Head to head
Great Pond Snail vs Ramshorn Snail
Great Pond Snail
VS Ramshorn Snail
The great pond snail and the ramshorn snail are two of the most familiar freshwater snails in ponds and aquariums, and both come up to the surface to breathe air.
| Great Pond Snail | Ramshorn Snail | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Lymnaea stagnalis | Planorbella and relatives |
| Relationship | An air-breathing freshwater snail | An air-breathing freshwater snail |
| Shell | A thin, pointed, spiral shell, light brown to horn-coloured, reaching about 5 to 6 cm long | A flattened, coiled shell that resembles the curved horn of a ram |
| Breathing | Has a lung and comes to the surface to take in air, though it can also take oxygen through its skin | Has a basic lung structure that lets it gulp air at the surface, helping it survive in low-oxygen water |
| Diet | Algae, water plants, and dead animals, rasped from surfaces with tiny teeth | Algae, biofilm, decaying plant matter, and leftover food |
| Sex | A hermaphrodite that lays its eggs in jelly-like masses on water plants and stones | A hermaphrodite, with both male and female organs, that breeds readily in aquariums |
| Special role | Widely used by scientists to study nerve cells, learning, and memory | Comes in red, blue, and brown colour forms popular in the aquarium trade |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, widespread across Europe, northern Asia, and North America | Not Evaluated, and common in fresh waters and aquariums worldwide |
Great Pond Snail vs Ramshorn Snail: common questions
Why is it called a ramshorn snail?
Its flat, spiral shell resembles the curved horn of a ram.
Which snail is used in brain research?
The great pond snail, because it has large, easily studied nerve cells, so it is widely used to study how neurons work and how animals learn and remember.
Do both breathe air?
Yes, both come to the water surface to take in air, which helps them survive in low-oxygen water.