Chinese mystery snail
Cipangopaludina chinensis
- Tank length
- 15 cm6 in
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 1–30 °C34–86 °F
- pH
- 7–9
- Adult size
- 5 cm2 in
- Lifespan
- 3–5 yrs
A cold-hardy livebearing snail with a heavy bioload; invasive in North America and Europe, so never release it.A cold-hardy livebearing snail with a heavy bioload; invasive in North America and Europe, so never release it.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Brilliant rasbora
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Lambchop rasboraNo shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- African knifefish
African knifefish may eat Chinese mystery snailAfrican knifefish may eat Chinese mystery snail
- African pike
African pike may eat Chinese mystery snailAfrican pike may eat Chinese mystery snail
- Alligator gar
Alligator gar may eat Chinese mystery snailAlligator gar may eat Chinese mystery snail
- Altum angelfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Amazon leaffish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Antenna ray
Antenna ray may eat Chinese mystery snailAntenna ray may eat Chinese mystery snail
- Arapaima
Arapaima may eat Chinese mystery snailArapaima may eat Chinese mystery snail
- Asian arowana
Asian arowana may eat Chinese mystery snailAsian arowana may eat Chinese mystery snail
- Asian upside-down catfish
Asian upside down catfish may eat Chinese mystery snailAsian upside down catfish may eat Chinese mystery snail
- Atahualpa dwarf cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 1–30 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 7–9 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 5–25 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Origin | East Asia: China, Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | easy | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | sedentary | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | bottom | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | peaceful | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Long fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Territorial | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lives in groups | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum group | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Diet | herbivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 3–5 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 12 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |