If you’re a budding or experienced aquarist, chances are you know the benefits of having snails as part of your tank community.
For the uninitiated, Nerite Snails (Neritidae family) are an outstanding addition for freshwater fish keeping. Not only do they look rather attractive slowly gliding through your tank, but they are absolute algae busters.
So much so they may need supplemental algae to keep them sufficiently fed! What’s not to love about a creature that will help keep your tank clean as a whistle and add some beautifully patterned interest?
There is a wide variety of types to choose from, but they all function similarly, so it’s more of a case of personal taste in terms of choosing coloration. We’ll discuss the more popular varieties, but there are over 200 types in this snail family around the globe.
You may see them for sale as Zebra Nerite Snails, Spotted Nerites, Tiger Nerites, Olive Nerites, Horned Nerites, amongst others. Just to be clear here, there is no one species of this snail that we are specifically talking about; we’re covering them as a scientific family grouping.
These snails can come from brackish (slightly saline) waters or saltwater but have been adapted to freshwater as these are the most popular tanks for hobbyists. As such, you can source them for both freshwater and saltwater setups.
Let’s look at all of the aspects of these fascinating little tank cleaners in more detail.
Nerite Snails Behavior
Snails, as you might expect, are not the most dynamically active creatures!
Peacefully coexisting with all and sundry in your tank, Nerite Snails make a welcome addition as little cleaning helpers that won’t cause any upset or disruption.
These guys enjoy clinging to roots and rocks. They are also amphibious creatures that will glide up the glass to the air and breathe at various times daily. By keeping water in their shells, they are able to spend a fair amount of time above the waterline. Pretty cool for a snail!
Snails will slowly and carefully pick their way around your tank, hoovering up algae all day long, except when they sleep.
Snails sleep in a different way than we do. Every few days, they will have a half-day where they take little sleeps multiple times over that period. That sleep period will then see them through full activity for the next few days before they need to do that again.
They are quite solitary creatures unless it’s breeding season and they are not often spotted in a group. They will get on with their constant search for algae to feed on and won’t bother with seeking out others in the process.
Nerite Snails are not going to tangle with other species in your tank, but you would need to watch out for other species wanting to make a meal out of them.
If you ever happen to catch a pair of snails being aggressive with one another, it’s a slow burn. They may rear up facing each other in protest at one issue or another, but don’t expect any show of real force.
Nerite Snails Lifespan
Depending on the specific species you acquire within the Neritidae family, you can expect to have these snails for anywhere from 1 – 3 years in your tank.
We will discuss more on tank requirements a little later in this article.
Nerite Snails Appearance
This is where the fun begins.
For the most part, they don’t exceed an inch in size, so that makes them truly efficient cleaners in a tank, even for a small one. They won’t take up much space and will meander around at their leisure wherever the algae are blossoming.
The problem you may encounter is deciding which ones to get! They have so many unique and wonderful shell patterns that it may take some thought to decide which ones to get and whether to mix them up if you get more than one.
They have their hard shells sat atop what is known as the muscular foot, which is how they move as well as sensitive tentacles.
Some of the most popular species in this family are listed below:
- Zebra Nerite – smooth shells in a warm brown with vertical black stripes
- Tiger Nerite – smooth shells in yellowy-brown or orange with black patches like a tiger or even leopard
- Olive Nerite – smooth or lightly ridged shells that look like, you guessed it, a green olive!
- Racer Nerite – grooved shells with dark brown or black color and red or gold highlights, often accompanied by a black chevron pattern
- Horned Nerite – a variety of colors but with distinctive shell horns that stick out distinctively and look rather unique in the snail world
- Checkered Nerite – as the name implies, this shell looks like a wavy checkerboard in black and white, but they are marine and not suited to freshwater
Nerite Snails Habitat And Tank Requirements
Let’s remind ourselves of their native habitats.
We know there are both marine and freshwater types, but most for sale for hobbyists are adapted to freshwater or are happy with brackish waters. Both, however, can be easily sourced whichever type of setup you choose.
Both are normally found in coastal zones where algae can flourish, but we will be more specific about setups for both marine and freshwater varieties.
Let’s look at some specifics that are needed.
Tank Conditions
Marine Nerite Snails
When setting up for marine Nerite Snails, consider a tank with a secure, ventilated lid.
We mentioned previously how they happily spend an ample amount of time above the waterline in your tank breathing, so if you are not careful, you can expect a certain amount of escapees.
They need to spend time resting above water, so you will need a rim gap at the top, just not so much that they get out, dry out and die.
These marine types like a bigger amount of rock formation in the tank for hiding or sleeping when they see fit.
Substrate should be fine and silky; otherwise, these snails can scratch their sensitive tentacles. Calcium based substrate is ideal to ensure there is enough in the water for healthy shell maintenance.
Water conditions should be noted, tested regularly, and maintained as follows:
- pH of 8.1-8.4
- Water hardness 12 – 18 dGH
- Temperature between 72 – 78ºF (22 – 26ºC)
- Lighting can be standard
Freshwater Nerite Snails
A slightly less alkaline water condition suits the freshwater Nerites.
