Ramshorn snail: Care, Lifespan, Feeding, Algae Eating, Size, …

The small ramshorn snail gets their name from their shell’s shape and is often used as additional decoration Shrimp and Ornamental fish used in aquariums. You can easily buy the European genus in various stores and online stores. You can also find the right food for the mollusks online. You can easily order this online. The package will be sent to your home within a few working days.

Name	Ramshorn Snail
Latin name	Planorbella duryi, Planorbarius corneus
Family	Planorbidae
Tank size (optimal)	No minimum
Keeping	Easy
Breeding	Easy (Hermaphrodites)
Size	0.5 – 2,5 cm (0.25 – 1 inch)
Temperature	21 to 35 C (~70°F – 78°F)
Optimal PH	7 – 8
Optimal GH	7 – 15
Optimal KH	8 (5-15)
TDS (optimal)	150-200 (100-300)
Nitrate	Less than 20 ppm
Diet	Algae eater/omnivore
Temperament	Peaceful and solitary
Life span	1-3 years
Color Form	Huge variety of colours and patterns.

IN THIS ARTICLE show

Appearance

What do the ramshorn snails look like?

The comparatively flat shell is typical of ramshorn snails. This is always left-wound and up to about 4 centimetres in size. As a rule, the body and housing are dark browns to reddish and black in colour. The snail has lungs but takes most of the oxygen through its skin. Due to the high proportion of haemoglobin, the animal can easily survive even in oxygen-poor waters.

In addition to the classic ramshorn snail, there are also albino variants in white – these are a rarity and therefore very popular with owners. Many other color versions have also come onto the market through breeding – for example, blue and pink. Young animals always look a bit piebald because the coat fabric shimmers through here. The outer shell is not yet fully developed in the young animals.

Ramshorn species

What types of ramshorn snails are there?

The classic type of ramshorn snail is brown to red-black in color and occurs mainly in fresh European waters. In addition, however, various breeds have already been carried out, which are now completely hereditary. The pink and blue specimens are particularly popular when it comes to keeping the ramshorn snail. The sexes are fundamentally indistinguishable because the snails are hermaphrodites. Each animal can take over both the female and the male part when mating. Even self-fertilization is possible for living beings.

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homeland

Where do ramshorn snails come from?

The ramshorn snail comes from Europe and is found in many freshwaters on the continent. Especially lakes and calmer river arms with temperatures above 12 ° C have become biotopes for invertebrates. But you can also survive in much colder and warmer waters. The distribution is astonishingly large and extends from southern Scandinavia to Siberia. Last but not least, the snails feel good on the muddy bottom – this is also where they spend the winter.

nutrition

What do ramshorn snails eat in the wild and at home?

The first thing you should do when buying a ramshorn snail is to study its diet. In the wild, the animals are mostly omnivores. Nevertheless, algae and dead plant parts are considered the main food. The hermaphrodites also like to eat carrion that has sunk to the bottom of rivers and lakes.

In the Aquarium, they ensure the order in which you eat food waste. In this function, they are particularly popular with shrimp keepers. By eating plant and animal remains, the water quality improves significantly, and no dangerous pathogens arise. Sometimes the snails also go to healthy ones Plants in the Aquarium – but this is only the case if there are insufficient plant residues in the water. In that case, you should invest in special food for the snails to prevent them from dying off plants to prevent.

If the ramshorn snails start to reproduce rapidly, it is always due to too much food. This should then be reduced through consistent hygiene and cleaning of the Aquarium. Furthermore, a sufficient supply of protein must be ensured – especially when breeding ramshorn snails. If the demand is insufficient, the ram’s horn snails attack their own offspring.

Posthorn snail attitude

What to pay attention to?

The remarkable thing about keeping the ramshorn snail is that even beginners can easily do it. This is due to the animals’ high-temperature tolerance. They can live in bodies of water that vary in temperature between 4 ° C and 26 ° C. In general, however, for aquarists, the values in the Aquarium should be at least 10 ° C, better still 12 ° C.

With the water hardness, the animals adapt comparatively well to the given conditions. Under no circumstances should the pH value become acidic. Alkaline values between 6.5 and 8.5 are ideal for breeding and keeping the ramshorn snail. The basin should hold at least 10 liters of water. Since the snails are usually kept with other animals, especially shrimp, it is advisable to buy an aquarium with at least 20 liters.

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The animals can be kept individually, but also in groups. They are very compatible with one another and multiply quickly when there are a solid forage situation and temperatures of more than 14 ° C – this is the best starting point for breeding ramshorn snails. It is important that the water has as little flow as possible and that there are many plants whose remains the animals then feed on. Narrow spots are to be avoided as this can lead to entrapment. Small shrimp and ornamental fish are particularly suitable for socializing. Crayfish, Under no circumstances, can crabs and king prawns be added to the Aquarium, as they regard ramshorn snails as food.

Ramshorn breeding

Health aspects and maximum service life

As a rule, the ramshorn snails are around 15 months old. If the ramshorn snail is kept correctly, the animals can even reach an age of up to 3 years. For this, it is important to create the right water conditions in the Aquarium. Last but not least, this means that there are sufficient minerals to build housing. The snails can survive in soft and hard water without any problems. However, more lime is always better in order to form a more robust shell. Accordingly, special snail food or a total water hardness of 10 is recommended for long life.

The shell is also very sensitive to an acidic environment. This attacks the housing and causes smaller holes. Apart from that, little can harm the animals. Many breeders and keepers like to let their darlings overwinter in the garden pond. This should then be at least 80 centimeters deep and be able to hold at least 200 liters of water.

The snail itself is usually the greatest danger to health. Overpopulation can upset the balance in the pond or Aquarium. This can also lead to problems for other inhabitants of the biotope, especially for the often socialized shrimp.

Where can you buy a ramshorn snail?

Buying a ramshorn snail is generally not a problem in Germany. You can find the animals in almost every specialist shop for zoo and aquarium supplies. Here you will be given further advice on handling and posture in personal discussions. In addition, ramshorn breeding is widespread in Europe. Accordingly, you can also contact one of the breeders directly and order snails from there.

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Many breeders run their own shops where you can buy animals and get advice. Online trading is also an option. Here you will find the widest selection of ramshorn snails and order them with just a few clicks. The costs for a single copy usually start at around 1.5 euros. Sometimes the prices are also higher – this often depends on the breeding effort and the respective colouring.

Posthorn snail attitude at a glance

Ramshorn snails are a species that is particularly widespread in Europe and is considered to be particularly adaptable
The animals can survive even at low temperatures around 4 ° C and in the upper range at around 26 ° C
From a temperature of 14 ° C and with sufficient food, reproduction takes place almost by itself – that is why the snails are popular with breeders
The animals are hermaphrodites that can change their sex
Ramshorn snails eat plant and animal remains and thus keep the water clean from waste
The ramshorn snails are mainly associated with ornamental fish and dwarf shrimp
Different colors have emerged in breeding: in addition to the classic red-brown, there are, for example, pink and blue
Ramshorn snails are particularly suitable for beginners, as they are comparatively easy to keep
The abundance of food leads to overpopulation, which in turn causes the biosystem in the Aquarium to tip over
The age of ramshorn snails is usually 15 months – but if kept well, the animals can even live up to 3 years