Things You'll Need
- Freshwater tank
- Aquatic plants
- Live and flake fish food
- Vegetables
- Nitrate and ammonia test kits
Instructions
Set up a freshwater tank with a low-flow filter and light. These snails are adapted to slow streams and still ponds and don't require fast currents. The light is necessary for the algae the snails feed on. The tank does not need a heater unless you are raising tropical fish at the same time.
Introduce a variety of aquatic plants. They oxygenate the water, help to remove impurities and provide shelter. This species of snail prefers algae to plants, so is unlikely to demolish the plants within a few days.
Introduce a number of snails. Unlike many snails, Japanese trapdoor snails are not hermaphrodites, and they are very difficult to sex. If you want to breed them, you need several to ensure you have at least one male and one female.
Supplement the algae growing in the tank with flaked fish food, live food such as daphnia and fresh vegetables. Japanese trapdoor snails are omnivores and eat a variety of plant and animal foods.
Conduct weekly partial water changes to keep nitrate, ammonia and other toxin levels low.
Test the nitrate and ammonia levels of the tank one to four times a month. Increase the frequency or amount of water changes if levels are high.