Great ramshorn snail (Planorbarius corneus) care guide

Group

Snails

Other names

Great ramshorn, Ramshorn snail, Helix cornea, Red ramshorn (red form)

Family

Planorbidae

Origin

Europe to Siberia, the Caucasus and the Middle East; native to Britain and Ireland

Water

freshwater

Maximum size

3.5 cm

Care level

beginner

Lifespan

2–3 (up to 6) years

Care

The great ramshorn is the largest European ramshorn snail, with a flat, coiled shell about 3.5 cm across that is reddish-brown or olive, slightly shiny and without a keel. The animal is usually brown or black, but red, pink and white colour forms are sold too. Young snails have hairy shells. Its blood contains haemoglobin, which helps it cope with low oxygen: in good water it breathes through its skin, and in poor water it comes to the surface to fill its lung. It is native to Britain and Ireland (and the Isle of Man and Channel Islands), where it lives in slow, weedy ponds, rivers and canals with mineral-rich water. That makes it a coldwater snail: it is ideal for unheated aquaria and garden ponds and needs no heater, although it also tolerates ordinary room-temperature tanks. Do not collect wild snails where it is not allowed; buy captive-bred stock. The great ramshorn is often confused with the smaller North American Planorbella duryi, which has a smooth, glossy shell and is the 'ramshorn' often sold for tropical tanks. It needs calcium-rich water to build its shell; in soft water add cuttlebone or crushed eggshell. Use a dechlorinator and avoid copper. Poor water quality makes the snails try to leave the water. It is easy to keep, needs no extra oxygenation and suits small tanks. It is a useful clean-up snail, eating algae, leftover food and dead plant matter. Copper-based medicines and some plant fertilisers are toxic to shrimp, snails and most invertebrates. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planorbariuscorneus). Checked October 2026.

Diet

A generalist that eats whatever is available: algae, detritus, dead leaves, leftover fish food and soft decaying plant matter. In captivity it takes fish food and vegetables such as spinach, lettuce and courgette. It eats living plants only when other food runs out, so a hungry population is a sign of underfeeding. Remove uneaten food to keep ammonia and nitrate low.

Breeding

Ramshorns are hermaphrodites and usually mate with another snail; self-fertilisation is possible but very few of those eggs hatch. Breeding happens in spring and autumn once the water is above about 15 °C. Eggs are laid in flat, pinkish capsules of 12–49 eggs on plants or glass, and hatch after roughly two weeks to two months depending on temperature. The young need no special care and numbers can build quickly in a well-fed tank.

Compatibility and tank mates

Peaceful and safe with fish, shrimp and plants in coldwater and community tanks and ponds. Eaten by puffers, loaches and larger fish. A single snail can found a population, so control numbers by not overfeeding.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.