Nerite Snail

Looks how to spot one

Shell (gastropod mollusc)

A small, rounded snail with a smooth, glossy, half-globe shell of only a few whorls and an oval opening. It closes the opening with a hard 'trapdoor' (operculum) when resting or disturbed. Shell patterns vary hugely: bold stripes, zigzags, spots, dashes or plain colour, and some species, like the horned nerite, carry short spines.1527

Personality what they are like

A gentle, unhurried herbivore that ignores fish and other invertebrates and simply works its way over glass, rocks, wood and leaves grazing on algae. It is a surprisingly good climber and will happily cruise up to the waterline.76

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Moves slowly but steadily all over the tank surfaces in search of algae and biofilm. Hard surfaces such as stones, driftwood and glass give it grazing ground.74

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Keep the water mineral-rich, since soft water is hard on shells; crushed coral or mineral supplements help. Fit a lid with no gaps because nerites climb out. Females may leave small white egg capsules on hard surfaces; these will not hatch in fresh water. Add extra food if natural algae runs out.673

Home where they are happiest

Freshwater aquarium (they also handle brackish water). Aquarium Co-Op says a 2-3 US gallon tank (about 8-11 L) can work; Fishkeeping World suggests 5 gallons (about 19 L) per snail. Temperature about 22-26 C. pH above 7; Fishkeeping World suggests 8.0-8.4. Hardness around 6-12 dGH. Secure lid.672

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Herbivore that lives on algae and biofilm, plus leftover food and soft decaying plant matter. When algae is scarce, offer algae wafers and blanched vegetables such as zucchini, spinach, kale or green beans. Calcium-rich foods support the shell.673

Company who they like around

Not a social animal; it can be kept singly or in a group. Good companions are small peaceful fish such as tetras, rasboras and corydoras, along with dwarf shrimp and other peaceful snails. Pufferfish and snail-eating loaches are not suitable tank mates.67

The story where it all began

Nerites form an old and widespread snail family, Neritidae, named after Nerites, a sea god in Greek myth. Their homes are tropical and southern coasts where rivers meet the sea, and many species follow a two-habitat life cycle: adults live in fresh water, their larvae drift down to the sea, and juveniles migrate back upstream, sometimes in huge numbers. The genus Neritina was set up by Rafinesque in 1815, and many of its members have since been moved to related genera. Their attractive shells and appetite for algae made several species, above all the striped zebra nerite from East Africa, popular in freshwater aquariums. Because their young cannot develop in fresh water, the nerites sold in the hobby are wild-collected rather than tank-bred.189532

Recognised by the official bits

Taxonomy (via Wikipedia)

Genus Neritina Rafinesque, 1815, type species Neritina pulligera (Linnaeus, 1767), family Neritidae. Many species once placed in Neritina now sit in Vitta, Vittina, Clithon and other genera.9

Taxonomy (via Wikipedia)

The zebra nerite, the most familiar aquarium nerite, is Vittina natalensis (Reeve, 1845), formerly Neritina natalensis.2