Aquariumsnail · freshwater
Malaysian Trumpet Snail: adult size, tank size & tankmates
The Malaysian Trumpet Snail (Melanoides tuberculata) grows to about 3.1 in (8 cm TL). It needs a tank at least about 10 gallons. It doesn't need a group of its own kind, at 70–80°F.
How big it really gets
Drawn to scale against common tank lengths. Green bars meet the minimum tank length from our sources.
Will it fit your tank?
Quick facts
- Adult size
- 3.1 in (8 cm TL)
- Minimum tank
- about 10 gallons
- Temperature
- 70–80°F
- pH
- 7–7.5
- Hardness
- 5–15 dGH
- Group size
- 1 (solitary or pair)
- With other fish
- peaceful
- With its own kind
- peaceful
- Swims
- bottom of the tank
- Diet
- omnivore
- Care level
- beginner
- Lifespan
- 2 years
Malaysian Trumpet Snail tankmates
Checked with the same rules as our tank builder: temperature overlap, pH and hardness, predation and mouth size, fin-nipping and temperament. Tank size is left out here; check it in the builder.
Good tankmates
- Neon TetraAdult ~1.4 in · 70–77°F
- Cardinal TetraAdult ~1.7 in · 73–84°F
- Harlequin RasboraAdult ~2.1 in · 70–82°F
- Ember TetraAdult ~0.9 in · 68–82°F
- Chili RasboraAdult ~0.9 in · 68–82°F
- Celestial Pearl DanioAdult ~1 in · 68–79°F
- Cherry BarbAdult ~2.4 in · 68–81°F
- Rummy-nose TetraAdult ~2.4 in · 73–79°F
- Black Neon TetraAdult ~1.7 in · 73–82°F
- Glowlight TetraAdult ~1.9 in · 75–82°F
Use caution
- Nerite SnailMalaysian Trumpet Snail (pH 7–7.5) and Nerite Snail (pH 8–8.4) prefer different pH.
- Mystery SnailMalaysian Trumpet Snail (pH 7–7.5) and Mystery Snail (pH unknown) prefer different pH.
- Assassin SnailAssassin Snail eats snails (that's its job as pest control), including Malaysian Trumpet Snail.
- Cockatoo Dwarf CichlidMalaysian Trumpet Snail (pH 7–7.5) and Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid (pH 5–6) prefer different pH.
- DiscusNeeds careMalaysian Trumpet Snail and Discus only share 79–80°F. That's a tight window.
- Fancy GoldfishOutgrows tanksMalaysian Trumpet Snail and Fancy Goldfish only share 70–70°F. That's a tight window.
Avoid
- German Blue RamNeeds careMalaysian Trumpet Snail (70–80°F) and German Blue Ram (81–86°F) need different temperatures.
- Boesemani RainbowfishMalaysian Trumpet Snail (70–80°F) and Boesemani Rainbowfish (81–86°F) need different temperatures.
- Blood Parrot CichlidOutgrows tanksBlood Parrot Cichlid eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail.
- Clown LoachOutgrows tanksClown Loach eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail.
- Common / Comet GoldfishOutgrows tanksCommon / Comet Goldfish eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail.
- Convict CichlidNeeds careConvict Cichlid eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail.
- Electric Blue AcaraNeeds careElectric Blue Acara eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail.
- Electric Yellow LabNeeds careElectric Yellow Lab eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail.
