Prambanan Snail

Thiara winteri, also known as the Prambanan Snail, is a nocturnal freshwater snail whose natural range extends from Indonesia to Japan. It prefers to stay in the ground during the day and plows through it in search of food. Thanks to the snail, the substrate is loosened up, ventilated well and freed from organic waste, which is why trumpet snails in generall are considered the “earthworms of the aquarium”. The elongated, brown to cream-colored shell of this pretty trumpet snail is about 2 cm long and is covered with small spines.

Care in the aquarium

The easy-to-care for and robust Prambanan Snail can be kept in aquariums of 10 liters or more. If the water values ​​are poor – for example due to an increase in nitrite – it begins to crawl up the panes of the aquarium and is therefore a very good indicator of problems in the tank. Due to its peaceful nature and its useful properties as a water indicator and natural scarifier, which prevents harmful gases from forming in the substrate and supplies the soil with nutrients for the plants, the Prambanan Snail can be put without hesitation in planted aquariums. As with most species of snails, medium to hard water is ideal, as the shell can be damaged if the water is too soft. It also prefers a soil substrate that is not too coarse, such as sand, soil or fine gravel, through which it can easily dig.

Feeding

The Prambanan Snail is a classic leftover recycler and feeds on biofilm and algae growth as well as detritus (dead plant material, carrion, leftover food). In the aquarium it can be fed a wide variety of commercial (snail) food, green food and leaves, but it usually finds enough food in the substrate.

Sexual characteristics and breeding