TankBud

Great ramshorn

Planorbarius corneus

FreshwaterSnail

Great ramshorn (Planorbarius corneus)
(c) Wendy McCrady, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by

Care at a glance

Temperature
64–77°F
18–25°C
pH
6.5–8.0
Adult size
1.6 in
4 cm
Minimum tank
5 gal
20 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Egg layer · Easy
Rarity
Common
Family
Planorbidae
Origin
Europe, Middle East

Overview

The great ramshorn is a peaceful snail that grazes the bottom and plants of a freshwater tank. It is an easy snail to keep.

Did you know

The great ramshorn's blood carries iron-based hemoglobin, while most snail blood is bluish from copper-based hemocyanin. That gives its body reddish tones and helps it cope with the low-oxygen, stagnant water it often lives in.

Caring for the great ramshorn

Keep great ramshorns in a tank of at least 5 gal (20 L). Hold the water at 64 to 77°F (18 to 25°C) with a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. Moderately hard water keeps their shells strong.

A great ramshorn eats algae, biofilm, leftover food and decaying leaves, which makes it a useful cleanup animal. It mostly leaves healthy plants alone and goes for soft or dying growth. No special feeding is needed where there is algae and detritus. If the tank is very clean, add blanched vegetables or a sinking wafer.

The great ramshorn is peaceful and safe in a community tank. It is a hermaphrodite and breeds easily, laying flat jelly egg patches on glass and leaves. Populations grow fast when food is plentiful.

Good to know

Planorbarius corneus belongs to the family Planorbidae, the ramshorn snails, named for a flat shell coiled like a horn. It is large for a ramshorn.

In the wild

Great ramshorn snails come from still and slow fresh waters across Europe and the Middle East. They live in ponds, ditches and weedy lake margins, and they tolerate cool water and a broad range of conditions.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The great ramshorn is a peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a great ramshorn need?

A great ramshorn needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a great ramshorn need?

A great ramshorn is comfortable at 64–77°F (18–25°C) with a pH of 6.5–8.0.

What does a great ramshorn eat?

A great ramshorn eats algae, biofilm, leftover food and decaying leaves, and it goes for soft or dying growth rather than healthy plants. In a very clean tank, add blanched vegetables or a sinking wafer.

How big does a great ramshorn get?

An adult great ramshorn reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).

How does a great ramshorn breed?

Great ramshorns are hermaphrodites and breed easily. They lay flat jelly egg patches on glass and leaves, and populations grow fast when food is plentiful.

Related species