10 Colorful Snails for Your Shrimp Aquarium | [Snail Master List]

If you've been keeping ornamental shrimp for a while, you'll know that due to their size and lack of natural defense mechanisms, it's best to keep most varieties alone. They're so small that almost all other aquarium inhabitants consider them an easy snack. But does that mean there are no potential shrimp tankmates out there at all? No! Snails are actually the perfect option to add a little extra life to your shrimp tank.

We've kept more snails than we can count with our shrimp over the years. Some work better than others. You can find the 10 winners below!

Only found in a select few lakes on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, golden rabbit snails (scientifically known as Tylomelania gemmifera ) are perfect for shrimp tanks over 10 gallons. They're particularly popular as tankmates for fragile Sulawesi shrimp , with which they share their natural habitat and which can't really co-exist with anything other than snails in the aquarium.

Golden rabbit snails are easy to recognize by their elongated shell and golden body. They're among the more commonly found rabbit snail species in the aquarium trade, though they're not the only ones! Various members of the genus Tylomelania hasve made it into the hobby, and that's not surprising. They're particularly striking as far as snails go, but still easy to care for. We've found them to be active and not too prolific, meaning they won't reproduce fast enough to overrun a tank like some other snails do.

The mystery snail is one of the most popular aquarium snails in the aquarium hobby. It's also the biggest species on the list, growing to the size of a golf ball. That's around 2.5" in diameter! Originally from South America, mystery snails come in many different colors. They're shrimp-safe and easy to breed , but unlikely to overrun your tank. Their egg clutches are easy to spot and remove if you don't want more snails.

You can keep a mystery snail in a tank of 10 gallons or up, counting 2.5 extra gallons for each additional specimen. Although they don't eat algae like some of the other snails on this list, you'll enjoy their active behavior. We love seeing ours zoom around the store tanks, constantly inspecting everything with their long antennae. Do be sure to keep up with aquarium maintenance, because big snails also mean big poops.

Ramshorn snails are quite nice to look at as far as snails go, with flat, coiled shells and long antennae. Aquarists tend to either love them or hate them. They breed quickly and can overrun a tank, but they're also fun to keep and breed in your aquarium. Ramshorns come in loads of different color morphs that can be selectively bred to achieve specific looks.

There are many different ramshorn species. Most of them grow to a maximum size of around 1.5", making them suitable for tanks of 5 gallons and up. They'll help keep your tank clean by feeding on algae, detritus, and leftover food.

Did you know? The term "ramshorn snail" is used very loosely. It usually refers to snails of the family Planorbidae, like Planorbella duryi and Planorbarius corneus . However, there's also a species known as the giant ramshorn snail that belongs to the mystery snail family, Ampullariidae. Its scientific name is Marisa cornuarietis ; you may come across it at specialized aquarium stores.

The common name "nerite snail" is applied to various snails in the family Neritidae, which inhabit marine, brackish, and freshwater. The species we refer to as the zebra nerite snail in the aquarium hobby is scientifically known as Vittina natalensis—not to be confused with the similar Vitta zebra, which is actually a saltwater snail.

Nerites are among the most decorative snails you can keep in your tank. Zebra nerites are no exception, with olive to yellow base coloration interspersed with beautifully geometric stripes. Their small size (max. 1") makes them suitable for small aquariums, and because they need brackish water to reproduce, there's no risk of them overrunning your tank. Oh, and they eat loads of algae, too!

Another "nerite" that's not really a nerite! Red racer snails are scientifically known as Vittina waigiensis . They're naturally found in Indonesia and the Philippines, where they inhabit coastal and estuarine areas like mangrove forests. Like many other nerite-type snails, they're highly tolerant to varying salinities and can adapt to anything from fresh to full marine water.

Red racer snails are small but sport highly decorative shells, have an appetite for algae, and are unable to breed in freshwater. What more could we ask for in our shrimp tanks? You can keep these snails in an aquarium of 5 gallons or up, counting around a gallon of water volume for each individual. Be sure to leave some algae growing on the glass panes of the tank from time to time — your red racers will thank you for the buffet!

