Nerite Snails Care Info & Species Profile
The nerite snail is a species of the Neritidae family, that will reside in freshwater and saltwater. These tiny snails are decrease than 1 inch prolonged and are a helpful addition to any tank, due to their cleaning skills.
Nerite snails are in type with fishkeeping freshmen on account of these snails are easy to care for and have a peaceful temperament. Their minimal tank requirements and care needs make these snails fascinating pets.
Nerite Snails Information & Overview
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| Scientific title: | Vittina natalensis |
| Frequent names | Nerite snail, seen nerite |
| Distribution: | Jap Africa |
| Measurement: | 1 inch |
| Life expectancy: | 1–2 years |
| Shade: | Quite a few |
| Meals routine: | Herbivore |
| Temperament: | Peaceful |
| Minimal tank dimension: | 5 gallons |
| Temperature: | 72–78°F (22–25°C) |
| pH: | 8.0–8.4 |
| Hardness: | 6.0–12.0 dGH (freshwater) 15.0–18.0 dGH (saltwater) |
| Care diploma: | Easy |
Origin
The nerite snail is often current in Jap Africa the place it inhabits a combination of saltwater from the ocean and freshwater from rivers. Saltwater kinds of nerite snails reside on the Caribbean or Pacific coast.
Grownup Measurement & Lifespan
Grownup nerite snails measure spherical 1 inch prolonged, with females typically barely larger than males. Completely completely different species of nerite snails have fully completely different shell colors and patterns, nevertheless all species are the an identical dimension. Healthful nerite snails reside as a lot as two years.
Availability
Nerite snails can be found at most pet retailers specializing in aquatic creatures. This snail species is affordable, typically costing as a lot as $4, nevertheless you’ll anticipate to pay a lot much less per snail do you have to buy only a few straight.
This tank-cleaning invertebrate is obtainable on-line at Flip Aquatics and LiveAquaria.
Look & Conduct
Nerite snails is perhaps striped, horned, or solid-colored. These invertebrates are peaceful and unlikely to behave aggressively in course of their tankmates.
Colors, Patterns, and Measurement
Nerite snails have an enormous shell that’s out there in quite a few colors and hides a foot that the snails use to maneuver. Most nerite snails develop to spherical 1 inch prolonged, with females rising barely longer than males.
- Zebra nerite snails — Have yellow or black stripes all through their shells, pointing in course of the center of the coil
- Olive nerite snails — Are a robust olive shade. This species of nerite snail is prevalent amongst aquarists
- Tiger nerite snails — Have stripes identical to the zebra nerite species, nevertheless the stripes are orange, resulting in a look identical to a tiger’s coat
- Horned nerite snails — Have black and yellow stripes with a group of spiky horns alongside one stripe
- Purple racer nerite snails — Are sensible crimson (or usually yellow) with a stripe working down the middle of their shells. This species of nerite snail is a vibrant addition to any aquarist’s tank
Typical Conduct
Nerite snails are peaceful herbivores that tend to not trouble their tankmates. On account of their delicate nature and small dimension, they will develop to be prey to large, aggressive fish.
The snails are sluggish movers that spend most of their time consuming tank algae in captivity. These invertebrates are knowledgeable climbers, in order that they typically escape from the tank. Put cash right into a tight-fitting lid to your tank to steer clear of your nerite snail escaping.
Nerite Snail Tank & Water Requirements
One nerite snail requires a 5-gallon tank, and the additional snails you’ve got, the bigger the tank should be. Allow 5 gallons for each snail.
These snails can reside in saltwater and freshwater, nevertheless they will solely breed in saltwater.
Habitat and Tank Requirements
Nerite snails typically come to the water’s flooring, so maintain the tank water a number of inches beneath the tank lid to current your snail this choice.
Nerite snails are delicate to very sensible mild, so use low to cheap lighting to your snail’s tank. Steer clear of exposing the tank to direct daylight on account of this might dry out the snail.
Add rocks to the tank to encourage algae growth, which may give the snails one factor to eat. Aquarists ought to attend in order so as to add nerite snails to their tanks until an affordable amount of algae has grown throughout the tank.
Plenty of the nerite snail’s requirements depend on whether or not or not they’re saved in salt water or modern water. Freshwater tanks should have a substrate of mud or darkish sand, and saltwater tanks should have calcium sand. The extreme calcium substrate will encourage healthful shell growth. Laborious, scratchy substrate can damage the snail’s easy physique, so steer clear of using arduous substrate throughout the tank.
