Ramshorn Snail
Planorbella duryi
Planorbidae
InvertsDifficulty: ●○○○○Data: well-established
About
Ramshorn snails are flat, coiled hermaphroditic snails, most often seen in a red-shelled 'red ramshorn' form, valued as tireless cleanup crew and as living food for assassin snails, loaches and pufferfish. They graze algae, biofilm and detritus and rarely harm healthy plants. Because they are hermaphroditic egg-layers whose numbers rise sharply with surplus food, they can become a nuisance in overfed tanks — controlling feeding is the key to controlling their population.
Care
Undemanding across most freshwater parameters but prefers harder, alkaline water for shell health. Reproduces explosively when overfed, so manage feeding to control numbers; copper-sensitive and plant-safe.
Diet
Omnivorous detritivore grazing algae, biofilm, decaying plants and leftovers. No special feeding needed in an established tank; population size follows the available food supply.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (32)
Amano ShrimpBladder SnailBloodfin TetraBlue Velvet ShrimpButterfly Hillstream LoachCherry ShrimpChinese Algae EaterDwarf Neon RainbowfishDwarf Orange CrayfishEmerald CoryFreshwater ClamGhost ShrimpGlowlight DanioGold BarbGuppyJapanese Trapdoor SnailLeast KillifishLeopard DanioMalaysian Trumpet SnailMystery SnailNerite SnailOdessa BarbPearl DanioPenguin TetraPlatyRubber Lip PlecoScarlet BadisTiger BarbUpside-down CatfishVenezuelan CoryX-ray TetraZebra Danio
Possible with care (163)
Acei CichlidAfrican Butterfly CichlidAgassiz's CoryAgassiz's Dwarf CichlidAssassin SnailAuratus CichlidBamboo ShrimpBanjo CatfishBetta (Siamese Fighting Fish)Black Neon TetraBlack Phantom TetraBlack Ruby BarbBlack Skirt TetraBlackline RasboraBleeding Heart TetraBlood Parrot CichlidBlue AcaraBlue Dolphin CichlidBlue Tiger ShrimpBoesemani RainbowfishBolivian RamBorleyi (Redfin Hap)Borneo SuckerBrevis Shell DwellerBrichard's TeleogrammaBrichardi (Fairy Cichlid)Bristlenose PlecoBronze CorydorasBuenos Aires TetraBuffalohead CichlidBumblebee CichlidBumblebee GobyCelebes RainbowfishCelestial Pearl DanioCheckered BarbCherry BarbChocolate CichlidClown PlecoCobalt Blue ZebraCochu's Blue TetraCockatoo Dwarf CichlidColombian Ramshorn SnailCongo Dwarf CichlidCongo TetraConvict CichlidCylindricus CichlidCyprichromisDemasoni CichlidDenison BarbDiscusDoctor FishDogtooth CichlidDojo (Weather) LoachDwarf Chain LoachDwarf Flag CichlidDwarf GouramiDwarf Petricola CatfishElectric Yellow LabElephantnose FishEllioti CichlidElongate MbunaEmperor TetraEndler's LivebearerEven-spotted SynodontisFestivum (Flag Cichlid)Firemouth CichlidFive-bar CichlidFlame TetraForktail RainbowfishGlass CatfishGlowlight TetraGolden Dwarf CichlidGolden JulieGolden PencilfishGolden TetraGreen DiscusGreen Neon TetraHarlequin RasboraHead-and-Tail-Light TetraHoney GouramiHongi CichlidJohanni CichlidJulii CoryKenyi CichlidKeyhole CichlidKissing GouramiKribensisLambchop RasboraLemon CichlidLemon TetraLittle CorydorasMacmasteri Dwarf CichlidMaingano CichlidMarlieri CichlidMasked JulieMedaka RicefishMollyMoonlight GouramiMultifasciatus Shell DwellerNeon TetraOcellatus Shell DwellerOtocinclusPanda CorydorasParaguay EartheaterPeaceful