The effects of water pH (2.5-11.5), photoperiod and food supply on the growth, development and reproduction of the golden apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, with the weight around 7.5 g, were investigated. Mortality, growth rate, spawning amount, hatching rate and incubation time of Pomacea canaliculata were determined throughout the experiment to study its resistance and tolerance to each ecological factor. The results showed that mortality was less than 50% in all treatments under acidic conditions before the 18th day and under alkaline conditions before the 12th day. However, mortality was up to 50% at pH 4.5 or 3.5 and under dark conditions at the 24th day, and at pH 10.5, with no light and no food, mortality was 53.3% at the 21st day. Mortality increased with time and at higher acidic and alkaline strengths, so with treatments of pH 2.5 and pH 11.5, and with no light and no food, mortality reached a maximum of 66.7% and 80%, respectively, at the 27th day. Neutral, weakly acidic and weakly alkaline conditions (pH 6.5-8.5) were more beneficial to body weight growth of Pomacea canaliculata. Under 24 h light conditions, the weight growth rate of Pomacea canaliculata was highest, followed by 12 h light, whereas no light conditions had the lowest weight growth rate. So with 24 h light and pH 7.5, the weight growing rate was highest at 17.78% on the 27th day, whereas with 12 h light and no light conditions, the weight growing rate was only 7.03% and 5.47%, respectively. However, with 24 h light and pH 7.5, the spawning amount was only 180 eggs, and hatching rate was only 8.23% after 16.6 days incubation. Under snail feeding conditions, the spawning amount and hatching rate were higher and egg incubation duration was shorter than that under no food conditions. The spawning amount was highest under 12 h light conditions and was lowest under no light conditions. In the 12 h light, pH 7.5 trials, 1600 eggs were produced under feeding conditions, and the hatching rate was much higher at 84.66% after 13.53 days incubation. Spawning amount (20 eggs) was lowest with no food, no light and at pH 2.5 or pH 11.5. The lowest hatching rates were 6.06% and 5.97% and the longest incubation times were 17.78 days and 17.53 days at pH 2.5 or pH 11.5, respectively. These results indicated that Pomacea canaliculata had great ability to resist acidic and alkaline conditions and to resist hunger, but survival, growth and reproduction would be severely inhibited if maintained under conditions which were too acidic (pH≤3.5) or too alkaline (pH≥10.5), and strongly inhibited especially if maintained under conditions lacking adequate food. The effect of photoperiod on the growth, development and reproduction of Pomacea canaliculata was remarkable. In general, weight growth of Pomacea canaliculata was greatly stimulated under 24 h light treatment, but the reproduction of Pomacea canaliculata was inhibited with decreased egg production and increased incubation time; the 12 h light treatment was the optimum condition for reproduction and growth of Pomacea canaliculata; however, a long-term totally dark environment would be very harmful to its growth.