We investigated the nutritional status of the melania snail (Semisulcospira gottschei) using RNA/DNA ratios to evaluate the effect of feeding conditions (artificial versus natural) on the reaction times of the snails in a time course following starvation. In the short experiments (48 h), the RNA/DNA ratios of the artificial feeding groups were significantly higher than those of the natural groups. While two RNA/DNA ratio peaks were observed in the artificial food group during daytime, the natural food group showed a higher ratio at night. Under starvation conditions, the RNA content decreased whereas the DNA content was constant. The RNA/DNA ratios of the freshwater snail in both groups dramatically decreased after starvation and remained constant until the end of the experiment. We verified that the RNA/DNA ratio serves as an index of nutritional condition with respect to the effect of dietary differences. These results are important for understanding optimized aquaculture rearing conditions for this important commercial freshwater snail.