Not only fish are kept in home aquariums. No less popular are water snails that delight the eye with a variety of shapes and colors of shells. Snail Thorn Devil not so long ago began to gain popularity among aquarists. This is an unpretentious and hardy look that attracts with its considerable size and beautiful shell shape. Consider the appearance and natural habitat of the snail Devil's thorn, maintenance and care.
General information and appearance
There is no reliable information about where the name of this species of snails came from. The "spike" probably indicates the shape of the shell. "Devilish" can indicate a truly terrible smell, which comes from these mollusks after death. Faunus lava snail is the only representative of the genus faunus. These snails feel great both in salty and in fresh water. They do not require difficult conditions of detention, in addition, they are easy to get, because they have become popular among aquarists.
The color of the shell can vary from dark brown to black. The shell has an elongated conical shape. It is glossy and smooth, has no protrusions. The height of the shell of an adult can reach 6-7 cm, a width of 2 cm. With age, the color can become lighter due to small scratches and damage to the upper layer. The shell of an adult snail can have 20 spirals. The body of a snail is marble, yellow and orange, depending on its habitat.
Behavior features
Snails The Devil's Thorn is a fairly calm and friendly sight. They like to dig the substrate, so you should not make its layer large in the aquarium. In the vicinity of fish, they can be nervous and hide in the ground, get along well with other peaceful snails. They like to climb quite high on glass, and therefore they break down. Therefore, you should be careful with the scenery. Snails of the Devil's Thorn have a considerable size, and therefore, when falling from a decent height on a stone, they can seriously damage the shell. These snails can be used to clean tanks, as they feed on algae and rotting plants.
Natural habitat
In nature, Devil's Thorn snails are common on the archipelago and on some islands of the western Pacific Ocean. This species is seen in Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, New Guinea, Indonesia, and the west of Sri Lanka. This species inhabits the mouths and lower reaches of freshwater rivers, which border brackish water bodies, in salt ponds and ditches. In Thailand, snails have been found in small brackish lakes, streams and lagoons. In Java, this species is seen in small silted ponds that are filled with fresh water at high tide. In the Philippines, the Devil's Thorn was caught at a depth of 1-1.5 m in a brackish lake. You can find a snail on sandy mounds and on rocky ledges.
Content
The Devil's Thorn snail is not picky at home keeping, but so that it does not bury itself constantly in the substrate, it is worth providing it with optimal living conditions. The water temperature should be 25-28 degrees. It depends on the temperature how many snails live. Some studies show that the higher the ambient temperature, the shorter the life of the cochlea; therefore, do not greatly exceed the optimum temperature. Acidity - pH 7.0-8.7, hardness dH 5-20. These are large snails, therefore a small aquarium will not suit them. Algae should be planted at the bottom, but they should be in moderation. Avoid overpopulation of the aquarium. Other non-predatory snails and shrimp can be hooked to the Devil's Thorn. Water should be brackish: add 1 tablespoon of sea salt to 3 liters of water, although this species can live in fresh water.
Snails feed on algae and decaying plants, they need to be given vegetables: cucumbers, zucchini, zucchini, lettuce. They can eat fish food. They can damage delicate plants that grow in the aquarium, but they are also excellent substrate cleaners. Care should be taken with medicines, dressings, decorations and plants that contain copper and copper sulfate. It is deadly to the mollusks. You need to know exactly the composition of the object that you lower into the aquarium with snails.
How long do snails live? In the home aquarium, the Devil's Thorn can live 5-6 years.
Breeding
These snails are not hermaphrodites, unlike most other types of snails. They did not reveal sexual dimorphism, therefore it is impossible to distinguish between a male and a female. These are viviparous snails. To achieve their reproduction in captivity is almost impossible. For development, the larvae of these snails need brackish sea water, otherwise they die.
Thus, the Devil's Thorn snails are quite popular among aquarists. They stand out for their large size, ease of maintenance and interesting appearance. The only problem that an aquarist may encounter when keeping this species is breeding. Although it is believed that the reproduction of these snails in captivity is impossible, subject to conditions most close to natural, this species can be propagated.