# Any Info on Nerite Snails is Appreciated!



## Mattsmom (May 21, 2008)

I've purchased 13 nerite snails 2 weeks ago (zebra, diamond and spotted) to divide up and put in my betta tanks to help with algae clean up! (They should be great b/c they cleaned up the QT within a week!

They are awesome (and I'm not really a snail lover till I got these guys!) They are such cool little creatures... they don't get too big (no bigger than 1.5-2"), they don't proliferate very easily (usually require brackish water) and they eat algae! My kinda snail!  

Anyway... I've tried to find info on these guys... but there's not a lot out there. I do know that they prefer more alkaline water (7.0+ pH). My tap is 7.4 and my tanks are 7.8-8.0 range. I know I can supplement their menu with algae wafers and some veggies once they've got the algae cleaned-up and maintained.

I did want to know approximately how long they lived, as well as has anyone had a good experience with keeping them with bettas? 

I'm sure I'll have more questions... but that'll be a start.

Thanks!

Michele


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

http://www.applesnail.net/

Look on the left side of the page in the green menu, select 'Discussion' and it will take you to the forum. Check under 'Other freshwater snails' as there are some nerite keepers there and some really nice people, namely my buddy Pamelajo who is a mod over there.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

i have my two 'sun' snails for about a year now... My soft tank water is not nice to them but they still do okay. They lay eggs all over the place when they are really happy lol.

I also have a septaria snail that i -adore- he's cool, does and excellent job and keeps tight and close to the tank glass so noone picks on him.

Because i am so parinoid about getting enough food for them i leave my lights on a bit longer than i should.. >.> They dont always eat what i offer them


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Found this very pretty website with beautiful photos of rainforest snails:

http://en.sademetsa.net/snails.php#top


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## Mattsmom (May 21, 2008)

Thanks for the links and the info, guys! I really appreciate that!!

I'm going to read through more of that snail forum, Kat! Thanks for the link to that!

I hope my snails stick close to thinks and not flip themselves over. I think otherwise, that's the only way my bettas can get at them. When they're crawling around, all you can see outside of their shell is their very fine antannae (which worries me a little... hopefully they won't even notice it... especially against my substrate).

I do have one snail that I'm concerned about. He hasn't moved in over 24hrs... and has stayed where I left him. Before that... I had to do some tank cleaning and moved them all. After I was done and put everything back... I noticed this poor little guy upside down. I saw one other snail crawl on top and it looked like he was trying to flip him over. I watched for a little bit... I think he gave up so after the other snail left the area... I flipped the snail over. He hasn't moved since.  Before I flipped him over... I took a whiff (I understand they smell bad when they've died)... there was no smell. If he hasn't moved by the time I get home, I'll take another sniff test.

I understand they sometimes sleep for a couple of days after a big feasting. I hope it's just that. 

I'm so new to the world of snails... admittedly don't know much about them... just these nerite snails came recommended by a friend in another forum as great algae eaters and they don't breed like crazy like pond snails do. Infact, it's nearly impossible to get babies from these guys... even experienced breeders have very limited success.

They are just fascinating to watch though! 

Ciddian... I feel the same way about them getting enough to eat. I wasn't too worried when I first put them in the tank b/c I had enough algae in there to keep them well-fed... but they did such a great job in such a short time... I have started to keep the lights on 12 hrs/day just to try to grow some algae for them. They lick the glass and decor clean! lol! I give them algae wafers every 2-3 days and right before a water change b/c those things are so messy. I even put a little dish in there to hold the wafer... but the little buggers move it off the dish so the tiny pieces fall into the gravel crevices!!  I've only ever offered blanched lettuce so far... but may try some of the other veggies you mentioned in the other thread.

Ciddian... are your snails in with aggressive fish (like bettas)? Just trying to get a feel for what my odds are that my bettas will hopefully just ignore them... or at least, just give them something to watch. I'd feel really bad if the bettas stressed them out or even worse... ate them!  

Thanks again for everyone's help! Whatever comes to mind that you think I should know... please share!! 

Michele


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

If he's locked up tight for another day I'd move him. Snails will lock up tight if fish are torturing them and then they just starve to death unfortunately. My friends betta knocks her snails off the glass but not too much else. You won't have to pull the snail out of water to sniff it if it dies, trust me. You'll wake up going OMG what the heck is that smell????!!!! Its a smell like no other.


