Quick Stats
| Adult Size | 1–3 cm |
| Minimum Tank | 5 gal |
| Temperature | 15–28°C |
| pH Range | 7.0–8.0 |
| Hardness (GH) | 8–20 dGH |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Diet | Detritivore/Herbivore — algae, detritus, dead plant matter, biofilm |
| Schooling | Colony — reproduces freely |
Tank Setup
Ramshorn snails (Planorbarius corneus and related species) are hardy and tolerant. They accept temperatures from 15–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0, and hardness 8–20 dGH. A 5 gallon tank is plenty for a colony; they don't need much space.
The non-negotiable is calcium. Their flat spiral shell is made of calcium carbonate and they need harder water (8+ dGH) to keep it thick. In soft water the shell erodes and the snail eventually dies. Add cuttlebone or crushed coral if your water is soft.
No special setup needed. They live on every surface: glass, plants, hardscape, substrate. They breathe air using hemoglobin (their blood is red, which is why red ramshorns look so vivid) and surface regularly. They tolerate low-oxygen water better than most snails.
Tank Mates
Ramshorns are peaceful and edible. They coexist with every peaceful fish and invertebrate. They are a favoured food of Clown Loaches, Yoyo Loaches, Dwarf Puffers, and some cichlids.
Compatible with: all peaceful community fish, all shrimp, all other snail species. They are too small to bother anything and reproduce fast enough to recover from occasional predation.
If you have a snail-eating fish, ramshorns are actually a useful live food culture — they breed fast enough to sustain predation. Some keepers maintain a separate ramshorn colony specifically to feed their loaches or puffers.
Diet & Feeding
Ramshorn snails eat algae (including the green film on glass), detritus, dead plant matter, and biofilm. They do not eat healthy live plants — the 'plant eater' reputation is overstated. They will gather on dying leaves because those leaves are decomposing.
No direct feeding needed in an established tank. They clean up whatever the fish miss. To boost the colony or grow larger snails, drop an algae wafer or a slice of blanched zucchini after lights-out.
They are useful in shrimp tanks — they eat the same biofilm and algae that shrimp eat, and they tolerate the same water parameters. Many shrimp keepers deliberately keep a ramshorn colony as a cleanup crew and as a 'canary' for water quality.
Common Health Issues
Ramshorns are hardy. The main health issue is shell erosion in soft water — the shells turn translucent and pitted. Fix with crushed coral, cuttlebone, or a pinch of crushed oyster shell in the filter.
Copper is lethal — remove all snails before treating fish with copper-containing medications. Many standard fish medications contain copper; always check the label.
Lifespan is typically 1–2 years. They are hermaphroditic and lay visible gelatinous egg masses (10–30 eggs each) on hard surfaces, which hatch in 7–14 days depending on temperature. The colony is self-sustaining once established.
Breeding
Ramshorns are hermaphroditic but require a partner to reproduce (unlike bladder snails, which can self-fertilise). Two snails will mate and both lay eggs. Eggs are laid in small gelatinous masses on plants, glass, and hardscape.
Breeding is unavoidable if you have two or more — they reproduce year-round in warm water. Population control is straightforward: reduce feeding, bait with cucumber, or introduce assassin snails.
The colour varieties (red, blue, pink, brown, leopard) breed true if kept with their own colour. Mixed colonies produce mixed colours, with red being dominant over most other colours. Selective breeding for blue or pink ramshorns is a niche hobby within the snail-keeping world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Ramshorn Snails pests?
They reproduce freely, but they're genuinely useful — they eat algae and detritus without harming live plants. The 'pest' label comes from their uninvited arrival on plants, not from any damage they cause. Many keepers deliberately cultivate them as cleanup crew.
Do Ramshorn Snails eat plants?
No — they eat algae, detritus, and already-dead plant matter. They gather on dying leaves because those leaves are decomposing, not because the snails killed them. They are safe in any planted tank.
What colours do Ramshorn Snails come in?
Red, blue, pink, brown, leopard (brown with white spots), and white/ivory. The colour varieties breed true if kept with their own colour. Red is the most common and is genetically dominant over most other colours.
How do I control Ramshorn Snail population?
Reduce feeding first — the colony self-corrects within weeks. To actively remove them, bait with cucumber or lettuce overnight and remove the snail-covered vegetable in the morning. Assassin snails (Clea helena) will hunt them biologically. Avoid copper medications — they kill all snails and shrimp.