Nerite Snail

Nerita species

Nerite snails are small aquatic snails kept in freshwater, brackish, and marine aquariums, with many trade names tied to patterned shells such as zebra, tiger, horned, and olive nerites. The label often covers several related species rather than one single aquarium animal. They are valued for steady grazing on film algae and hard-surface growth while usually leaving healthy plants alone. A key husbandry detail is that many nerites lay white egg capsules in freshwater, but the larvae generally need brackish or marine conditions to develop.

Keepers use nerite snails as part of aquarium maintenance, but they still need stable water, minerals for shell health, and freedom from copper-based medications and snail-eating tankmates. They can climb above the waterline, so tanks need secure lids and no gaps near filters. Breeding them intentionally is more complex than breeding many freshwater snails because larval salinity requirements must be managed. When buying, shell condition and species origin matter; heavily eroded shells, inactive animals, or wild-collected snails moved through poor shipping conditions may not recover well.