The assassin snail ( Clea helena , formerly Anentome helena ) is the odd one out when it comes to aquarium snails. Rather than peacefully feeding on algae, biofilm and detritus, this species actively hunts other snails! They're a solution popularly used by aquarists looking to get rid of a pest snail infestation in their tanks (minimum water volume 5 gallons).

It goes without saying that you shouldn't keep assassin snails in an aquarium that also houses other ornamental snails. Unfortunately, there's always a risk of them ending up being cannibalized. Opinions vary on whether assassins are 100% shrimp-safe, but it's probably not out of the question for one to pick off the occasional baby shrimp. If you keep fast-breeding dwarf shrimp like Neocaridina , though, you should be fine.

If you thought the golden rabbit snail was the only species of its kind to be found in aquarium stores, think again! The closely related chocolate rabbit snail is characterized by its blackish-brown body and peculiar shell, which is covered with a deposit of calcium in wild-caught individuals. In the aquarium, the shell continues growing, with the new parts emerging uncovered.

As with other rabbit snail species, you can keep this one in peaceful community tanks of 10 gallons or more. It won't do much in the way of algae eating or cleaning, but it's one of the most fascinating and unusual snails you can keep in your aquarium. Like golden rabbit snails, they go particularly well with Sulawesi shrimp like the spectacular cardinal shrimp .

Another nerite makes the list, and this time it's a "genuine" one! Many species were moved from Neritina to other genera in later years (like the aforementioned red racer and horned nerite snails). The black racer nerite , however, is still a true member of the genus. Scientifically known as Neritina pulligera , in aquarium circles it's also sometimes called the black military helmet snail. This is a reference to its smooth and shiny brownish to greyish-black shell.

Like other nerites, the black racer can be kept in aquariums of 5 gallons or up. The species is an avid algae eater and doesn't reproduce in freshwater. In our experience, this nerite doesn't always adapt well to formulated snail foods like algae tablets. If you're worried yours won't get enough to eat, growing some algae for it by placing rounded stones in a bucket of water placed in direct sunlight can help. Just move the stones into the tank once they've grown a nice film, regularly swapping them out for new ones.

The common name of "horned nerite" is used for two different species that are pretty similar in appearance: Clithon corona and Clithon diadema . Both are perfect for your shrimp tank, as they don't reproduce in freshwater and are fantastic algae eaters. Additionally, they're polymorphic, which means each snail looks different. Quite cool, especially with those funky shell spikes!

You can keep horned nerite snails in your shrimp tanks from 5 gallons and up, as they stay small. Because they also occur in brackish water in the wild, they make for excellent tankmates for the unusual opae ula shrimp . For more information about these pointy-shelled species, have a look at our full horned nerite care guide .

You may think we're discussing another rabbit snail here, but the black devil snail is actually scientifically known as Faunus ater . It has a wider natural range than Tylomelania snails, occurring throughout much of Asia and Oceania. It can be told apart from its rabbit snail cousins by its smooth — rather than ridged — dark brown shell, usually ending in a lighter brown point. The body is black, sometimes with a few white dots.

What we like most about the black devil snail is that these molluscs are very active, always zooming about the aquarium. Unfortunately they don't eat algae, but they do have a taste for detritus and will eat organic waste like uneaten food and dead plant bits. There's no need to worry about population control, because black devils can't reproduce in freshwater. You can keep one snail per 10 gallons. Their shells grow to be up to 3" in long, after all!

Aquatic snails don't fare well in water with a low pH and hardness level. Overly acidic water can cause their shells to deteriorate and they need plenty of minerals in order to keep producing more shell as they grow. If you keep your shrimp in very soft and acidic water, you might find their snail tankmates going brittle and passing away prematurely.

Be sure to offer calcium-rich foods, something your shrimp will also appreciate. The GlasGarten brand offers a Snail Dinner food that should work well for all types of snails.