Water Conditions
| Water sort: | Freshwater or saltwater |
| Tank dimension: | 5 gallons per snail |
| Water temperature: | 72–78°F (22–25°C) |
| Substrate: | Delicate sand or mud |
| Acidity: | 8.0–8.4 |
| Water hardness: | 6.0–12.0 dGH (freshwater) 15.0–18.0 dGH (saltwater) |
| Lighting: | Affordable lighting, no daylight |
| Water dietary dietary supplements: | Calcium |
Water conditions fluctuate barely counting on whether or not or not you’re defending your snail in freshwater or saltwater, nevertheless the tank dimension, temperature, and pH diploma should maintain the an identical.
Saltwater tanks require the addition of marine salts to take care of the water arduous. Keep your nerite snail’s water free from ammonia and nitrate for optimum properly being.
Care & Meals routine
Caring for nerite snails is relatively easy, so that they’re applicable for fishkeeping freshmen. These snails revenue from consuming calcium-rich meals along with inexperienced leafy greens. These small snails are often healthful, nevertheless frequent properly being points typically impact their shells.
Meals routine and Feeding
Nerite snails have minimal feeding requirements on account of their diets principally embrace the algae throughout the tank.
Nonetheless, if the tank is figuring out of algae for the snail to eat, add spinach, lettuce, and kale to the tank. Should you occur to find the algae stops disappearing from the tank, in the reduction of the amount of greens you feed your snail until it returns to consuming the algae.
Steer clear of overfeeding or underfeeding your snail on account of imbalance might trigger properly being factors. It is best to be able to determine the amount of greens your snail needs based mostly totally on the amount of algae throughout the tank.
Primary Care
As a result of nerite snail’s minimal meals requirements and adaptableness to fully completely different water conditions, this species is relatively easy to take care of. This species benefits from calcium dietary dietary supplements that maintain their shells arduous, and minimal lighting to steer clear of damage from sensible lights. Replicate the nerite snail’s pure habitat with rocks for it to cowl beneath and eat algae from.
Frequent Points
Nerite snails are often healthful nevertheless they’re inclined to certain properly being factors.
In case your nerite snail overeats, its shell will develop to be discolored. The discoloration is a sign to stop feeding your snail greens and in the reduction of its weight-reduction plan to easily the algae throughout the tank.
In case your snail’s shell is cracked or damaged, it’s a sign that the shell isn’t strong adequate. Strengthen the shell by together with calcium dietary dietary supplements to the tank.
Older snails are inclined to edema, which could prohibit the snail’s movement. Sadly, there’s no remedy for this edema, so give your snail among the finest comfort and prime quality of life to attenuate discomfort.
Copper is toxic to most invertebrates, so certainly not use copper throughout the nerite snail’s tank.
Is a Nerite Snail Dangerous?
A nerite snail is a peaceful creature, so fishkeepers can take care of it safely. Steer clear of pulling on the snail’s shell too arduous or you could injure the snail.
Breeding
In distinction to completely different snails, nerite snails don’t reproduce asexually. In its place, female nerite snails lay eggs that males then fertilize.
Nerite snails can breed in freshwater tanks, nevertheless the eggs gained’t hatch on account of the larvae need brackish water to survive. You’ll must put your nerite snails, or the eggs, in brackish or salty water for worthwhile breeding. You presumably can each switch the eggs to a tank with brackish water or breed with snails which might be already accustomed to and saved in a saltwater tank.
There’s little you’ll be able to do to strain nerite snails to breed, nevertheless among the finest issue to do is put a wonderful ratio of males to females in a tank and have persistence. As many snails as can match throughout the tank, whereas allowing adequate space for each snail to thrive, provides among the finest breeding outcomes.
Tank Mates
Nerite snails are peaceful and easygoing, so that they don’t pose a risk to tank mates. Nonetheless, their small dimension makes them weak to being attacked or killed by big, aggressive fish, so these snails should solely share their tank with peaceful fish.
Good tank mates for nerite snails embody:
Should You Get a Nerite Snail for Your Aquarium?
Should you occur to’re looking for a peaceful invertebrate which may be part of completely different non-aggressive aquatic creatures in your aquarium, a nerite snail is correct.
Should you occur to’ve struggled to take care of fish or snails with additional superior needs, you can uncover the nerite snail easier to take care of.
When equipped with a peaceful setting and the appropriate water conditions, these small snails make great additions to any aquarist’s tank and may help maintain the tank clear and free from algae.