All 105 species we checked against the Malaysian Trumpet Snail
| Species | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| African Dwarf Frog | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Amano Shrimp | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Angelfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bala Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bamboo Shrimp | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Betta | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Black Neon Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Black Skirt Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bleeding Heart Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bolivian Ram | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bristlenose Pleco | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bronze Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Buenos Aires Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bumblebee Goby | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Cardinal Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Celestial Pearl Danio | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Cherry Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Cherry Shrimp | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Chili Rasbora | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Chinese Algae Eater | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Clown Killifish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Clown Pleco | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Common Pleco | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Congo Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Crystal Red Shrimp | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Denison Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Diamond Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Dwarf Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Ember Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Endler's Livebearer | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Forktail Blue-eye | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Ghost Shrimp | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Giant Danio | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Glass Catfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Glowlight Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Gold Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Guppy | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Harlequin Rasbora | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Head-and-tail-light Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Hillstream Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Honey Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Iridescent Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Japanese Trapdoor Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Julii Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Kissing Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Kribensis | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Kuhli Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Lambchop Rasbora | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Lemon Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Marbled Hatchetfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Molly | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Moonlight Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Neon Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Odessa Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Otocinclus | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Panda Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Paradise Fish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pearl Danio | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pearl Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Penguin Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Peppered Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Platy | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pristella Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pygmy Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Rainbow Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Ramshorn Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Red-Tail Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Rosy Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Rummy-nose Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Scissortail Rasbora | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Serpae Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Siamese Algae Eater | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Silver Hatchetfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Silver Tip Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Sparkling Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Sterbai Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Swordtail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Three-spot Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Tiger Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Tinfoil Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Variatus Platy | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| White Cloud Mountain Minnow | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Zebra Danio | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Assassin Snail | Caution | Assassin Snail eats snails (that's its job as pest control), including Malaysian Trumpet Snail. |
| Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid | Caution | Malaysian Trumpet Snail (pH 7–7.5) and Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid (pH 5–6) prefer different pH. |
| Discus | Caution | Malaysian Trumpet Snail and Discus only share 79–80°F. That's a tight window. |
| Fancy Goldfish | Caution | Malaysian Trumpet Snail and Fancy Goldfish only share 70–70°F. That's a tight window. |
| Mystery Snail | Caution | Malaysian Trumpet Snail (pH 7–7.5) and Mystery Snail (pH unknown) prefer different pH.; Malaysian Trumpet Snail (5–15 dGH) and Mystery Snail (unknown dGH) prefer different water hardness. |
| Nerite Snail | Caution | Malaysian Trumpet Snail (pH 7–7.5) and Nerite Snail (pH 8–8.4) prefer different pH. |
| Blood Parrot Cichlid | Avoid | Blood Parrot Cichlid eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail. |
| Boesemani Rainbowfish | Avoid | Malaysian Trumpet Snail (70–80°F) and Boesemani Rainbowfish (81–86°F) need different temperatures. |
| Clown Loach | Avoid | Clown Loach eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail. |
| Common / Comet Goldfish | Avoid | Common / Comet Goldfish eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail. |
| Convict Cichlid | Avoid | Convict Cichlid eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail. |
| Electric Blue Acara | Avoid | Electric Blue Acara eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail. |
| Electric Yellow Lab | Avoid | Electric Yellow Lab eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail.; Malaysian Trumpet Snail (pH 7–7.5) and Electric Yellow Lab (pH 7.7–8.6) prefer different pH. |
| Firemouth Cichlid | Avoid | Firemouth Cichlid eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail. |
| German Blue Ram | Avoid | Malaysian Trumpet Snail (70–80°F) and German Blue Ram (81–86°F) need different temperatures. |
| Oscar | Avoid | Oscar eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail. |
| Pea Puffer | Avoid | Pea Puffer eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail. |
| Pictus Catfish | Avoid | Pictus Catfish eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail.; Malaysian Trumpet Snail (pH 7–7.5) and Pictus Catfish (pH 5.8–6.8) prefer different pH. |
| Upside-down Catfish | Avoid | Upside-down Catfish eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail. |
| Weather Loach | Avoid | Weather Loach eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail. |
| Yoyo Loach | Avoid | Yoyo Loach eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail. |
Care notes
Needs: Burrows in substrate (sand or fine gravel suits it); population can explode with overfeeding; invasive outside native range, never release
Group: Not social; reproduces sexually or parthenogenetically and broods live young, so one snail can start a population
Temperament: peaceful toward other fish, peaceful toward its own kind. Lives in the bottom of the tank.
Common questions
How big does a Malaysian Trumpet Snail get?
About 3.1 inches (8 cm TL) as an adult, according to nas.er.usgs.gov.
What size tank does a Malaysian Trumpet Snail need?
At least about 10 gallons. The smallest standard tank that meets that is a 10 gallon.
How many Malaysian Trumpet Snails should be kept together?
It can be kept on its own. Not social; reproduces sexually or parthenogenetically and broods live young, so one snail can start a population
What fish can live with a Malaysian Trumpet Snail?
Species that passed every check include Neon Tetra, Cardinal Tetra, Harlequin Rasbora, Ember Tetra, Chili Rasbora, Celestial Pearl Danio.
Gear for a Malaysian Trumpet Snail setup
TankSmallest standard tank that meets its minimum: 10 gallon (20 in long).Find on Amazon →HeaterAbout 50 W for 10 gallons, holding 70–80°F.Find on Amazon →SandSoft sand protects barbels and lets it sift.Find on Amazon →FoodA quality flake or micro-pellet as a staple.Find on Amazon →Test kitCheck ammonia, nitrite and pH. Cycle the tank before adding fish.Find on Amazon →
As an Amazon Associate, AquariumSetup earns from qualifying purchases. Links open Amazon search results so you can compare current options.
Related guides
Sources
Values come from these pages, in our own words. Status: researched from source pages. Last reviewed 2026-10-12.
- nas.er.usgs.gov /queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=1037
- fishkeepingworld.com /malaysian-trumpet-snail/
- aquariadise.com /caresheet-malaysian-trumpet-snails/