# Trapdoor Snail Info



## farmgirl598 (Jul 27, 2012)

I've notice that info concerning trapdoor snail care is almost non existent on the internet. Anyway, I lost 4 trapdoor snails soon after their arrival last year. I had them in a 10 gallon unheated guppy tank. I change 20-50 percent of the water in the guppy tank once weekly, based on water parameters. The snails got a calcium supplement, as well as algae wafers. I only have one trapdoor left. Her name is Willow. She's been very lethargic over the past few weeks, mostly lying on her back not moving at all! I knew she was alive, since she did not stink. So today, I decided to acclimate her to different water, and put her in a 2.5 gallon with algae waferes and calcium, just to see what would happen. She is out of her shell and eating!!!! This tells me something is in that guppy tank that is NOT good for her. Should I add her to another one of my fish tanks? Most of my tanks are heated, and I know trapdoors prefer cold water. Right now, she is in a 2.5 gallon with gravel and a fake plant. Should I just leaver her by herself from now on? Any advice will be appreciated. I KNOW the nitrates and nitrites in my guppy tank get pretty high sometimes, and maybe that is the problem.


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## Bettafish (Apr 20, 2009)

Usually snails act lethargic in to COLD of water. if I understand snails correctly. My Mystery snails, yes they are trapdoor snails, are with my betta in 78 Degree water and they are heavily active towards the evening and night, sometimes during the day too.


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## farmgirl598 (Jul 27, 2012)

Japanese Trapdoor snails prefer colder water. They are popular in outdoor ponds. Don't know about mystery snails. I think there may be something my JTD snail does not like about the water parameters in my guppy tank. I wish I knew what it was....MUST be the nitrites/nitrates. All else is fine in that tank! Color me baffled


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## Bettafish (Apr 20, 2009)

Okay when you say Japanese Trapdoor snail all I can find is Japanese mystery snail. 

They live in 68-82 Fahrenheit The warmer the water the more they will move. I also found that they close up when the water parameters are off.


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## farmgirl598 (Jul 27, 2012)

Yeah, I think it's the water parameters. Google Japanese Trapdoor Snails. It gives info on them, including temperature requirements, but VERY LITTLE about required water parameters. FRUSTRATING!!!!


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## farmgirl598 (Jul 27, 2012)

And tell me more about your mystery snails. I LOVE them, but I am unsure how to care for them,a nd would like to learn alot more before obtaining a few. Thanks!


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## Bettafish (Apr 20, 2009)

Google Chinese mystery snail. and wiki it. is that whaturs looks like?


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## farmgirl598 (Jul 27, 2012)

Well, sort of, but check this out:
http://www.pondkoi.com/trapdoor_snails.htm


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

These guys?









I have noticed they do have some odd behaviors that other snails so not have.
1) They sometimes spend ALOT Of time inside the shell. When this happens, try a water change. usually after a WC, they come out of their shell. I had to add some coral to my tank - to harden the water a bit. Otherwise, a day or two after a water change - they were back in ther shells again
2) They spend a good deal of time laying on their back with their meaty parts hanging out. Alot of people would assume its dead, but they are not. Not sure what they are doing, maybe just chillin?
3) When smaller, they float on the surface. If you watch them, you can see they are eating whatever is on the water surface.

I have also heard that alot of people have issues keeping them alive - I beleive it is because they are not feeding the snails. They will eat algae but not all tanks have enough algae in them. They grow fast in my sisters tank becasue she has goldfish and feeds them too many flakes and they eat the flakes the goldfish miss. I should also mention that she has 2 goldfish in a 20G. God only knows how high the nitrates are in there since SHE never changes the water. I do it but about 30% a week which is not enough. 

you will now when its dead becasue the trapdoor will no longer be attached or it will easily come off it you try and remove it.

Apple snails/mystery snails are also easy to care for - but they like warmer waters. They can get pretty big too. applesnail.net will tell you all you ever wanted to know about them








That one is about 4 months old and is about as big as an adult trapdoor snail


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

If you want to keep her by herself, you can but I would use something larger then a 2G with a filter. Most pond supply sites say its 1 snail for 20 Gallons, not sure how they came to that conclusion though. I had the momma and all the babies in a 15ish gallon storage bin.


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