White Spotted Towuti Giant Sulawesi Rabbit Snail (Tylomelania towutensis)

This exceptional snail is one of the celebrated Rabbit Snail species, and it is a wonderful aquarium inhabitant with proper care!

Sulawesi Rabbit Snails (Tylomelania sp.) are some of the most fascinating snails in the aquarium hobby, and the White Spotted Towuti Snail is no exception.  Also known as Elephant Snails, their natural habitat is in Indonesia and they are only rarely seen in the United States.  The "Rabbit" name likely comes from their rabbit-like faces and drooping antennae that resemble a rabbit's ears.  However, the resemblance to an elephant is also clear with their wrinkled, rubbery-looking skin and their long "snouts" (which is functionally more like the snail's foot).  Needless to say, these snails are certainly unique in appearance in several aspects!

Our White Spotted Rabbit Sulawesi Snails possess black bodies adorned with white spots.  Their shells are long and spiral-shaped and taper toward a point at the end, which makes the shell resemble unicorn's horn in shape.  Like Gold/Yellow Rabbit Snails, these shells are usually brown with white coloration at the tip of the shell. These snails seem curious by nature, and each snail uses its elongated, muscular "foot" to pull and “hop” itself around on the glass and aquarium decor.  This is a very striking snail and is sure to impress viewers, almost all of which will have never seen one before.

Giant Sulawesi Snails are some of the largest freshwater snails in the world, growing as large as 4 inches as adults.  Since they can grow so large, they need room to move, so it's a good idea to avoid dense vegetation or overcrowding in your aquarium.  They are decent algae-eaters, but they also feed on leftover food and any kind of fish food.  While most aquatic plants are safe from these snails, they have been known to munch on more delicate or thin-leaved plants.

There are reports of successful breeding of these snails in the aquarium, but they generally reproduce much too slowly for overpopulation to be a concern. Wild-caught adult specimens may have some shell damage, but they will readily spawn in the home aquarium. Their fry will have a pristine shell and will provide years of viewing with good care!

What We Like About These Snails:

• Black with white-spotted body coloration
• Interesting movement and curious nature
• Completely peaceful
• Grow to a large and impressive size

RECOMMENDED TANK PARAMETERS: 

• Temperature:  76° - 84° F (24.4° - 29° C)
• pH: 7.5 - 8.5
• KH:  2 - 15 dKH
• Minimum tank size:  10 gallons per snail

CARE GUIDELINES:

• Diet:  They eat algae and decaying plant matter, and they have also been known to munch on more delicate plants.  They can mostly subsist on leftover fish/invertebrate flakes or pellets, but their diets should be occasionally supplemented with algae wafers and/or blanched vegetables such as zucchini, kale, spinach, or cucumber.
• Warning! Avoid any food product, medication, or plant fertilizer that contains Copper of any form. Copper is toxic to invertebrates. Many commercial fish foods, medications, and plant fertilizers contain copper or more commonly copper sulfate. Always look at the ingredient list for any product going into the aquarium to ensure they are copper free.
• Social behavior:  Peaceful and solitary; will not engage with tankmates.
• Origin:  Sulawesi region of Indonesia
• Average adult size:  3 inches (7.6 cm)
• Average purchase size:  1+ inch (2.5 cm)