BettaPeacock CichlidPearl GouramiPeppered CorydorasPolka Dot LoachPort CichlidPowder Blue CichlidPurple Emperor TetraPygmy CorydorasRabbit SnailRainbow CichlidRainbow SharkRed EmpressRed RainbowfishRed Whiptail CatfishRed Zebra CichlidRed-Tail SharkRedhead CichlidRegan's JulieReticulated Hillstream LoachRosy BarbRosy TetraRummynose TetraRusty CichlidSailfin MollySalt and Pepper CorySand-sifting XenotilapiaSaulosi CichlidScissortail RasboraSerpae TetraSeverumSiamese Algae EaterSilver Tip TetraSimilis Shell DwellerSkunk CorySparkling GouramiStar SapphireSterbai CorydorasStriped KribensisSulawesi Cardinal ShrimpSunshine PeacockSveni EartheaterSwordtailT-Bar CichlidTaiwan Reef CichlidThai Micro CrabThick-lipped GouramiThreadfin AcaraThreadfin PetrochromisThreadfin RainbowfishThree-spot GouramiTurquoise RainbowfishUmbrella Dwarf CichlidVampire ShrimpWhite Cloud Mountain MinnowWrestling HalfbeakYoyo LoachZebra MbunaZebra Pleco
Avoid (76)
Adonis PlecoAfrican ButterflyfishAltum AngelfishAngelfishBala SharkBlack Moor GoldfishCalvus CichlidCardinal TetraCheckerboard CichlidChili RasboraChocolate GouramiClown KillifishClown LoachComet GoldfishCommon GoldfishCommon PlecoCompressiceps CichlidCrystal Red ShrimpCuckoo CatfishDemon EartheaterDiamond TetraDuboisi TropheusDwarf Pea PufferDwarf RasboraElectric Blue AhliEmber TetraEndlicheri BichirFantail GoldfishFeatherfin SqueakerFigure-8 PufferFrontosaGerman Blue RamGoby CichlidGolden Wonder KillifishGreen Spotted PufferfishGreen TerrorHeckel DiscusIridescent SharkJack DempseyJaguar CichlidJewel CichlidKoiKuhli LoachLivingstoniMalawi EyebiterMalawi HawkMarble HatchetfishOranda GoldfishOrnate BichirOscarParadise FishPeacock BassPictus CatfishPike CichlidRanchu GoldfishRed DevilRed TerrorReticulated Flying FoxRostratusRosy Red MinnowRoyal PlecoRyukin GoldfishSailfin PlecoSalvini CichlidShubunkin GoldfishSilver ArowanaSilver MoonySpotted HoploStrawberry RasboraStriped Raphael CatfishTelescope GoldfishTexas CichlidTropheusUaru (Triangle Cichlid)Venustus (Giraffe Cichlid)Wolf Cichlid
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
There is no reliable way to sex this species by eye. That is the honest answer, not a gap in our data.
All the methods, with diagramsAlso in these lists
Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Ramshorn Snail need?
- A Ramshorn Snail needs an aquarium of at least 10 litres (2.6 US gallons) with a footprint at least 20 cm (7.9 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Ramshorn Snail need?
- Ramshorn Snail does best at 18–28 °C (64.4–82.4 °F), pH 7–8 and a general hardness of 5–18 °dGH.
- What group size does a Ramshorn Snail need?
- Ramshorn Snail is a social species — keep a group of at least 2 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Ramshorn Snail suitable for beginners?
- Yes — Ramshorn Snail is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.
Sources
Water & tank
Temperature18–28°C
Optimal temp.21–25°C
pH7–8
Hardness (GH)5–18°d
Carbonate (KH)3–12°d
Adult size2 cm
Min. volume≥ 10 L
Min. tank length≥ 20 cm
Group size≥ 2
Swimming zoneAll levels
TemperamentPeaceful
Water typeFreshwater
FlowLow
Lifespan~1.5 yrs
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