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Chopstick snail

Stenomelania torulosa

Also known as Torulosa snail, Spire snail

FreshwaterSnail

Chopstick snail (Stenomelania torulosa)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
6.8–8.0
Adult size
2 in
5 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Family
Thiaridae
Origin
Lowland rivers of Southeast Asia

Overview

The chopstick snail is a peaceful burrowing snail that does most of its work out of sight. The only visible sign is a slow line moving under the sand. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

The chopstick snail's spire is its tool. The long taper lets it lever through packed sand that no round snail could enter.

Caring for the chopstick snail

Keep the chopstick snail in a tank of at least 11 gal (40 L). Give it soft sand or fine gravel at least a few centimeters deep, since it cannot burrow into coarser gravel.

It needs harder water for shell health, at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.8 to 8.0. Soft, acidic water pits and erodes the shell over time, which is the main way these snails are lost.

Feed nothing special, since it lives on what settles. It turns over the top layer of the substrate and eats detritus and algae as it goes. It is peaceful and safe in a community tank.

Thiarid snails like this one are livebearers, and many reproduce without males. Most Stenomelania need brackish water for their larvae, so tank populations rarely explode the way Melanoides do.

Good to know

The chopstick snail, Stenomelania torulosa, belongs to the family Thiaridae. Its shell is a long, narrow, ridged spire. It is also sold as the torulosa snail or the spire snail.

In the wild

The chopstick snail lives in lowland rivers across Southeast Asia, often near the coast, where the water is fresh but mineral-rich.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The chopstick snail is a peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a chopstick snail need?

A chopstick snail needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a chopstick snail need?

A chopstick snail is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.8–8.0.

What does a chopstick snail eat?

A chopstick snail lives on what settles, eating detritus and algae as it turns over the top layer of the substrate. It needs no special food.

How big does a chopstick snail get?

An adult chopstick snail reaches about 2 in (5 cm).

How does a chopstick snail breed?

Thiarid snails like the chopstick snail are livebearers, and many reproduce without males. Most Stenomelania need brackish water for their larvae, so tank populations rarely explode the way Melanoides do.

Related species