Faunus ater – Lava Snail
The Lava Snail (Faunus ater) is a striking freshwater and brackish-water snail known for its long, tapered shell and deep charcoal to black coloration. Its sleek, volcanic appearance gives it a distinctive look that stands apart from more commonly kept aquarium snails, making it an excellent choice for aquarists looking for something unusual.
Lava Snails are peaceful scavengers that spend much of their time exploring the substrate, rocks, driftwood, and aquarium décor. They feed on biofilm, soft algae, detritus, and leftover foods, helping keep the aquarium tidy while adding visual interest.
Key Features
- Distinctive long, dark cone-shaped shell
- Peaceful and community friendly
- Excellent scavenger and biofilm grazer
- Safe with healthy aquarium plants
- Suitable for freshwater and brackish setups
- Unique appearance for specialty aquariums
- Generally will not overpopulate freshwater aquariums
Care Requirements
Scientific Name: Faunus ater
Common Name: Lava Snail / Black Devil Snail
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Adult Size: Approximately 5–8 cm
Temperature: 22–28°C
pH: 7.0–8.5
Water Hardness: Moderate to hard water preferred
Diet: Biofilm, soft algae, detritus, sinking pellets, algae wafers, and blanched vegetables
Lava Snails do best in established aquariums with stable water conditions and plenty of natural grazing surfaces. Adequate calcium and mineral content are important for maintaining strong shell growth, while prolonged exposure to very soft or acidic water should be avoided.
Feeding
Although they will graze naturally throughout the aquarium, supplemental feeding is recommended. Good options include algae wafers, sinking bottom-feeder pellets, spirulina-based foods, and occasional blanched vegetables.
Breeding
Faunus ater has a more complex reproductive cycle than common freshwater pest snails and typically requires brackish or marine conditions for successful larval development. As a result, Lava Snails are not expected to establish rapidly reproducing populations in a normal freshwater aquarium.
With its dramatic black shell, peaceful temperament, and useful scavenging behaviour, the Lava Snail is an excellent addition to planted tanks, community aquariums, and specialty snail collections.
