TGA Green mussel snail - Septaria porcellana

Even if it looks like a small mussel at first sight, the green mussel snail Septaria porcellana from Southeast Asia is a real snail. It belongs to the same family as the popular zebra racing snail, namely to the Neritidae or mermaid snails. Its flat shell is not spirally twisted, but looks like the shell of a sea shell. The base color is a greenish yellow with a fine black stripe pattern that looks like fine lace. The shell can reach nearly 3 cm in diameter, remains quite flat with only about 1 cm in height.

The green mussel snail is separately sexual. The males have a penis, but they only stick it out from under the shell when mating. The Green Mussel Snail, like all mermaid snails, lays egg cocoons on hard substrates. So-called veliger larvae hatch from them. They need salt water to grow up. In nature, the current carries the tiny, barely visible snail larvae into the sea, where they grow. Once they have metamorphosed into mini-snails, they make their way back to freshwater. The green mussel snail also lays its egg cocoons in the aquarium. The larvae also hatch in the aquarium, but they do not grow up in freshwater. Therefore, reproduction is absolutely impossible.

In nature Septaria porcellana lives mainly in sections with fast currents in flowing waters on hard substrates, which they graze tirelessly. They can be found as far as brackish water. The water should have a pH between 7 and 7.5 for the Green Mussel Snail and be about medium hard. It does not tolerate cool temperatures well, from 24 to 30 °C is ideal.

Like all neritids, Septaria porcellana is a nursery feeder. It is highly specialized and will not go for flake or granular foods. In addition to aufwuchs, algae cover and biofilms, it likes to eat green walnut leaves and dried Hokkaido pumpkin. Higher algae and also plants are not eaten by the Green Mussel Snail. The Green Mussel Snail is not suitable for newly established aquariums, because there is not yet enough growth.

Often the Green Mussel Snail is very stressed after transport and consequently weakened. In order to feed them, our Natureholic snail food, which has been specially developed for aufwuchsfressende snails, has proven to be effective.

Septaria porcellana is very susceptible to stress and should not be kept in a community aquarium with fish and curious shrimps in the beginning. It is well protected from possible attacks by its housing shape, but should rather be kept in a well running species tank with a lot of growth and biofilms. Conceivable would be a socialization in a current tank with fan shrimps.

Green mussel snails are often found out of the water, they are not purely aquatic. To prevent them from escaping and drying out, the cover must be absolutely tight.

Our food recommendation: With the Natureholic Snail Feed Power Paste you create a feeding lawn that is very well accepted by all aufwuchs feeding snails. Also delicate wild-caught snails like racing snails or staghorn snails, which are stressed after transport and do not go to conventional food, can be fed up well with it.

Our plant recommendation: Use for planting NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.

Actively prevent outbreaks: With the invisible Natureholic Snail Barrier you prevent the escape and loss of your snails from the aquarium.