Care guide · Freshwater snails

Pagoda snail

Brotia pagodula

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Brotia pagodula is a freshwater stream snail with a distinctive spiny, tower-shaped shell. It needs a mature aquarium with steady current, high oxygen and enough natural grazing. Care profiles disagree on temperature and on whether healthy plants are always safe, so this guide uses only their overlapping water recommendations and makes the plant risk clear. Trade animals are often reported as wild-caught; ask for documented captive-bred stock and avoid purchase if origin is unclear.

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At a glance

Temperature: 22–26 °C
pH: 7.0–8.0
Diet: Omnivore
Adult size: Up to 6 cm
Temperament: Peaceful

About this species

GBIF lists Brotia pagodula (Gould, 1847) as the accepted name and Melania pagodula as a synonym. The species belongs to Pachychilidae. “Pagoda snail” is a trade name also applied loosely to other Brotia snails, so a shop label or shell pattern does not prove the exact identity. The large, sculptured shell may reach about 6 cm. This guide concerns the named species and does not assume that every similarly labelled animal is correctly identified.

Natural habitat

Specialist accounts place the species in the Moei/Salween river system between Thailand and Myanmar. B-Aqua describes fast mountain streams where snails attach to stones in strongly flowing, oxygen-rich water. Recreate stable current and oxygenation rather than treating a single habitat description as a laboratory tolerance study. Never release aquarium animals, eggs, plants or water into natural waterways.

Aquarium and layout

Use a mature, biologically stable aquarium with broad grazing surfaces, smooth stones and unobstructed routes; the spiny shell can snag in tight gaps. Provide persistent circulation and high oxygen. B-Aqua gives 60 L as a minimum, 80 L as recommended, and elsewhere suggests that around 100 L per snail may be needed for long-term feeding. These are conflicting husbandry recommendations, not a measured biological threshold. We therefore do not present a definitive minimum volume; prioritize established biofilm, adequate floor area and stable water.

Water conditions

B-Aqua gives 20–26 °C, ideally 22–24 °C, and pH above 6.5; my-fish gives 22–28 °C and pH 7–8. The displayed 22–26 °C and pH 7–8 are the conservative overlap of these care profiles, not proven physiological limits. Keep water mineral-containing and avoid persistent acidity or abrupt changes. B-Aqua mentions KH above 5, but we do not treat that hobby recommendation as a universal threshold. Strong flow and oxygenation are central to both habitat descriptions.

Behaviour and group size

This is a peaceful grazer, not an efficient algae-control solution. It may remain still for long periods while acclimating and then graze over stones, wood and other surfaces. My-fish reports compatibility with peaceful fish and shrimp, but exact combinations are not supported by controlled trials. Avoid known snail predators, including assassin snails, and protect the animal from persistent harassment.

Feeding

The snail grazes algae, biofilm and detritus; B-Aqua classifies it as omnivorous and cautions that it is not among the most effective algae eaters. A mature aquarium must supply enough natural grazing. If that is insufficient, offer small amounts of suitable sinking food or vegetables and remove leftovers. Calcium and minerals support shell growth. Do not keep it in a spotless or newly established aquarium: starvation is a documented husbandry risk. No catalogue food was individually verified for this species, so no product is recommended here.

Breeding

The sexes are separate and difficult to distinguish in living animals. The species is live-bearing, but specialist profiles describe aquarium breeding as difficult. B-Aqua warns that animals in trade are often wild-caught and recommends avoiding purchase unless captive-bred. Ask the seller for clear, verifiable captive-bred provenance; do not infer it from availability or a “tank-bred” label without evidence. Do not expect a predictable breeding rate.

Keeping with fish

Discouraged as a default with neon tetra. The concern is water chemistry: neon tetras are commonly kept in softer, more acidic water, while Brotia care profiles recommend mineral-containing water around neutral. This is a husbandry mismatch, not an aggression claim or a controlled pairing result. Choose tankmates whose long-term water needs genuinely overlap.

Keeping with other invertebrates

Conditional plant/structure link: Java fern (Microsorum pteropus). In a mature aquarium it can provide surface area for biofilm grazing. Care profiles disagree about plant safety: one says healthy plants are generally left alone unless food is scarce, while another warns that plants may be eaten. Keep grazing food available and monitor plants; this is a cautious setup suggestion, not a tested pairing.

Exoskeleton, shell and minerals

This snail does not molt like a shrimp. Its shell grows over time and depends on stable, mineral-containing water and calcium availability. Avoid sudden changes to pH or hardness and do not add supplements blindly. Inspect for progressive shell erosion and review water stability, mineral supply and possible copper exposure. A shell mark by itself is not a diagnosis.

Possible problems

The main risks are starvation in a new or overly clean aquarium, inadequate flow or oxygen, acidic/mineral-poor water, shell snagging and uncertain trade identity or origin. One specialist profile warns that many wild-caught animals die within months in unsuitable aquaria and recommends avoiding purchase unless captive-bred. Ask for documented provenance and do not release aquarium contents outdoors.

Sources & review

This care guide draws on several specialist sources and was last checked on 18 October 2026.

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