About the species

Elephant Snail Yellow Antenna is recognised by the glowing yellow tentacles that stand out against its dark body. The body is black, often with golden spots, and the shell is dark and sculptured. The species comes from Lake Matano on Sulawesi and is one of the more distinctive rabbit snails.

Facts

• Latin name: Tylomelania sp. "Yellow Antenna"
• Common name: Elephant Snail Yellow Antenna
• Size: About 5 cm
• Lifespan: Up to 5 years

Behavior

Elephant Snail Yellow Antenna is a slow, peaceful snail from Sulawesi, named in Swedish after its wrinkled, trunk-like snout. It is most active at dusk and suits shrimp and peaceful warm-water fish. Important: it cannot crawl backwards or turn around in a tight gap, so avoid narrow crevices in the hardscape.

Reproduction

• The species is livebearing with separate sexes — keep several individuals
• The female releases one single large juvenile at a time, roughly every 1–3 months
• Reproduction is so slow that the species can never become a plague

Feeding

Elephant Snail Yellow Antenna is an omnivore leaning towards plant material and feeds on:

• Biofilm and aufwuchs
• Decaying plant material and leaves
• Leftover food and detritus

Feed regularly — well-fed animals bother the plants less:

• Sinking food tablets for snails
• Blanched courgette, spinach or carrot
• Catappa leaves and a mineral supplement for the shell

Aquarium

• Minimum aquarium size: 54 litres
• Substrate: Sand or fine rounded gravel

Difficulty level

🟡 Moderate

Recommendation

A handsome and slightly more unusual rabbit snail that pairs well with Sulawesi shrimp, since they share the same warm, alkaline water. Keep several animals if you hope for young — the sexes are separate and reproduction gives one juvenile at a time.