Black devil snail
Faunus ater
Also known as Bicolor devil snail
FreshwaterSnail
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–86°F
- 22–30°C
- pH
- 6.5–7.5
- Adult size
- 3.9 in
- 10 cm
- Minimum tank
- 13 gal
- 50 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Pachychilidae
- Origin
- Southeast Asia
Overview
Black devil snails are long, jet-black scavengers that spend the day grazing algae, biofilm, and leftover food off the glass, wood, and substrate. They are peaceful and ignore tankmates, so they mix well with community fish, shrimp, and other snails. One or several can share a tank, and they will not overrun it, since they do not reproduce in plain freshwater. Give them hard, mineral-rich water to keep their tall shells strong, and never use copper-based medicines or plant additives, which are toxic to snails. A tank of 50 liters or more suits their adult size and appetite.
In the wild
In the wild Faunus ater lives in the lower reaches of rivers, estuaries, and mangrove creeks across Southeast Asia, where fresh water meets a touch of salt. It is happy in a freshwater aquarium as long as the water stays hard and well-mineralized, and it also tolerates slightly brackish setups. Keep the tank warm, from about 22 to 30 c, with a pH on the neutral to alkaline side, roughly 6.5 to 7.5 or a little higher. A sandy or fine gravel bed and steady filtration match the flowing water it comes from.
Good to know
Faunus ater is the only species in its genus and sits in the family Pachychilidae, the same broad group as many pointed river snails. Its slender, dark spire can grow to around 9 to 10 cm, among the longest of the aquarium snails. It carries a horny operculum, a trapdoor it pulls shut behind itself. The sexes are separate, and it breeds only in brackish or coastal water, so there are no records of it multiplying in a freshwater tank.
Did you know
Despite the ominous name, black devil snails are harmless, plant-safe grazers. Because their young need brackish water to develop, a tank of them will never turn into the population explosion that pond snails are famous for.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Black devil snail is a peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Dwarf driftwood catfish
Tatia gyrina
Freshwater1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Black arrow tetra
Inpaichthys luizae
Freshwater1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Guinean panchax
Epiplatys guineensis
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)68–77°F (20–25°C)
Green lace shrimp
Atyoida pilipes
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Bahia parotocinclus
Parotocinclus bahiensis
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
FreshwaterBrackish2.4 in (6 cm) · 13 gal (50 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Black devil snail need?
A Black devil snail needs at least 13 gal (50 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Black devil snail need?
A Black devil snail is comfortable at 72–86°F (22–30°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.
How big does a Black devil snail get?
An adult Black devil snail reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).
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