Ramshorn Snail Facts

Diet

A well-balanced Freshwater Snail diet consists of:

• Typically feeds off algae and excessive food or debris in aquarium.
• Can be supplemented with algae discs.

Feeding

Things to remember when feeding your Freshwater Snail:

• Feed daily or twice weekly.
• Should feed mostly off of waste/extra food in the tank.
• Use care to keep well feed in a planted tank, as these snails can eat live plants.

Housing

• Keep in an appropriate size aquarium; a tight fitting lid is necessary, Snails can climb out of the tank. Snails need calcium to grow their shells and don't like soft water.
• Stable water quality, water temperature, and pH levels are critical to the health of the invertebrate. If you are unsure of your water quality or pH levels, Home Aquatics can provide water

Characteristics

• Snails leave a slime trail as they move on their muscular foot.
• Use of copper-based medications can be toxic to invertebrates.

Habitat Maintenance

Daily:  Check filter, water temperature and other equipment.
Weekly: Check water quality at least once a week.
Monthly: Change 10-25% of the total volume of water every 2-4 weeks, or as needed.
Introduce new inhabitants to the aquarium gradually.

Compatibility

Compatible with most freshwater fish. Do not keep with aggressive fish that may try to eat Snails.

Health

Signs of a Healthy Invertebrate

• Active movement
• Healthy appetite
• Even coloring
• Clean in appearance

Avoid overcrowded conditions; they are a major cause of stress and disease. Maintain good water quality with regular water changes and adequate filtration.

Red Flags

• Loss of color or appetite
• Spots or fungus on body or mouth
• Listlessness
• Retreats into shell most of time

Common Health Issues

As a pet, a Ramshorn Snail can be an interesting addition to a community tank. Ramshorn Snails can be a good match for species tanks as well, like shrimp or snail tanks. A Ramshorn Snail can do a good job keeping a tank clean by eating uneaten food, dead or decaying plant matter, debris, detritus, and soft algae buildup on hard surfaces. A Ramshorn Snail can be seen for hours on end canvasing the tank for edible matter. Ramshorn Snails have the ability to move and bend their rubber-like bodies around very thin plant leaves, dangle from stems and stretch as they move from one hard surface to another. With a young Ramshorn Snail, the inside of their bodies can be seen as they eat and digest food, because their shells are thin and translucent.