TankBud

Seminole ramshorn

Planorbella duryi

FreshwaterSnail

Seminole ramshorn (Planorbella duryi)
RealGatba · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–82°F
20–28°C
pH
6.5–8.0
Adult size
1 in
2.5 cm
Minimum tank
5 gal
20 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Beginner
Breeding
Easy
Rarity
Common
Family
Planorbidae
Origin
Florida

Overview

The Seminole ramshorn is a small, undemanding snail that grazes the bottom of a freshwater tank. It is a good first snail.

Did you know

Ramshorn snails like the Seminole ramshorn have red blood, which is unusual for snails. Their blood uses hemoglobin instead of the copper-based hemocyanin most snails rely on. That gives many of them a reddish tint and helps them cope with low-oxygen, weedy water.

Caring for the Seminole ramshorn

A Seminole ramshorn is undemanding and does fine in a small planted tank of 5 gal (20 L) or more. It is a peaceful bottom-dweller that mostly minds its own business, so it works well in planted or shrimp tanks.

Keep the water at 68 to 82°F (20 to 28°C) with a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. It needs enough calcium in the water to keep its shell hard, so moderately hard water suits it.

It grazes algae, detritus and soft decaying plants, and it will take leftover fish food. Usually no special feeding is needed beyond what the tank produces.

It is hermaphroditic, carrying both male and female organs, and it breeds fast with a good food supply. Watch the population if you do not want a boom.

Good to know

The Seminole ramshorn is an air-breathing freshwater snail in the family Planorbidae, with a flat, coiled shell. Like other ramshorns, it has a lung and surfaces to gulp air. It is considered of least conservation concern, with stable populations across its range.

In the wild

The Seminole ramshorn comes from Florida, where it lives in ponds, lakes, ditches and slow streams. It favors weedy, vegetated water with lots of decaying plant matter for food and cover.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Seminole 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 Seminole ramshorn need?

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

What temperature and pH does a Seminole ramshorn need?

A Seminole ramshorn is comfortable at 68–82°F (20–28°C) with a pH of 6.5–8.0.

What does a Seminole ramshorn eat?

A Seminole ramshorn grazes algae, detritus and soft decaying plants, and it takes leftover fish food. It usually needs no special feeding beyond what the tank produces.

How big does a Seminole ramshorn get?

An adult Seminole ramshorn reaches about 1 in (2.5 cm).

How does a Seminole ramshorn breed?

Seminole ramshorns are hermaphrodites, carrying both male and female organs. With a good food supply they breed fast, so the population can boom.

Related species