Not furry either, still lovely.
Olive Nerite Snail
Neritina reclivata
Also called Olive nerite, Vitta usnea (current accepted name per Wikipedia)
From Western Atlantic: from northern Florida along the Gulf of Mexico and through the Caribbean to Trinidad.1
At a glance the quick version
General figure for nerite snails in aquariums.
Looks how to spot one
Smooth, rounded nerite shell with an operculum
A compact, smooth, rounded shell in a plain olive tone, with a hard lid that lets the snail close up tight.21
Personality what they are like
A gentle, low-key grazer that works its way over every surface looking for algae, leaving fish, shrimp and plants alone.32
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Steady grazer and capable climber; in the wild it climbs marsh grass at high tide, so keep a tight lid on the tank.13
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Provide mineral-rich water with pH above 7 for good shell health and supplement with algae wafers or vegetables when algae is scarce.32
Home where they are happiest
Fresh to brackish water (wild salinity 0-19 ppt). Suggested 22-26 C (72-78 F), pH above 7.0, and about 5 US gallons per snail.123
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Grazes algae films on plants, rocks and glass; extra algae wafers, blanched greens and snail foods keep it fed.132
Company who they like around
Can live singly or in groups. Eggs laid in fresh water do not develop, as the young need brackish or salt water.32
The story where it all began
First described by Roding in 1798 and renamed many times since, this nerite lives in shallow bays, marshes and streams around the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Its tolerance for fresh water made it a popular algae-eating snail with aquarists.1
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
In the wild it climbs up marsh grass blades as the tide rises to keep away from blue crabs.1
- 2
It copes with everything from fresh water to fairly salty brackish water up to about 19 parts per thousand.1
- 3
Aquarium Co-Op calls olive nerites one of the hardiest and easiest nerites to keep.3
- 4
Wild snails live in very shallow water, no deeper than about 1.5 m, among sea grasses and marsh plants.1
Recognised by the official bits
- Taxonomy
- Wikipedia treats Neritina reclivata as a synonym of Vitta usnea, first described by Roding in 1798; the species has over a dozen synonyms.1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Olive Nerite Snail. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amountsevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Water changeSmall, gentle water changesevery week
- Water testevery week
- Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- Vitta usnea (Neritina reclivata) - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, taxonomy, habitat, salinity, size, diet, temperature, fun facts
- Nerite Snail - Fishkeeping World fishkeepingworld.comused for colour, size, temperature, tank size
- Nerite Snail Care - Aquarium Co-Op aquariumcoop.comused for lifespan, care, hardiness, breeding
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.