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Pagoda snail

Brotia pagodula

FreshwaterSnail

Pagoda snail (Brotia pagodula)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
pH
6.8–8.0
Adult size
2.4 in
6 cm
Minimum tank
5 gal
20 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Herbivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Livebearer · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Pachychilidae
Origin
Thailand, Laos, Cambodia

Overview

The pagoda snail is a slow, peaceful algae eater for the bottom of a flowing, mineral-rich tank. It suits a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

The pagoda snail is named for its shell, which stacks whorl upon whorl into a spired tower edged with spikes. That tower looks like the tiered roofs of an Asian pagoda. Older snails often lose the very tip of the spire to erosion.

Caring for the pagoda snail

Give the pagoda snail a tank of 5 gal (20 L) or more, though a bigger tank stays steadier. Use a sandy or fine gravel bed, with firm, algae-covered surfaces to graze. Strong filtration or an airstone echoes the flow of its home streams.

Pagoda snails are pickier than most snails about water. They want clean, oxygen-rich, well-moving water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.8 to 8.0. Poor water and low oxygen wear them down quickly.

Keep conditions steady and mineral-hard to protect the sculptured shell and hold its delicate spikes together. Keep copper away, since it is toxic to snails.

They graze slowly over rock, wood and sand for algae, and algae wafers make a good extra. They get along with everyone and are happy kept singly or in a small group.

The pagoda snail is a livebearer, like others in its genus. Studies of brooding females found just a single developing juvenile at a time. That very low output, along with its need for pristine water, is why breeding it in a tank is rated hard.

Good to know

The pagoda snail, Brotia pagodula, belongs to the family Pachychilidae, a group of river snails known for heavy, sculptured shells. Its own shell is dark and cone-shaped, and its spikes are delicate.

In the wild

The pagoda snail lives in fast, clear, oxygen-rich streams and rivers of mainland Southeast Asia, in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. It grips rock and gravel in the current.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The pagoda 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 pagoda snail need?

A pagoda snail needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a pagoda snail need?

A pagoda snail is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.8–8.0.

What does a pagoda snail eat?

A pagoda snail grazes slowly over rock, wood and sand for algae. Offer algae wafers as an extra.

How big does a pagoda snail get?

An adult pagoda snail reaches about 2.4 in (6 cm).

How does a pagoda snail breed?

The pagoda snail is a livebearer, and studies of brooding females found just one developing juvenile at a time. That low output and its need for pristine water make it hard to breed in a tank.

Related species