Sulawesi Elephant Snails Id

[AJ Tudor]

I've just picked up two very beautiful looking elephant snails, they're really active and on the look out for food at the moment. Thing is I want to ID them to species level, anyone know of any good Tylomelania sites 'cos I can't seem to find any...

Cheers

AJ

 

[nmonks]

If you pick up the March 2009 edition of PFK, there's a pretty good article on these snails.

There aren't many sites on them, and even fewer I'd trust, given that most hobbyists haven't the first clue about gastropod systematics! Back when I was doing my PhD at the Natural History Museum, there was one chap, an expert on limpets, who discovered that the best way to tell them apart was by looking carefully at what male limpets would consider their penises! The sorts of characters hobbyists use, like shell colours and shapes, tend to be very unreliable in practise.

All Tylomelania seem to be very similar in terms of size (5-12 cm), care (pretty easy), and diet (omnivorous). I have some in a freshwater tank, and some in a low-end brackish one, and both sets are thriving.

Cheers, Neale

 

[Eclecticoldsod]

I have 4 species of Tylomelania snails, recently bought from several LFSs. I am still trying to ID them, as they were sold to me just as 'Rabbit snails'. Try this site – http/www.planetinverts.com/sulawesi_snails.html.
There is little information on them at the moment, as they are still new to the pet trade, and not all of it is accurate. For example, don't believe that they do not eat live plants – they certainly do! Three of mine spend all of their time on the glass, or on the surface of the substrate – one of them (with a nice spiky shell) spend their time buried in the substrate like a MTS, but come to the surface to scavenge when food is supplied. I love them, and can't wait to get some more. I have some (what I think are) eggs on some bogwood, so fingers crossed.