Mystery Snail

Looks how to spot one

Coiled shell with operculum

A round freshwater snail with a fairly tall, pointed spire, a trapdoor (operculum) to close the shell, a long breathing tube (siphon) and two long feelers. Body colour runs from pale yellow in bred lines to nearly black with yellow flecks.123

Personality what they are like

Peaceful and unhurried with tankmates, yet livelier than most snails. Wild-type snails are mostly night-active and like to root around on the bottom, while in home tanks they are often seen gliding over glass and decor.13

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Needs room to roam the glass, substrate and plants, plus access to the water surface to breathe air through its siphon.13

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

No handling needed. Keep water hard enough for healthy shell growth and offer calcium-rich foods. A tight lid is important because the snail can climb out, and some space above the waterline is useful for egg laying.31

Home where they are happiest

A freshwater aquarium with a tight-fitting lid; one or two snails fit a 5 US gallon (about 19 L) tank or larger. Aquarium Co-Op suggests 21-26 C, pH of at least 7.2 and GH above 8 degrees (150 ppm).3

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Scavenger that eats algae, biofilm, fish food and decaying plant matter. It usually leaves healthy plants alone, so it suits planted tanks. Extra minerals from shrimp pellets, blanched vegetables or calcium-rich gel food help the shell.13

Company who they like around

Happy alone or in a small group and gets on with calm fish and shrimp. Sexes are separate, so at least one male and one female are needed for eggs.3

The story where it all began

For decades this snail was lumped in with its relative Pomacea bridgesii, until researchers recognised it as the common, smaller apple snail of the Amazon basin and gave it its own species name. It became a staple of the freshwater aquarium trade, where breeders developed many colour forms such as gold, ivory and blue.21

Recognised by the official bits

Taxonomy (applesnail.net and Wikipedia)

Pomacea diffusa Blume, 1957, family Ampullariidae. Long treated as a form of Pomacea bridgesii; later work, including genetic studies, supports it as a separate species.1

Wikipedia

Notes the split from P. bridgesii (Pain 1960; Cowie and Thiengo 2003) and its place in the ornamental aquarium trade.2