Nerite Snail
Neritina natalensis
Neritidae
InvertsDifficulty: ●●○○○Data: well-established
About
Nerite snails are among the most effective and best-behaved algae eaters available, sold in numerous patterned forms (zebra, tiger, olive, horned) all needing hard, alkaline water for healthy shell growth. Their great advantage for the community aquarium is that they cannot reproduce in fresh water: females deposit hard white eggs but the larvae require brackish or marine conditions to develop, so populations never explode. They will, however, climb and can escape an open-topped tank.
Care
Provide hard, alkaline water (GH 6-15, pH 7.2-8.2) for shell health and a mature tank with algae to graze. Copper-sensitive; use a lid as they readily climb out. Will not overpopulate in fresh water.
Diet
Dedicated algae grazer clearing film, diatom and green-spot algae. In clean tanks supplement with algae wafers or blanched vegetables to prevent starvation.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (20)
Assassin SnailBladder SnailBumblebee GobyDwarf Orange CrayfishEndler's LivebearerForktail RainbowfishFreshwater ClamGhost ShrimpGuppyJapanese Trapdoor SnailLeast KillifishMalaysian Trumpet SnailMystery SnailOdessa BarbPlatyRamshorn SnailStar SapphireTaiwan Reef CichlidTurquoise RainbowfishWrestling Halfbeak
Possible with care (177)
Acei CichlidAfrican Butterfly CichlidAgassiz's CoryAgassiz's Dwarf CichlidAmano ShrimpAuratus CichlidBamboo ShrimpBanjo CatfishBetta (Siamese Fighting Fish)Black Neon TetraBlack Phantom TetraBlack Ruby BarbBlack Skirt TetraBlackline RasboraBleeding Heart TetraBlood Parrot CichlidBloodfin TetraBlue AcaraBlue Dolphin CichlidBlue Tiger ShrimpBlue Velvet ShrimpBoesemani RainbowfishBolivian RamBorleyi (Redfin Hap)Borneo SuckerBrevis Shell DwellerBrichard's TeleogrammaBrichardi (Fairy Cichlid)Bristlenose PlecoBronze CorydorasBuenos Aires TetraBuffalohead CichlidBumblebee CichlidButterfly Hillstream LoachCelebes RainbowfishCelestial Pearl DanioCheckered BarbCherry BarbCherry ShrimpChinese Algae EaterChocolate CichlidClown PlecoCobalt Blue ZebraCochu's Blue TetraCockatoo Dwarf CichlidColombian Ramshorn SnailCongo Dwarf CichlidCongo TetraConvict CichlidCylindricus CichlidCyprichromisDemasoni CichlidDenison BarbDiscusDoctor FishDogtooth CichlidDojo (Weather) LoachDuboisi TropheusDwarf Chain LoachDwarf Flag CichlidDwarf GouramiDwarf Neon RainbowfishDwarf Petricola CatfishElectric Yellow LabElephantnose FishEllioti CichlidElongate MbunaEmerald CoryEmperor TetraEven-spotted SynodontisFestivum (Flag Cichlid)Firemouth CichlidFive-bar CichlidFlame TetraGlass CatfishGlowlight DanioGlowlight TetraGoby CichlidGold BarbGolden Dwarf CichlidGolden JulieGolden PencilfishGolden TetraGreen DiscusGreen Neon TetraHarlequin RasboraHead-and-Tail-Light TetraHoney GouramiHongi CichlidJohanni CichlidJulii CoryKenyi CichlidKeyhole CichlidKissing GouramiKribensisLambchop RasboraLemon CichlidLemon TetraLeopard DanioLittle CorydorasMacmasteri Dwarf CichlidMaingano CichlidMarlieri CichlidMasked JulieMedaka RicefishMoonlight GouramiMultifasciatus Shell DwellerNeon TetraOcellatus Shell DwellerOtocinclusPanda CorydorasParaguay EartheaterPeaceful BettaPeacock CichlidPearl DanioPearl GouramiPenguin TetraPeppered CorydorasPolka Dot LoachPort CichlidPowder Blue CichlidPurple Emperor TetraPygmy CorydorasRabbit SnailRainbow CichlidRainbow SharkRed EmpressRed RainbowfishRed Whiptail CatfishRed Zebra CichlidRed-Tail SharkRedhead CichlidRegan's JulieReticulated Hillstream LoachRosy BarbRosy TetraRubber Lip PlecoRummynose TetraRusty CichlidSalt and Pepper CorySand-sifting XenotilapiaSaulosi CichlidScarlet BadisScissortail RasboraSerpae TetraSeverumSiamese Algae EaterSilver MoonySilver Tip TetraSimilis Shell DwellerSkunk CorySparkling GouramiSterbai CorydorasStriped KribensisSulawesi Cardinal ShrimpSunshine PeacockSveni EartheaterSwordtailT-Bar CichlidThai Micro CrabThick-lipped GouramiThreadfin AcaraThreadfin PetrochromisThreadfin RainbowfishThree-spot GouramiTiger BarbTropheusUmbrella Dwarf CichlidUpside-down CatfishVampire ShrimpVenezuelan CoryWhite Cloud Mountain MinnowX-ray TetraYoyo LoachZebra DanioZebra MbunaZebra Pleco
Avoid (74)
Adonis PlecoAfrican ButterflyfishAltum AngelfishAngelfishBala SharkBlack Moor GoldfishCalvus CichlidCardinal TetraCheckerboard CichlidChili RasboraChocolate GouramiClown KillifishClown LoachComet GoldfishCommon GoldfishCommon PlecoCompressiceps CichlidCrystal Red ShrimpCuckoo CatfishDemon EartheaterDiamond TetraDwarf Pea PufferDwarf RasboraElectric Blue AhliEmber TetraEndlicheri BichirFantail GoldfishFeatherfin SqueakerFigure-8 PufferFrontosaGerman Blue RamGolden Wonder KillifishGreen Spotted PufferfishGreen TerrorHeckel DiscusIridescent SharkJack DempseyJaguar CichlidJewel CichlidKoiKuhli LoachLivingstoniMalawi EyebiterMalawi HawkMarble HatchetfishMollyOranda GoldfishOrnate BichirOscarParadise FishPeacock BassPictus CatfishPike CichlidRanchu GoldfishRed DevilRed TerrorReticulated Flying FoxRostratusRosy Red MinnowRoyal PlecoRyukin GoldfishSailfin MollySailfin PlecoSalvini CichlidShubunkin GoldfishSilver ArowanaSpotted HoploStrawberry RasboraStriped Raphael CatfishTelescope GoldfishTexas CichlidUaru (Triangle Cichlid)Venustus (Giraffe Cichlid)Wolf Cichlid
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Full tank-mates guide with reasons →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
Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Nerite Snail need?
- A Nerite Snail needs an aquarium of at least 19 litres (5 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 Nerite Snail need?
- Nerite Snail does best at 18–28 °C (64.4–82.4 °F), pH 7–8.5 and a general hardness of 6–15 °dGH.
- Is the Nerite Snail suitable for beginners?
- Yes — 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.
Sources
Water & tank
Temperature18–28°C
Optimal temp.22–26°C
pH7–8.5
Hardness (GH)6–15°d
Carbonate (KH)3–12°d
Adult size2.5 cm
Min. volume≥ 19 L
Min. tank length≥ 30 cm
Swimming zoneAll levels
TemperamentPeaceful
Water typeBrackish-tolerant
FlowModerate
Lifespan~2 yrs
Try in the calculator