The term trapdoor refers to operculum which the snails;s use to trap their soft bodies from surroundings. Trapdoor snail, scientific name- Cipangopaludina Chinesis is a large almost up to 65mm freshwater snail with gills and an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Viviparidae. The Japanese variety of trapdoor snail is black in color and generally has a dark green and moss-like alga shell cover. Trapdoor snail is a hinged plate or operculum like that of a fingernail which is used to seal the aperture of the shell providing enough resistance to pedation and drought.
Trapdoor snails is a herbivorous which means it feeds on plant life, algae and decaying matter is the main food. Very few trapdoor snails are also carnivores and these snails have a tongue which enables them to bore holes into the shell of other snails to reach the soft flesh inside .They love to eat anything you give them in garden salad. Generally trapdoor snails are popular as species meant for aquariums since they do not eat plants and fish eggs. Moreover they do not overpopulate aquarium and close themselves if there is a water problem thus giving a prior indication that something went wrong, giving time to save fish before they die. It serves in its native habitat as a host and as a vector to many parasites. Trapdoor snails need neutral to alkaline water or their calcium shell starts to perish.
These species are native to East Asia, from tropics of Indochina to northern China, however trapdoor snails are now also found in North America. Since trapdoor snail is widely used as an aquarium animal, due tp this reason has lead to its accidental introduction in many areas where it has emerged as a problematic invasive species. In United States, trapdoor snails is an introduced species. It is found in almost every tributary of Grand Island and on both the sides of River Niagara in U.S and Canada.
Trapdoor Snails are most likely a species called Pomacea Bridgessi which are freshwater aquatic snails and lay eggs above the water. Trapdoor snails are both male and female and reproduce sexually. When female is ready to lay eggs, it climbs onto the walls of aquarium and leaves the water. She will climb on the wall as far as it can which is generally at a distance of 3-4 inches depending on room area it has. However if your aquarium doesn’t has a lid, it will fall out of the tank. The eggs of trapdoor snails are small hard mass and generally have a pale creme color, the color may vary to red, lime green, dark pink or solid white. If the eggs are warm and moist, baby snails hatch on their own in 2 or 3 weeks and sooner if the eggs are warm.
If you have trapdoor snails in your house, you need to feed them with few foods as this specie is an omnivore. They consume algae giving them clear water and healthy fish, fish food, plant matter, frozen foods, vegetables and live foods. Japanese trapdoor snails are a very peaceful animal and should be handled with care.
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