting, thinning, or deterioration of shell surface; white spots or chalky appearance
Increase water hardness (8+ dGH) with calcium supplements, cuttlebone, or mineral additives; ensure adequate dietary calcium through varied foods
Parasitic Flukes
Excessive mucus production, shell damage, lethargy, withdrawal into shell for extended periods
Perform 25% water changes weekly; treat with anti-parasitic medication designed for snails; quarantine affected snails if possible
Bacterial Shell Infection
Discoloration, pitting, or soft spots on shell; foul odor from shell
Maintain excellent water quality with regular water changes; provide calcium-rich diet; treat with antibacterial medication if severe
Copper Toxicity
Lethargy, withdrawal, loss of appetite, shell damage, death
Avoid all copper-based medications and fertilizers; use copper-free treatments; perform water changes to dilute copper; snails are highly sensitive to copper
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Quick Facts
- diet
- Detritivore/herbivore - consumes algae, biofilm, decaying plant matter, and soft vegetables
- lifespan
- 3-5 years
- max size
- 4 cm (1.6 in)
- tank size
- 20 gallons minimum
- temperament
- peaceful
Water it likes
- ph
- 7.0-8.0
- ammonia
- 0 ppm
- nitrate
- <20 ppm
- hardness
- 8-15 dGH
- temperature
- 75–82°F (24–28°C)
Legality
No state or federal restrictions on record for this species.
Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and locality and change over time — always confirm the current regulations with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping, or shipping this species.