Cappuccino Spike Snail (Faunus ater)

The Cappuccino Spike Snail (Faunus ater), also known as the Lava Snail, is a colorful variant of the Black Devil Snail. This dark and mysterious snail is a highly underrated member of the aquarium hobby. It grows to a large size and features a gorgeous, glossy shell that range in color from chocolate brown to the deepest black. It is native to many freshwater and estuarian areas of Southeast Asia. It is an amphidromous spawner, so its fry can only survive in brackish or saltwater. It will not reproduce in the freshwater aquarium and it is a relatively long-lived species.

The Cappuccino Spike Snail is a relative to the popular Malaysian Trumpet Snails, but it is more similar in shape and size to Giant Sulawesi Snails. It features the long, whorled shells, but this snail’s shell tapers off into a sharper point and resembles a spike. The Cappuccino Spike Snail’s shell color ranges from a rich chocolate brown to a beautiful, glossy black, and its body features gray/black or chestnut brown colors. It is usually 2 to 3 inches in length when full grown. Since it can grow this large, it needs room to move and maneuver around aquarium decor. This snail will climb all aquarium terrain and it loves to burrow, so it is an effective algae eater and valuable substrate sifter.

The Cappuccino Spike Snail is more hardy and active than Giant Sulawesi Snails, having the ability to move faster throughout the aquarium. It is also able to live in cooler temperatures. It is possible that it might nibble lightly on aquarium plants in a smaller aquarium, but we have not experienced any problems of this sort. This snail is a totally peaceful aquarium inhabitant and is safe to keep with shrimp and other snails.