Apple Snail
Pomacea canaliculata
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 4–6 cm
- Minimum tank
- 75 litres
- Temperature
- 20–28 °C
Species profile
Giant Colombian Ramshorn Snail
Marisa cornuarietis
Common names: Giant Colombian Ramshorn Snail
Recognized speciesApple Snails
Adult size
Up to 6 cm
Typical adult length 4–6 cm.
Up to 6 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- Mature planted aquarium setups
- Advanced shrimp keepers
Think carefully if
- The aquarium contains shrimp-eating fish
- The tank is newly cycled
- Water conditions change frequently
A large planispiral apple snail that resembles an oversized ramshorn and may consume substantial live plant material.
Appearance and Identification
Large flat-coiled shell with cream, yellow, or brown coloration and darker spiral bands.
Despite its common name and flat shell, Marisa cornuarietis belongs to the apple snail family Ampullariidae rather than the true ramshorn family Planorbidae.
External sex differences are subtle or unreliable without species-specific examination.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 160–240 litres an hour
- Suggested heater
- About 75–125 W for this tank
- Minimum tank volume
- 80 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 75 cm
- Minimum group size
- 1
- Recommended group size
- 2
- Activity level
- Moderate
- Flow preference
- Low
- Planting preference
- Lightly planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- Low
Use a spacious aquarium and expect damage to many live plants. Prevent release because introduced populations can become invasive.
Behaviour and Tankmates
Peaceful freshwater snail that spends much of its time grazing or searching for food.
Usually non-territorial and may be kept singly or with compatible conspecifics when food and space are adequate.
Not normally territorial.
Suitable with peaceful tankmates that do not nip, crush, or prey on snails.
Water Parameters
Keep in neutral to alkaline water with adequate calcium. This large snail may eat soft plants when natural grazing and supplemental food are limited.
Parameter caveat
Stable conditions are more important than chasing exact numbers.
Feeding
- Diet types
- Detritivore, Herbivore, Omnivore
- Feeding frequency
- Daily
- Preferred foods
- Mature biofilmPrimary natural grazing resource.
- Algae-based sinking foodSupplement when natural growth is insufficient.
- Softened vegetables or complete snail foodFeed in small amounts and remove leftovers.
Strong omnivore with a pronounced appetite for soft aquatic vegetation, vegetables, algae, carrion, and prepared foods.
Avoid overfeeding; excess food can cause rapid snail population growth and poor water quality.
Breeding
- Breeding type
- Egg Layer, Underwater Egg Clutch
- Breeding difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding temperature
- 25 °C
- Breeding pH
- 7.6
- Brood or egg count
- Gelatinous underwater egg mass
- Incubation
- 14 days
- Parental care
- None
- Baby foods
- Mature biofilm and fine natural foodsProvide stable grazing surfaces suitable for juveniles or hatchlings.
Egg masses are generally deposited underwater on hard surfaces or plants, and juveniles hatch as miniature snails.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, South America, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela
- Natural habitat
- Lake, Pond, Slow River, Wetland
- Aquarium contexts
- Large Freshwater Aquarium, Snail Tank
- Audience level
- Advanced
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Marisa
- Family
- Ampullariidae
- Species group
- Apple Snails
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