Aquarium snail Hercules (Brotia Herculea, Brotia Herculea, Hercules Snail) – maintenance, nutrition, reproduction

Any aquarium would be enhanced by the Hercules snail, also called Brotia Herculea or Brotia Herculea. This is a highly regarded freshwater snail because of its remarkable size and appearance. The robust build and large, spiraled shell of the Hercules snail set it apart from other aquatic pets. Beyond their striking appearance, these snails require careful consideration when kept in a tank.

Hercules snail maintenance involves paying attention to their unique requirements. They do best in an aquarium with stable water conditions and a well-balanced environment. Their health is greatly dependent on the proper setup of the tank, which includes the appropriate substrate and filtration. It will be easier to guarantee they have a long and healthy life in your aquarium if you are aware of their preferences for habitat.

Hercules snails have comparatively straightforward dietary requirements. They will consume algae, debris, and leftover fish food because they are scavengers. Keeping them nourished and active can be achieved by offering a varied diet. Regularly keeping an eye on their nutrition and health will also guarantee their wellbeing and prevent common problems.

Another fascinating feature of owning Hercules snails is reproduction. In the right conditions, they can reproduce fairly easily. You can effectively manage their population by understanding the fundamentals of their breeding behavior and how to care for their offspring. You can appreciate the growth of these unusual snails in your aquarium by taking note of their reproductive requirements.

Habitat

These mollusks are found in Thailand and Myanmar in their natural habitat. River beds that are muddy or sandy are home to Brotia Herculea. This particular snail favors regions with a lot of vegetation and branches and tree trunks that are submerged in water. Eating fallen leaves into the water is something that brotia adores.

Appearance and structure

Brotia Herculea has an elongated spiral-shaped thick shell that tapers towards the apex. Under optimal conditions, the snail reaches a size of 10 cm. The shell has 6-8 curls. Along the entire shell, parallel to the growth zone, there are longitudinal protruding stripes. The shell color varies from whitish-cream (White Hercules Snail or Hercules snail albino) to dark brown. As a rule, the shell color darkens towards the apex. The body has a grayish-brown hue with yellow dots. The leg is round. The tentacles are located high above the head. The eyes are under the tentacles. The life expectancy of Brotia Hercules in a home aquarium is more than 4 years.

Behavior

Despite its size, Hercules Snail is an absolutely peaceful species. Can be kept with other peaceful and non-predatory inhabitants of the aquarium. These mollusks can be kept in an aquarium alone or in groups. Brotia Herculea snails are more active in the evening and at night. They often dig during the day. Very rarely burrow into the ground. Mollusks actively explore the soil, the walls of the aquarium. They do not climb high on the walls of the aquarium. These Brotias do not harm live aquarium plants, they can only dig them up when loosening the soil. But if they do not have enough food in the aquarium and they are hungry, then in this case the snails will begin to feed on live plants.

Maintenance and care

Unlike its relatives, Brotia Herculea is a hardy species that is not as sensitive to water parameters. So even a beginner aquarium keeper can maintain these snails. This mollusk will be happy in a large aquarium with plenty of room, a small substrate, and open areas. One snail requires an aquarium with a minimum volume of 35–40 liters. Using river sand with larger grains as a substrate is preferable. You can lay large stones and driftwood on the bottom. Brotias can crawl under driftwood and enjoy excavating the ground. It is not advisable to place decorations too close to one another. given that the snail may become trapped in the spaces between them.

• temperature 20-28° C;
• pH 7-8.5.

Hard water that is high in minerals is ideal for mollusks because it is essential for the development of a beautiful and healthy shell. Snails should not be kept in overly soft or acidic water as this will damage their shells.

Water that is pure is necessary for this species. You must add fresh water to the aquarium once a week to make up for 20% of the total volume. Filtration is required.

Drugs and copper in the water can cause serious harm to mollusks. Consequently, for the duration of any necessary fish treatment, snails should be kept out of the main aquarium.

Nutrition

The Hercules snail eats detritus, or the remnants of decaying plants and animals, in its natural habitat.

It gathers food remnants from other aquarium occupants while it is inside. It also keeps water from spoiling by consuming dead aquatic plants. Because it won’t treat dead neighbors with contempt, some aquarists think Hercules are cannibals.

It is able to mix the substrate in its quest for food.

However, this diet is insufficient for the large snails because of their size. Hercules must therefore be fed.

The following mollusks are available:

• tablets, flakes, granules for fish and shrimp;
• spirulina;
• vegetables – zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkin, cabbage, spinach leaves;
• dry leaves.

The snails will begin consuming live plants if they run out of food. As such, you ought to feed these animals a variety of foods.

Because of its amazing size and distinctive appearance, the Hercules snail, also known as Brotia herculea, is a fascinating addition to any aquarium. The necessary habitat requirements, food, and breeding procedures for Hercules snails will all be covered in detail in this article. Aquarium enthusiasts can improve the general health and balance of their aquatic setups by ensuring that these fascinating creatures have a thriving environment by comprehending these essential components.

Breeding

The bisexual viviparous snail Brotia Herculea. It is nearly hard to distinguish sexual differences. Generally speaking, the female is marginally bigger than the male. Consequently, it is preferable to buy multiple pieces. In this manner, there is a greater chance of receiving representatives from both genders.

A snail reaches sexual maturity when it is around two years old. once the mollusk has grown to a length of roughly 6 cm.

Instead of laying eggs, the female gives birth to mature snails. Small snails abound, and they are minuscule in size. A single "litter" can yield 60-100 2-3 mm babies.

Every year, Brotia Herculea reproduces twice or three times. Consequently, there won’t be an overabundance of these mollusks in the aquarium.

An old, well-established aquarium where preventive measures haven’t been used in a long time is ideal for successfully breeding young animals. The survival rate in an aquarium that has just been launched will be low. Most juvenile animals will perish.

You put dry leaves and driftwood at the bottom of the aquarium with the baby fish. When given enough food, snails grow quickly.

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