Bluish ramshorn snail: colorful cleaner snail for natural aquarium
What is a bluish ramshorn snail?
The ramshorn snail is a freshwater snail with a flattened disc shell (flat spiral). Diurnal, it is easily observed on glass, plants, and all decor elements. Respectful of healthy plants, it mainly feeds on debris, algae, and biofilm. Its adult size is 1 to 3 cm in diameter and its growth is quite slow. It has lungs and therefore breathes at the surface, but also and especially in the water through its skin. It withstands winter outdoors in ponds and reproduces according to the abundance of available food.
The wild ramshorn snail is brown, but this superb variety is a bluish mutation.
Why choose bluish ramshorn snails in a natural aquarium?
- “Cleaner” snail: as a detritivore, the ramshorn snail helps limit micro-algae and waste.
- Low-tech balance: it participates in the natural recycling of all kinds of organic waste, as it is a detritivore species.
- Rare aesthetic: its absolutely remarkable color is very uncommon in aquariums.
- Compatibility: coexists perfectly with fish and shrimp and all microfauna such as water lice. Its droppings can be used to enrich the water of your daphnia cultures.
- Easy maintenance: no special requirements, wide tolerance. The shell is just more beautiful in hard water.
- For the pond: possible overwintering, the ramshorn snail withstands all temperatures.
Who are the ramshorn snails with bluish tint intended for?
- Beginners and experienced alike wanting a useful and robust snail, whose population adjusts to needs.
- Low-tech tanks and community aquariums: it is then an essential link in the cycle, as it breaks down waste without being vulnerable to fish.
- Shrimp tanks where it consumes biofilm, shrimp molts, and leftover food.
- Outdoor ponds and trash bins where its size and shell protect it from fish appetite.
Introduction and usage tips
- Simple acclimation at room temperature. Introduce by avoiding thermal shock through a gradual process.
- Feeding: waste, algae, biofilm. No need to provide specific food.
- Population regulated by available food. If food becomes scarce, adult ramshorn snails eat the eggs or larvae. The population adjusts this way to the amount of waste. These snails only proliferate in situations of abundant waste.
- Reproduction: hermaphroditic species requiring mating. Each individual is both male and female but cannot fertilize itself. Eggs in translucent plates are continuously laid on rigid surfaces (leaves, glass, stones). Often, your snails will have already laid eggs in their transport bag!
- Pond: possible all year round, it is a hardy and robust species. Its role there will be essential, as organic matter recycling in ponds is intense.
FAQ – Bluish ramshorn snail
Does it eat plants?
No, it never attacks healthy plants. It is interested in damaged leaves (and thus affected tissues), algae, various organic waste, and biofilm.
Compatible with shrimp and fish?
Yes, coexistence is perfectly peaceful. Only certain fish specialize in consuming snails.
Can it invade the aquarium?
The population follows the availability of food. Avoid overfeeding and remove excess. Their proliferation is not a problem, but a response to the problem!
Lifespan?
Two years, or even longer in good conditions.
Does it really help against algae?
It grazes on micro-algae or nascent algae and biofilm, so it is useful as a preventive measure in a balanced tank.
Are there other colors?
Yes, we also offer individuals that are entirely pink, as well as the wild type, brown in color.
Additional information
- Scientific name: Planorbarius corneus
- Size: 1 to 2 cm, rarely 3.
- Use: detritivore snail for aquarium and pond
- Advice: Never pull on the shell to detach them from a surface (or the bag). Instead, tap gently on the shell with your finger to make them let go softly.
- Packaging: snails packaged in a sealed bag, with water and air in quantities adapted to their number.
- Guarantee: our snails are raised in natural aquarium conditions. They are harvested and packaged the very morning they are shipped.
- Recommendation: please never release these snails into the wild, even if they are sometimes naturally present there. Our aquatic ecosystems are very fragile.
