Data sheet ramshorn snails
German name:
ramshorn snails
Scientific name:
Planorbarius Corneus
Origin:
Europe
Size:
up to 4 cm case diameter
Aquarium
Aquarium:
from 50 liters
Pond:
from 200 liters, for winter storage at least 80 cm deep
water values
Temperature:
4°- 25° C (15°- 22° C optimal)
pH:
6.5 – 8.5
GH:
10° – 30° dH
Behave
Area:
smooth stones, sand, flower pots or roots
Lining:
Omnivores, algae, detrius, dead aquatic plants, lettuce, frozen food and FD food
Behave:
peacefully with the right attitude
Number:
Solitary or in groups alike
Difficulty level:
Beginner
Posture recommendation
© Yvonne Gieseking
The Planorbarius Corneus is well suited for aquaria or ponds that are not too warm.
Among other things, she is known as Plate or pond ramshorn snail. It does not have particularly high demands on food or its habitat, so it is well suited for beginners.
The animals can choose between 1.5 and 3 years old. As algae eaters, they are also well suited for nano aquariums and take on a cleaning function.
The most common colors are brown or orange. If they are not pushed out by these, however, pink, white and blue snails can also occur or be bred. Non-hereditary forms of all colors are commercially available. The animals can be found everywhere in the aquarium except in the ground. Rich vegetation and low-current environments are ideal. Only narrow places offer potential danger, since a trapped snail cannot move backwards and thus starves to death on the spot.
A distinction should be made between the European Planorbarius Corneus and the American Planorbarius duryi, the little ramshorn snail. It behaves in the same way as its larger relative, but is more at home in warmer and smaller aquariums from 10 liters upwards. It originated in California in the USA.
gender differences
As hermaphrodites, snails have the ability to fertilize themselves. So they have male and female sex organs and can reproduce independently or with each other. However, they prefer cross-fertilization. Regular feeding results in a high density of offspring. The plate snail attaches its clutches of about 20 eggs in a gelatinous sac to aquarium panes or plants, from where they can be easily removed in the event of overpopulation.
Depending on the conditions, the hatching time is 10-21 days. In order to populate an aquarium, one specimen is enough at the beginning. In order to sire offspring, however, the water temperature should be at least 14 degrees; around 22 degrees is ideal for the offspring. In the free attitude in the pond, the warm summer months are the main growth period.
socialization
The plate snail gets along well with conspecifics, smaller snails and peaceful fish. However, it should be protected from crabs, crabs and other snail eaters as well as larger fish.
With increased numbers and a lack of food, the animals may also start to eat intact aquatic plants. When kept in ponds, the animals are very independent, but here the larger European variant Corneus is much more robust and even winter-hardy if the water depth is sufficient.