Mystery Snail

Pomacea diffusa

Big, bold snails that breathe through a snorkel and sometimes "ride" the current. Their shells come in amazing colours.

A peaceful freshwater snail that grows to 5 cm, lives near the bottom and needs 20–28 °C, pH 7.0–8.2 and an aquarium of at least 20 L.

Care at a glance

Water

Freshwater

Temperature

20–28 °C (68–82 °F)

pH

7.0–8.2

Adult size

5 cm (2.0 in)

Aquarium

20 L or bigger (5 US gal)

Temperament

Peaceful

Group size

Fine on its own

Swims

Bottom

Diet

Herbivore

Wild home

Amazon basin

Good to know

• Algae eater. Keeps algae under control.
• Glass cleaner. Clings to the glass and wood while grazing.
• Bottom crawler. Walks along the substrate.
• Hardy. Tolerates less-than-perfect water. Great for beginners.

Tank mates

Good company: Black Skirt Tetra, Bloodfin Tetra, Cardinal Tetra, Cherry Barb, Dwarf Gourami, Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish, Ember Tetra, Endler's Livebearer, Fancy Guppy, Glowlight Tetra.

Eaten by: Black Ghost Knifefish, Clown Loach, Flowerhorn, Frontosa, Jack Dempsey, Motoro Stingray, Olm, Ornate Bichir, Pictus Catfish, Sunshine Peacock Cichlid, Yellow Lab Cichlid.

Its fry are eaten by: Pea Puffer.

It gets along with every other species that doesn't eat it.

Colours and breeding

• Gold common
• Blue common
• Ivory common
• Magenta rare

In Aquarius a grown male and female breed in a healthy tank. Their young are born about 0.3 cm long and take after one of the parents.

Some pairs give a colour neither parent has:

• Gold × Blue can give Magenta

The care values are the ones Aquarius uses, based on how these animals live. Tank mates follow the game's rules: water type, temperature and pH, who can swallow whom, fin nipping, temperament and territory.