Planorbella duryi
Either the easiest pet snail in the hobby or the pest you can't get rid of. Available in red, brown, blue, pink, and leopard variants when bred intentionally. Population scales with available food, keep feeding modest.
Ramshorn Snail (Planorbella duryi) is an aquarium snail in family Planorbidae, native to North America (introduced worldwide). Adults reach 1–2.5 cm; minimum tank 10 L. Target 18–28 °C, pH 7.0–8.0, 5–15 dGH, 3–10 dKH. Shell calcium demand: medium. Diet: omnivore / detritivore, Eats biofilm, algae, leftover food, decaying plant matter, and soft new plant tissue when underfed. Don't supplement, they breed faster the more you feed them. Breeding: Hermaphroditic, any two adults can breed. Lays clear jelly egg clutches on every surface. Populations explode in overfed tanks; assassin snails or manual culling controls them. Algae-eating rating: 3/5. Plant-safe: Mostly, may nibble new growth in low-nutrient tanks. Tank mates: Most community fish. Loaches, puffers, and assassin snails will eat them.
Care at a glance
Either the easiest pet snail in the hobby or the pest you can't get rid of. Available in red, brown, blue, pink, and leopard variants when bred intentionally. Population scales with available food, keep feeding modest.
By Mike ElmiraUpdated 1 min read
Part of our complete planted-aquarium guide.
The parameters that decide whether ramshorn snail fits in your tank.
Planorbidae
Omnivore / detritivore
Eats biofilm, algae, leftover food, decaying plant matter, and soft new plant tissue when underfed. Don't supplement, they breed faster the more you feed them.
Hermaphroditic, any two adults can breed. Lays clear jelly egg clutches on every surface. Populations explode in overfed tanks; assassin snails or manual culling controls them.
1–2 yrs
Medium
Mostly, may nibble new growth in low-nutrient tanks
North America (introduced worldwide)
North America (introduced worldwide)
Tank-mate safety and the species this one is documented to thrive (or fail) alongside.
Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.
Minimum tank: 10 L. Ramshorn Snail (Planorbella duryi) reach 1–2.5 cm as adults.
Target 18–28 °C, pH 7.0–8.0, 5–15 dGH, and 3–10 dKH. Shell calcium demand is medium, supplement with cuttlebone or a mineral stone if your water is soft.
Plant safety: Mostly, may nibble new growth in low-nutrient tanks. Ramshorn Snail are omnivore / detritivore, Eats biofilm, algae, leftover food, decaying plant matter, and soft new plant tissue when underfed. Don't supplement, they breed faster the more you feed them.
Tank mates: Most community fish. Loaches, puffers, and assassin snails will eat them.
Algae-eating rating: 3/5. Eats biofilm, algae, leftover food, decaying plant matter, and soft new plant tissue when underfed. Don't supplement, they breed faster the more you feed them.
Hermaphroditic, any two adults can breed. Lays clear jelly egg clutches on every surface. Populations explode in overfed tanks; assassin snails or manual culling controls them.
Typical lifespan: 1–2 years in a stable, well-maintained tank.
A planted tank is a system. Pair this snail with one entry from each other pillar to plan the whole scape.
