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Hercules snail

Brotia herculea

Also known as Giant Brotia, Hercules Brotia

FreshwaterSnail

Hercules snail (Brotia herculea)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
7.0–8.2
Adult size
3.1 in
8 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Livebearer · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Pachychilidae
Origin
Fast rivers of Thailand and Myanmar

Overview

The Hercules snail is a large, heavy-shelled, slow-moving grazer for a peaceful tank with current and hard water. It is a step up from the easiest snails.

Did you know

The Hercules snail is named herculea, for Hercules, in tribute to its bulk among river snails. Yet its live-born young start life at just one to two millimeters, a tiny beginning for the giant of its genus.

Caring for the Hercules snail

A single Hercules snail is comfortable in a tank of 11 gal (40 L) or more. Give it steady current, good aeration, and rock and driftwood to graze over. It can be hard on soft, delicate plants, so pair it with tough plants or none.

Keep the water warm, hard and alkaline, at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) with a pH of 7.0 to 8.2. Hard water supports its thick, heavy shell, and flow and oxygen suit a snail built for running water.

It creeps over rock, wood and substrate, rasping algae and biofilm. Offer sinking vegetable foods too, plus the occasional protein-rich sinking food, and keep calcium available. There is no need to keep it in a group, and one snail or a few will get along quietly with peaceful tank mates.

The Hercules snail is a livebearer, and males and females look alike from the outside. Raising a brood is slow and hard, since the young are so tiny at birth.

Good to know

The Hercules snail, Brotia herculea, belongs to the family Pachychilidae. Its elongated, conical shell is ridged and knobbed like carved stone.

In the wild

The Hercules snail lives in flowing rivers of Thailand and Myanmar. It grips the bottom in moving, well-oxygenated water.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Hercules 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 Hercules snail need?

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

What temperature and pH does a Hercules snail need?

A Hercules snail is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.2.

What does a Hercules snail eat?

A Hercules snail rasps algae and biofilm off rock, wood and substrate. Offer it sinking vegetable foods as well, with the occasional protein-rich sinking food, and keep calcium available.

How big does a Hercules snail get?

An adult Hercules snail reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).

How can you tell a male Hercules snail from a female?

Males and females look alike from the outside, so you cannot tell a Hercules snail's sex by sight.

How does a Hercules snail breed?

The Hercules snail is a livebearer. Its young are tiny at birth, so raising a brood is slow and hard.

Related species