About the species

Ramshorn snails in size S are young animals of about 0.5–1 cm with plenty of growth ahead of them. Small ramshorns reach into every tight corner and are therefore especially effective cleaners in densely decorated aquariums. They grow quickly when food is plentiful.

Facts

• Latin name: Planorbella duryi
• Common name: Ramshorn Snail S
• Size: About 0.5–1 cm on delivery
• Lifespan: 1–3 years

Behavior

Ramshorn Snail S is a peaceful, easy-care cleaner that grazes leftover food, dead plant parts and films before they can foul the water. It is a lung breather and needs access to the surface. It suits dwarf shrimp and peaceful fish, but avoid snail-eating fish, crayfish and assassin snails.

Reproduction

• The species is hermaphroditic and a single snail can found a population
• Eggs are laid in flat, transparent jelly pads of 10–15 eggs that hatch after 10–12 days
• Numbers are governed by the food supply — a population boom always means overfeeding, not too many snails

Feeding

Ramshorn Snail S is an omnivorous cleaner and feeds on:

• Leftover food and spilled feed
• Dead plant parts and leaves
• Biofilm and surface films

Extra food is rarely needed, but is appreciated:

• Blanched courgette or spinach
• Catappa leaves
• A calcium source for the shell

Aquarium

• Minimum aquarium size: 20 litres
• Substrate: Any — gravel or sand both work

Difficulty level

🟢 Easy

Recommendation

Size S is the cheapest way to get a cleanup population going, since the animals grow and breed quickly in your tank. If you want visible snails straight away we recommend size M or L instead.