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giant ramshorn snails?

13K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  Lupin 
#1 ·
so tonight i got another 10 gallon tank off of CL, and the girl gave me some free snails along with it. she said they're called "Marisa Cornuarietis" or "Giant Ramshorn Snail" which is ironic because they're super tiny, about the size of my thumb nail..but anyways, she said they keep the tank clean. does anybody know anything about these little guys? i have 3 and they're chilling in a baby food jar that they came in, with some water right now. i just want to make sure they're ok to house with bettas, i haven't found much on the internet about the compatibility.

 
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#2 ·
Here's one of the snail profiles I worked on a few months back. As far as bettas are concerned, it is trial and error. Some bettas nip snails, some don't. Personally, I would not advise the mix especially as these snails of yours require calcium based diet, high pH and KH and lower temperature, none of which matches the betta's requirements. Last time I tried bettas with snails, none of my collection of bettas ever worked well harassing all my snails

Scientific Name: Marisa cornuarietis
Common Names: Columbian Ramshorn Snail
Care Level: easy
Adult Size: 2-3 inches
pH Range: 7.0-8.0
Temperature Range: (F/C) 14-28 degrees Celsius (57-82 degrees Fahrenheit)
Origin/Habitat: South America, established populations have been found in Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico.
Temperament/Behavior: peaceful
Compatible Tank mates:
They can be kept in most community setups but do not attempt to keep them with fish that have a voracious appetite for invertebrates, particularly loaches of the botiine genus and puffers. Be very careful when selecting their tankmates. Most fish are tempted to nip their eyes and antennae. While the snails have the ability to regenerate their lost body parts, it is not advisable to push through your plans to risk them with possibly nippy fish. They will only be stressed out severely from constant harassments.

If the fish can tolerate hard alkaline water aside from being passive over the snails, they may be your best options as most specimens from soft acidic waters become more prone to finrot once the water chemistry is altered.
Diet:
The Marisa cornuarietis will eat just about anything from dead and decaying plant material to dead animals and eggs of other animals. These are not suited for planted tanks as these will also consume healthy plants.
Tank Size For Adult: 4 for 10g
Narrative:
Marisa cornuarietis are snails that are part of the Marisa genus. These are often referred to as Columbian ramshorns growing to a shell diameter of 2-3 inches. These snails originated from South America ranging from Southeast Brazil, Venezuela, Panama, Costa Rica and Honduras.

The shell of this species has about 3.5 to 4 whorls. These snails are mainly dark yellow to brown color with dark brown to solid black bands. There are three to six dark bands that are found mainly on the umbilicus. A completely yello variant also exists although the bands are rather lacking in this case.

These snails are sexual and therefore need a partner in order to breed. It is not easy to distinguish their sexes. One way is when they copulate. Males are often found clinging at the right side of their fellow snails. You will know by then the one clinging is a male. Males will attempt to copulate with anyone regardless of their sexes so the snail they may be clinging could be a male or a female. These snails can also interbreed with the Asolene spixi resulting hybrid generations where the main difference between the pure A. spixi and hybrid A. spixi is the shape of the spire. The spire of the pure strains remains raised while the the spire of the hybrids appear to flatten or sink. To date, this snail remains restricted from interstate shipping in USA and is banned from entry in most countries due to its potential to invade local ecosystems and surviving harsh weather conditions.

The eggs are laid underwater. Like all other species, the warmer the temperature, the faster tha hatching rate. These snails have been recorded to be one of the most prolific laying eggs in large sacs with the babies developing noticeably. The babies eventually hatch with globose shaped shells and will not develop into a spiral shape until on a later date.

Photo courtesy of PaulaO of Applesnail.net.


These snails are confused with the common ramshorns (Planorbis sp.). With the exception of a mutation lacking bands, M. cornuarietis can be distinguished from the planorbids by the presence of operculum (trapdoor), labial tentacles and bands which the planorbids do not have. They are also bigger than the latter in shell diameter.

These snails are not totally fussy eating just about anything from dead animals to healthy plants. They will appreciate fish foods and vegetable matter in their diet. Use calcium enriched foods to ensure their shells will not erode. The use of calcium pills, liquid calcium, cuttlefish bones, plaster of Paris pucks and eggshells is widely encouraged for healthy shell conditions especially when the water is rather soft and acidic. The pH must be maintained no lower than 7.0 as acidic water tends to erode the shells thus leaving the snail more susceptible to health issues, predatory attacks and even death.

They can be kept in most community setups but do not attempt to keep them with fish that have a voracious appetite for invertebrates, particularly loaches of the botiine genus and puffers. Be very careful when selecting their tankmates. Most fish are tempted to nip their eyes and antennae. While the snails have the ability to regenerate their lost body parts, it is not advisable to push through your plans to risk them with possibly nippy fish. They will only be stressed out severely from constant harassments.

If the fish can tolerate hard alkaline water aside from being passive over the snails, they may be your best options as most specimens from soft acidic waters become more prone to finrot once the water chemistry is altered.

References/Links:

www.applesnail.net
 
#3 ·
thanks so much Lupin! i just read too that they can carry parasites that can be transmitted to fish AND humans, so i think i'd rather take a safer route by putting them in their own little jars or small bowls(until they get bigger)and get them some algae wafers so they don't end up starving.
 
#4 ·
Captive bred snails are not an issue. You will be fine. The only parasites they can transfer are ich and flukes but this is very rare and the former can be corrected if the said snails are quarantined for 3-4 days. The lack of hosts (fish specifically) can destroy the ich trophonts due to starvation. Wild caught snails are great vectors of parasites for human transmission however as your snails are captive bred, I wouldn't be too concerned. I keep several snails myself with no issues. I do have wild caught trapdoor snails in my pond and they have bred already.:wink:
 
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