Mary Allen
Ramshorn snails (Helisoma anceps) have been in the aquarium hobby for well over 40 years. You can find them in different colors in the aquarium. They eat all the leftovers, whether they are rotting water plants, leaves, leftover food, or carrion. They also attack the hard green algae on the aquarium panes.
Characteristics
- Name: Ramshorn snail, Helisoma anceps
- Size: 25mm
- Origin: North America – Florida
- Attitude: easy
- Aquarium size: from 10 liters
- Reproduction: hermaphrodite, self-fertilization possible, gelatinous clutches with up to 20 eggs
- Life expectancy: 18 months
- Water temperature: 10-25 degrees
- Hardness: soft – hard
- pH value: 6.5 – 8.5
- Food: algae, leftover food of all kinds, dead plants
Interesting Facts About the Ramshorn Snail
Scientific name
Helisoma anceps
Other names
Ramshorn snail
Systematics
- Class: Gastropoda
- Family: Planorbidae
- Genus: Helisoma
- Species: Helisoma anceps
Size
When fully grown, the ramshorn snail is about 2.5 cm tall.
Origin
It originally comes from America, where you can find it from North America to Florida. It lives here in calm, stagnant, and plant-rich waters.
Color
It is best known in the reddish variant. As cultivated forms, they are available in blue, pink, and apricot. The color variations are achieved through selection and should be hereditary.
Gender difference
The snails are hermaphrodites. That is, they have both sexes and can even fertilize themselves.
Reproduction
Ramshorn snails are hermaphrodites. So an animal has both male and female sex organs. The animal sitting on top of the house penetrates with its sexual organ into the porus of what is currently the female. The sperm are stored and also used to fertilize the eggs. After a few days, the successfully fertilized animal sticks its clutch to plants, the aquarium panes, or other suitable solid material. The clutches are oval, slightly raised and in the jelly, there are between 10 and 20 eggs. At an ambient temperature of 25 degrees, the juvenile snails develop within approx. 7-10 days. As soon as they have left the jelly, which is usually completely eaten up, they sneak around and eat all sorts of leftovers from our aquariums.
Life expectancy
The ramshorn snail is 1.5 years old.
Interesting Facts
Nutrition
It eats algae, leftover food, and dead parts of aquatic plants.
Group size
You can keep ramshorn snails individually, but also in groups, they are compatible with one another and reproduce well.
Aquarium size
You can fit them well in an aquarium of 10 liters or more, but of course also in much larger tanks.
Pool equipment
The ramshorn snail is everywhere, except in the ground. She likes it plant-rich and with little flow. It is important that it cannot get caught between the aquarium equipment. Once stuck, she will starve to death there. Because snails cannot crawl backward.
Socialization
Helisoma anceps can be socialized very well. You should avoid crabs, crabs, and other snail-eating animals.
Required water values
The water should be between 10 and 25 degrees. She only lays eggs at a temperature of 14 degrees. A continuously high temperature can shorten their lifespan. It is very adaptable to the water. It lives in very soft to very hard water without any problems. The pH value can be between 6.5 and 8.5.