Much like their marine relations, they too will escape the tank for a glide-about if you don’t keep your tank secure.
Plants are welcome, and they will clean algae off the plant but not consume the plant itself, so your live plantings will be happy and healthy too.
Just like the marine types, they need plenty of areas to hide. These do need to be dotted around the tank bed as if they tire, require sleep, or get stressed it can take them quite some time to reach a spot if you only have a few.
They will enjoy climbing around any rocks, decor, driftwood, caves, and vegetation you have handy.
Rest periods above the waterline apply to these guys, too, so there needs to be a waterline gap to the rim followed by the secure, ventilated lid.
Nitrates have to be monitored and kept as close to zero as possible as they are quite sensitive to them. Water changes will help this, so they must be regular.
Water conditions should be noted, tested regularly, and maintained as follows:
- pH of 7.0 – 8.2
- Water hardness 12 – 18 dGH
- Temperature between 72 – 78ºF (22 – 26ºC)
- Lighting can be standard
Tank Size
The minimum tank size needed is 5 gallons for a single Nerite.
For any additional snails you decide to add, you should increase the volume by 5 gallons per individual.
This is to ensure there is enough algae supply to go around, so sticking to that ratio should help.
Choosing Tank Mates For Nerite Snails
Nerite snails are happy-go-lucky sorts that will work well with any type of smaller fish that isn’t aggressive. Beyond that guideline, the choices are fairly endless.
You can even include species such as other peaceful shrimp for bottom-dwelling invertebrates to mix it up.
What you don’t want is fish that are too big or aggressive who will harass or try to eat your colorful little tank cleaners.
Here are your best bets if you wish to add more company for your Nerite Snails:
- Neon Tetras
- Rasboras
- Guppies
- Barbs
- Ember Tetras
- Ghost Shrimp
- Bamboo Shrimp
- Cherry Shrimp
- Cory Catfish
- Otocinclus catfish
- Gouramis
- Other snails like Mystery and Trumpet Snails
Avoid anything like Bettas, Goldfish, and anything else that is predatory and carnivorous by nature.
Nerite Snails Diet
I think we know by now what these guys like to eat!
All types of algae, such as green, brown, soft film algae, are all fair game.
If you wish to supplement their diet with algae wafers, you absolutely can. One point to note here is you should place the wafer somewhere noticeable and can be monitored. If it doesn’t get eaten, it should be easy to retrieve, or it has a tendency to sprout Saprolegnia, which should be avoided.
Blanched vegetables such as kale, zucchini, or carrots will also provide a tasty morsel but again, watch for a breakdown if not consumed.
If you can’t see any visible algae and it’s beyond neat and tidy, then you should consider supplementing their feeding to ensure they are eating enough. If the snails are looking active and are constantly searching without enough rest, they can get stressed and are likely not getting enough food.
Nerite Snails Common Health Issues
There are a few considerations when housing Nerite Snails in your community that need to be noted here.
Insufficient calcium in your water will affect shell quality and hardness. So this must be checked. Shells can become soft, break, or even develop holes that will affect your snail’s quality of life and even make them susceptible to looking more appetizing to others.
As snails age, their shell can develop holes when nearing their end of life. If you know you have juvenile or younger snails and see holes, the problem is likely the water quality you’re providing.
Missing antennae can be an issue if a fish in your community decides to nip at your snail. If you see this occurring or notice it on any of your Nerites, consider relocating the possible culprit.
Shells can also develop with grooves or unexpected gaps, and this is usually due to an injury to the mantle, the part of the snail’s body that produces the shell structure.
Avoid anything with copper in terms of water medical treatment for other fish, as that is a surefire way to kill your Nerites.
How To Breed Nerite Snails
Breeding Nerites is a worthwhile try, but to begin with, you won’t know whether you have a male or female just by looking at them.
You’ll find out if you have a breeding pair, most likely just by seeing eggs present in the tank at some point, provided you have created the necessary conditions.
This might sound straightforward; however, brackish water conditions are needed for eggs to hatch with some varieties, which is what makes breeding them more challenging than it sounds. Other varieties will hatch with freshwater only.
When a female lays eggs, it can be anywhere from 20 – 50 at a time, and then the male will fertilize. A nursery tank will need to be set up if you know which variety you have, and you’ll need to research the salt levels ideal for them to hatch.
Parent snails need removing, or they will eat the eggs after the female releases them.
Once hatched, baby snails need to reach about a quarter of an inch in size before gradually acclimating them to the salinity of your main tank.
Are Nerite Snails A Good Idea For Your Tank Community?
A thousand times yes!
Their beautiful patterns and useful algae consumption make them a real no-brainer when it comes to inclusion in your aquarium.
Friendly, peaceful cleaners, they’re sort of like the Roomba of the fish keeping world. Settle them in and watch the tank cleaning magic happen.
