Abstract:In order to study the egg hatching time and the effects of lettuce leaves, aquatic periphyton, artificial pellets, as well as their partial combinations on growth performance to the juvenile snails Radix plicatula, a subset of 10 newly laid egg masses were collected and their hatching time were record under indoor conditions. In addition, the shell length, shell width, body weight and survival rate for the juvenile snails feeding with different diets were analyzed. The results showed that the egg hatching time was 6.0-7.5 days with a 96.37% hatching rate when the water temperature ranged from 25.0 ℃ to 32.5 ℃. There was no significant difference in the survival rate for the 0-5 week old snails feeding with different diets, however, significant difference in the growth performance was found among the snail in different diet groups. The growth rate for 0-2 weeks old snails feeding with lettuce + aquatic periphyton was the fastest, followed by the snails feeding with aquatic periphyton. The growth rate for 3-5 weeks old snails with an initial body mass of 0.005 g feeding with lettuce + artificial pellets was greater than that feeding with lettuce or artificial pellets. Furthermore, no significant differences were found between the 3-5 weeks old snails with an initial body mass of 0.026 g fed by lettuce or lettuce + artificial pellets for their shell height, shell width and body mass. The results indicated that the R. plicatula egg hatching time is 6.0-7.5 days with a mean hatching rate of 96.37% with the water temperature ranging from 25.0 ℃ to 32.5 ℃. Aquatic periphyton and the leaves of lettuce are ideal food sources for 0-2 weeks old and 3-5 weeks old R. plicatula, respectively, and artificial pellets have a promoting effect on the growth of juvenile snails. The results of this study will provide a basis for large-scale production of R. plicatula.