Malaysian Trumpet Snails are very popular freshwater aquarium snails. The Malaysian Trumpet Snail, also called the "Red Rimmed Melania", is a nocturnal snail and is thusly most active at night. During the daytime it will usually burrow underneath the substrate. This is particularly good for aquariums with plant life as it aerates the tank's substrate. One reason the Malaysian Trumpet Snail is so popular is that it likes to eat algae, both in the wild and in captivity. Hobbyists appreciate this as it helps to maintain a clean aquarium. They are also known to enjoy decaying plant matter as well. The Malaysian Trumpet Snail is very adaptable and does well in a wide variety of water conditions. In the wild they are resistant to low oxygen levels, and the same is true in captivity. They also do well in a wide range of salinity conditions. These snails seem to do best in temperatures ranging from 22 to 32C. Overpopulation can be a problem in some aquariums. Overfeeding can contribute to this problem. The Malaysian Trumpet Snail will usually reach three fourths to one inch at adulthood, though some larger specimens have been observed. They are often distinguished by their light brown elongate conical shell, the shape of which is often said to resemble a tower. The shells often have rusty spots on them that give them a hint of red. They are the only freshwater snail that has a tower shaped shell. There seems to be some debate over taxonomy, the Malaysian Trumpet Snail is often classified as "Thiara tuberculata" or "Thiara tuberculatas" as well as "Melanoides tuberculatus". In the wild the Malaysian Trumpet Snail is usually found on soft mud or sandy soft mud substrates in shallow, slow moving waters in African and Asia. This species has been introduced to many locations around the world. In the Gulf of Mexico studies have been done since they serve as vectors for several potentially deadly diseases such as Chinese liver fluke. | 
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