TankBud

Red ramshorn snail

Indoplanorbis exustus

Also known as Indoplanorbus exustus, Indian ramshorn snail, Black ramshorn snail

FreshwaterSnail

Red ramshorn snail (Indoplanorbis exustus)

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–86°F
20–30°C
pH
6.5–8.0
Adult size
0.8 in
2 cm
Minimum tank
5 gal
20 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Beginner
Breeding
Egg layer · Easy
Rarity
Very common
Family
Planorbidae
Origin
South and Southeast Asia, introduced widely

Overview

The red ramshorn snail is a peaceful cleanup snail for the bottom of a small planted tank. It is easy to keep and a good first snail.

Did you know

The red ramshorn snail's color is not in the shell but in the animal itself. Its blood carries hemoglobin, the iron-based pigment that makes human blood red, and it shows through the translucent body and thin shell. Most snails use a copper-based pigment instead, so the ramshorns are unusual among molluscs.

Caring for the red ramshorn snail

A red ramshorn snail needs no company of its own kind, though a single one soon becomes a colony. Any planted tank of at least 5 gal (20 L) suits it. It is very adaptable and does well in almost any planted aquarium.

It tolerates a broad span of conditions, from 68 to 86°F (20 to 30°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. Moderately hard water helps keep its coiled shell strong.

It grazes algae, biofilm and leftover food across the glass, plants and substrate. A mature tank with algae and plant litter keeps it well fed. Its numbers rise or fall with the surplus food in the tank, so it doubles as a living gauge of overfeeding.

The red ramshorn snail is peaceful and harmless to fish and shrimp. It is safe with healthy plants, since it takes mostly soft algae and decaying leaves. It is a hermaphrodite that lays flat jelly clutches of eggs, and it breeds easily and multiplies fast.

Good to know

Indoplanorbis exustus is a planorbid, one of the ram's horn snails, with a flat, coiled shell. It is also known as the Indian ramshorn snail or the black ramshorn snail. It makes a convenient live food for pufferfish and loaches.

In the wild

The red ramshorn snail comes from still and slow waters across South and Southeast Asia. It has spread widely through the tropics.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The red ramshorn snail 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 red ramshorn snail need?

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

What temperature and pH does a red ramshorn snail need?

A red ramshorn snail is comfortable at 68–86°F (20–30°C) with a pH of 6.5–8.0.

What does a red ramshorn snail eat?

A red ramshorn snail grazes algae, biofilm and leftover food. It takes mostly soft algae and decaying leaves and is safe with healthy plants.

How big does a red ramshorn snail get?

An adult red ramshorn snail reaches about 0.8 in (2 cm).

How does a red ramshorn snail breed?

A red ramshorn snail is a hermaphrodite that lays flat jelly clutches of eggs. It breeds easily, and a single snail soon becomes a colony.

Related species