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Contents
Overview
The ramshorn snail is the snail with a flat, coiled shell that looks like a tiny ram's horn. The great ramshorn, Planorbarius corneus, is a European species from ponds and slow ditches and grows to about 1.2 in (3 cm) across. Most red, pink or blue ramshorns sold in US stores are actually a similar American species (Planorbella duryi), but their care is the same.
Hobbyists like them because they are peaceful, attractive and useful: they graze the glass, leaves and substrate for soft algae, biofilm and leftover food. They are a great beginner snail and a good fit for shrimp tanks, as long as you accept that they breed readily.
Care and tank setup
Any cycled aquarium of 5 gallons (20 L) or more will do. Being a temperate species, the great ramshorn lives longer at 64-75 °F (18-24 °C) than in very warm tropical tanks. It needs moderately hard to hard water: in soft, acidic water the shell thins, turns chalky white and can develop holes.
- Calcium: in very soft water, add a GH booster, a piece of cuttlebone or a mineral-releasing substrate.
- Tankmates: perfect with shrimp, small fish and other snails. Avoid loaches, puffers and assassin snails, which eat them.
- Plants: it leaves healthy plants alone and only eats leaves that are already rotting.
The classic mistake is overfeeding: ramshorns do not appear out of nowhere, they boom when there is spare food. If you see hundreds, cut back on feeding instead of using snail-killing chemicals, which also harm shrimp.
Feeding
It is an omnivorous scavenger that mostly feeds itself on soft algae, biofilm, leftovers and decaying leaves. In very clean tanks, offer a sinking wafer, blanched vegetables (zucchini, spinach) or a calcium-rich food now and then. Remove anything uneaten after a few hours so it does not foul the water.
Breeding
Ramshorns are hermaphrodites: every snail has both sexes, though they normally need a partner to fertilize their eggs. They lay flat, jelly-like clutches with dozens of eggs on glass, leaves and decor. Tiny, fully formed snails hatch after two to three weeks. Breeding is so easy that the real challenge is limiting it, which modest feeding does well. Never release them into ponds or streams.
Compatible tank mates
Species from our database that share water parameters, size and temperament with the Ramshorn snail (great ramshorn). Calculated from the data in each profile.
Bristlenose pleco Ancistrus sp. 26 gal (100 L) · 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) 
Cherry barb Puntius titteya 16 gal (60 L) · 73–81 °F (23–27 °C) 
Tiger barb Puntigrus tetrazona 26 gal (100 L) · 72–79 °F (22–26 °C) 
Common goldfish Carassius auratus 79 gal (300 L) · 50–75 °F (10–24 °C) 
Bronze cory Corydoras aeneus 21 gal (80 L) · 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) 
Zebra danio Danio rerio 16 gal (60 L) · 64–77 °F (18–25 °C) 
Amano shrimp Caridina multidentata 11 gal (40 L) · 64–82 °F (18–28 °C) 
Cherry shrimp Neocaridina davidi 5 gal (20 L) · 64–81 °F (18–27 °C) 
Guppy Poecilia reticulata 14 gal (54 L) · 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) 
Platy Xiphophorus maculatus 16 gal (60 L) · 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) 
Harlequin rasbora Trigonostigma heteromorpha 16 gal (60 L) · 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) 
Ember tetra Hyphessobrycon amandae 11 gal (40 L) · 73–82 °F (23–28 °C) Check the compatibility of your whole tank →
What not to keep it with
Popular species you shouldn’t house with the Ramshorn snail (great ramshorn), and why.
- Discus: incompatible temperatures, incompatible pH
- Clown loach: incompatible temperatures, eats snails
- Oscar: eats snails
- Ram cichlid: incompatible temperatures, incompatible pH
Recommended equipment
What you need to keep the Ramshorn snail (great ramshorn) healthy, checked against Amazon stock.
Frequently asked questions
How many liters does a Ramshorn snail (great ramshorn) need?
At least about 20 liters. More space always helps keep the water stable.
What water temperature does the Ramshorn snail (great ramshorn) need?
Between 15 and 25 °C, with a pH of 7 to 8.2.
What fish can live with the Ramshorn snail (great ramshorn)?
Based on water, size and temperament, it fits with species such as Bristlenose pleco, Cherry barb, Tiger barb, Common goldfish and Bronze cory. Use our compatibility calculator to check your whole tank.
