Giant Colombian Ramshorn care guide

Giant Colombian Ramshorn (Marisa cornuarietis) — minimum tank 40 L, temperature 21-28 °C, pH 7-8.

Overview

The Giant Colombian Ramshorn (Marisa cornuarietis), also called the Giant Ramshorn or Apple Snail, is a large freshwater apple snail with a flat, ramshorn-style coiled shell that can reach 5 cm across. Despite the common "ramshorn" name it belongs to the family Ampullariidae, not the Planorbidae.

Taxonomy

Family: Ampullariidae
Genus: Marisa
Scientific name: Marisa cornuarietis
Common synonyms: Marisa Snail, Giant Ramshorn

Habitat

Native to the northern South American tropics — Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and adjacent regions — where it inhabits warm, slow waters of lakes, ponds and ditches with abundant aquatic vegetation. Established feral populations occur in Florida and parts of southern Europe.

Tank requirements

Minimum tank volume: 40 L (10.6 US gal)
Adult size: 3-5 cm
Temperature: 21-28 °C (70-82 °F)
pH: 7-8
GH: 6-18 °dGH
Water flow: low
Lifespan: 2-4 years

Diet

A grazing herbivore that will consume soft-leaved aquarium plants in addition to algae and decaying material. It is used in some regions as a biological control agent against invasive aquatic weeds and parasite-carrying snails. Supplemental blanched vegetables and algae wafers prevent the snail from over-grazing live plants.

Compatibility

Peaceful toward fish and shrimp but unsuitable for planted aquaria with delicate or soft-leaved species, as the snail will eat them. Compatible with hardy plants such as Anubias, Microsorum and Vallisneria, and with most peaceful community fish.

Breeding

A gonochoristic species (separate sexes) that lays gelatinous egg clutches below the waterline rather than the aerial pink clutches of Pomacea. Eggs hatch in 2-4 weeks; populations can grow rapidly when conditions are favourable.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List: Least Concern. The species is considered invasive in several introduced regions and release into wild waters should be strictly avoided.