Assassin Snail
Anentome helena
- Care level
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 1.5–3 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 litres
- Temperature
- 20–28 °C
Species profile
White Wizard Snail
Filopaludina martensi
Common names: White Wizard Snail
Recognized speciesTrapdoor Snails
Adult size
Up to 6 cm
Typical adult length 4–6 cm.
Up to 6 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- Mature planted aquarium setups
- Intermediate shrimp keepers
- Breeding colonies
Think carefully if
- The aquarium contains shrimp-eating fish
- The tank is newly cycled
- Water conditions change frequently
A large pale trapdoor snail from Southeast Asia that gives birth to live young and grazes biofilm and detritus.
Appearance and Identification
Rounded to conical pale cream, white, grey, or light brown shell with an operculum and contrasting dark soft body.
Filopaludina martensi is a viviparid trapdoor snail, not a nerite or mystery snail. White Wizard is a trade name for pale aquarium stock.
Sexes can sometimes be distinguished by tentacle shape, but identification should be confirmed carefully.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 150–230 litres an hour
- Suggested heater
- About 75–125 W for this tank
- Minimum tank volume
- 75 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 60 cm
- Minimum group size
- 1
- Recommended group size
- 3
- Activity level
- Low
- Flow preference
- Low
- Planting preference
- Moderately planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- Low
Provide stable water, mineral availability for shell growth, secure décor, and enough natural grazing surface.
Behaviour and Tankmates
Peaceful freshwater snail that spends much of its time grazing or searching for food.
Usually non-territorial and may be kept singly or with compatible conspecifics when food and space are adequate.
Not normally territorial.
Suitable with peaceful tankmates that do not nip, crush, or prey on snails.
Water Parameters
Keep in warm, stable, mineral-rich water with good oxygenation. A calcium-rich diet and non-acidic conditions help preserve shell quality.
Parameter caveat
Stable conditions are more important than chasing exact numbers.
Feeding
- Diet types
- Algae Grazer, Detritivore, Omnivore
- Feeding frequency
- Daily
- Preferred foods
- Mature biofilmPrimary natural grazing resource.
- Algae-based sinking foodSupplement when natural growth is insufficient.
- Softened vegetables or complete snail foodFeed in small amounts and remove leftovers.
Omnivorous grazer and detritivore. Provide mature biofilm, algae, vegetables, and complete sinking foods.
Avoid overfeeding; excess food can cause rapid snail population growth and poor water quality.
Breeding
- Breeding type
- Direct Developer, Livebearer
- Breeding difficulty
- Moderate
- Breeding temperature
- 25 °C
- Breeding pH
- 7.6
- Brood or egg count
- Small number of live young
- Incubation
- 42 days
- Parental care
- Maternal care
- Baby foods
- Mature biofilm and fine natural foodsProvide stable grazing surfaces suitable for juveniles or hatchlings.
Separate sexes. Females brood developing young internally and release live juveniles.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Vietnam
- Natural habitat
- Lake, Pond, Slow River
- Aquarium contexts
- Freshwater Community, Planted Tank, Snail Tank
- Audience level
- Intermediate
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Filopaludina
- Family
- Viviparidae
- Species group
- Trapdoor Snails
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Black Devil Snail
Faunus ater
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 6–9 cm
- Minimum tank
- 60 litres
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C
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- Care level
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 2–4 cm
- Minimum tank
- 15 litres
- Temperature
- 20–29 °C
Marbled Limpet Nerite Snail
Septaria porcellana
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 2–3.3 cm
- Minimum tank
- 30 litres
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C