Pagoda: content, description, reproduction, photo
Types of Aquarium Snails

Pagoda: content, description, reproduction, photo

Pagoda: content, description, reproduction, photo

Snail Pagoda

This mollusk with a bizarre shell was first described in 1847 by the British naturalist John Gould. Due to its unusual and beautiful appearance, the Pagoda snail is very popular with aquarists. In nature, it is found within a limited geographical area, in other words, it belongs to endemics.

Lives in freshwater rivers with clean and oxygenated water on the border of Myanmar and Thailand. Prefers rocky areas with fast currents and waterfalls. Whole families can settle on heated stones. Almost never found in lakes. Description A distinctive feature of this snail, which gave it its name, is the original conical shape of the shell, similar to a pagoda (multi-level tower).Pagoda: content, description, reproduction, photo

The color of the shell varies from yellow to various shades of brown. On the shell there are 5-8 curls (they are also called ribs), covered with large hollow spikes. The body of this creature is yellow or gray, dotted with orange specks and casts with mother-of-pearl. The organs of touch are the tentacles located on the head. The maximum size of males is 5,5 cm. Males and females do not have external sexual characteristics; it is impossible to visually distinguish them. In an aquarium they can live up to five years.

Habitat:  is endemic, that is, it exists in a limited area in the tributaries of the Moei River between Myanmar and Thailand. The pagoda lives only in flowing, very clean and oxygenated water. It mainly chooses the stones of swift rivers and waterfalls as a place of residence, and is rarely found in lakes.

Reproduction

The Pagoda snail is a viviparous snail. After mating has occurred, the female bears a single egg on herself. In the process of incubation, a tiny copy of its parents is formed in the egg and after some time is born fully formed. It should be noted that it is not always possible to achieve reproduction of snails in aquarium conditions. The life expectancy of the Pagoda snail is about 4 years.

Content

Zoologists consider Brotia pagodula to be social animals, they like to take care of each other, in particular, to clean the shell in hard-to-reach places. Therefore, it is recommended to settle in the aquarium at least five individuals. For their comfortable stay, a vessel with a volume of at least 50 liters is needed.
 Pagoda: content, description, reproduction, photo
The pagoda can peacefully coexist with other inhabitants of the aquarium – these are mollusks, shrimps, aquarium fish – shellfish and characins. They are absolutely not suitable for the joint maintenance of aggressive fish species, such as bots, polypteruses, large cichlids. These gastropods should be placed in an already prepared aquarium with algae, fouling, a few smooth stones, sand or fine gravel as substrate. The water in the aquarium should be hard, in the soft one the shell collapses at the Pagoda.
The temperature should be maintained within 20-25°C, pH – 7,0-8,5, dGH – 6-22. It is necessary to provide high aeration and install a weak jet of water. Feeding
Pagoda is a vegetarian, her diet is based on lower aquarium plants. In nature, snails extract them from various growths and algae, and in captivity they willingly do the same. But such food and leftovers from the dining table of other inhabitants of the aquarium are not enough for them.

Well complement the menu of this beauty tablets for catfish, chopped pieces of spinach, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, pears. Feed must be given daily. If the Pagoda lacks food, it will start eating the leaves of plants in the aquarium, this is a signal that the snail is hungry. The better the mollusk eats, the faster it grows.

Interesting Facts About the Pagoda Snail

  • The size of representatives of this species directly depends on the conditions of keeping and feeding;
  • Pagoda snails have a fairly peaceful nature, they can be kept in flocks;
  • Pagodas take care of their relatives – they share food and even help each other clean the sink. In addition, they are caring parents.

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