Horned Nerite Snail
Clithon corona
Neritidae
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About
The horned nerite is the smallest nerite in the trade: a shell of barely 1.5-2 cm, banded yellow and black or plain olive green, with short horn-like spines projecting from the upper edge of the whorl. Like every nerite, it cannot reproduce in fresh water, and that is the whole reason to buy one. Females glue hard white egg capsules the size of sesame seeds to rocks and glass, but the larvae need brackish or marine salinity to develop and simply never hatch in a freshwater tank; Wikipedia describes the species as amphidromous, and Garnelio states flatly that captive breeding has not yet succeeded, adding that in nature the tiny larvae are swept out to sea to develop. So the population can never explode - but neither can it be replaced, and the snail you buy is already partway through its life. Two things are worth knowing about the horns. They are fragile: Shrimp and Snail Breeder records that the spines "can break easily" and that when this happens "it does not cause them any harm", so a blunted shell is neither illness nor neglect. And they vary: Garnelio notes that the green form of Clithon corona sometimes carries the typical thorn-shaped projections and can also be entirely smooth. The spiky snail on the label and the one in your bag may not look much alike, and that is normal.
Care
Hard, alkaline water for the shell - pH 7.2-8.2, GH 6-18, KH above 3 - which makes ordinary Lithuanian tap water exactly right, with no preparation at all. Keep it at 23-27 °C; below about 20 °C most nerites stop moving. A tank from 20 L, and above all a mature one with real algae on the glass and hardscape: in a spotless tank this snail starves, because it is slow to accept prepared food. Supplement with algae wafers and blanched vegetables once the tank runs clean, and give it a calcium source. Highly copper-sensitive, so read every medication and plant fertiliser. Lid the tank: nerites climb, and they leave. Keep it away from loaches, puffers, large cichlids, assassin snails and crayfish, all of which eat snails.
Diet
Algae and biofilm grazer clearing diatoms, green spot algae and film from glass, rock and firm leaves, leaving healthy plants alone. Add algae wafers, blanched courgette or spinach once the tank is clean, plus calcium for the shell.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (242)
Possible with care (92)
Avoid (84)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
There is no reliable way to sex this species by eye. That is the honest answer, not a gap in our data.
All the methods, with diagramsAlso in these lists
Similar species
Same category and the closest water parameters — if this species isn't quite it, start here.
Sold in Lithuania
These Lithuanian shops listed this species in their public catalogue (checked August 8, 2026). Stock moves — ask before you travel.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Horned Nerite Snail need?
- A Horned Nerite Snail needs an aquarium of at least 20 litres (5.3 US gallons) with a footprint at least 30 cm (11.8 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Horned Nerite Snail need?
- Horned Nerite Snail does best at 20–28 °C (68–82.4 °F), pH 7–8.5 and a general hardness of 6–18 °dGH.
- Is the Horned Nerite Snail suitable for beginners?
- Yes — Horned Nerite Snail is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.