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## Mattsmom (May 21, 2008)

Katalyst said:


> If he's locked up tight for another day I'd move him. Snails will lock up tight if fish are torturing them and then they just starve to death unfortunately. My friends betta knocks her snails off the glass but not too much else. You won't have to pull the snail out of water to sniff it if it dies, trust me. You'll wake up going OMG what the heck is that smell????!!!! Its a smell like no other.


Ah... so the water smells too? Is it true they leave their shells? I know the tank I bought them from at Big Al's had a couple of empty shells in there (or maybe... the fish they were in with ate the "body"??

My snails aren't in with my bettas yet. They're in a quarantine tank for another 2-4 weeks. I just want to make better sure they're not carrying anything in to my betta tanks... especially b/c the snails were in with fish at the store. I don't think snail diseases can transfer to fish... but I understand they can be carriers of fish diseases.

Thanks Kat for sharing your friend's experiences... I hope my guys are not too aggressive!! These snails are just so peaceful...

Michele


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Mattsmom said:


> Ah... so the water smells too? Is it true they leave their shells? I know the tank I bought them from at Big Al's had a couple of empty shells in there (or maybe... the fish they were in with ate the "body"??
> 
> My snails aren't in with my bettas yet. They're in a quarantine tank for another 2-4 weeks. I just want to make better sure they're not carrying anything in to my betta tanks... especially b/c the snails were in with fish at the store. I don't think snail diseases can transfer to fish... but I understand they can be carriers of fish diseases.
> 
> ...


The other snails will eat the dead snail right out of the shell....The water will smell, your house will smell..lol Can't ya just wait!


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Katalyst said:


> The other snails will eat the dead snail right out of the shell....The water will smell, your house will smell..lol Can't ya just wait!



Hmmm... that's strange b/c I did have 2 nerites die on me at different times and I didn't notice any smell whatsoever. Hmmm... Maybe my sniffer is broken!


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

I keep a few nerites too, great little algae eaters.

My only loss was when I was doing some maintenance on the filter input (eheim) and had removed the head on the nozzle. Poor nerite climbed over it and it sucked him halfway out of his shell. Needless to say, he didn't quite make it.

Only down side I know of with them is those damn white eggs they lay anywhere and everywhere. I've also heard that they will leave your tank if it isn't covered - so far I haven't had that happen though.


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Chris S said:


> I keep a few nerites too, great little algae eaters.
> 
> My only loss was when I was doing some maintenance on the filter input (eheim) and had removed the head on the nozzle. Poor nerite climbed over it and it sucked him halfway out of his shell. Needless to say, he didn't quite make it.
> 
> Only down side I know of with them is those damn white eggs they lay anywhere and everywhere. I've also heard that they will leave your tank if it isn't covered - so far I haven't had that happen though.



I haven't had any nerites try to escape. Now apple snails, they're a different story! However, since I've moved them into a separate tank from the angels, they're much happier.


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## Katalyst (Jul 29, 2007)

Tabatha said:


> Hmmm... that's strange b/c I did have 2 nerites die on me at different times and I didn't notice any smell whatsoever. Hmmm... Maybe my sniffer is broken!


Maybe its the the apple snail family...OMG there are no words!...We need a EWWWWW smilie around here!


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

I actually have a lot of MTs and ponds in with my bettas (not on purpose lol) and they dont get bothered at all... But every betta is different. I had major problems with apples and guppies out of all things.. If apple snails had armpits, thats where the gups would bite them.. All... the.. time...

nerites are a heck of a lot more compact against the glass so i guess its not as bad. In the tank with them are flag fish, tetra, platy, sae's, flying fox, pleco, rams...and... i think thats it. 

No issues


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## Mattsmom (May 21, 2008)

Thank YOU!!!! I feel a bit more encouraged now! Still will be sitting on egg shells when they go in with my bettas though... keep your fingers crossed for me (er.... the snails actually!!)  

I've found another one upside down while I was cleaning the tank this evening (hiding under a bridge not attached to anything). I righted him and he started moving around (whew!) Can they right themselves - as in - if they're flat on their back/shell... can they flip themselves over? That worries me if they often do this and my bettas get too curious. (I'm a worry-wart if you hadn't noticed yet!!)  

The guy I'm worried about is still not moving... but I did lift him out to take a sniff and he didn't smell. The tank smells just fine... so maybe nerites don't smell if they're dead/decaying. I also don't think these snails will eat anything other than vegetation so I don't know if they take care of decaying snail bodies??? But I would think I would get some sort of spike in my water params - which I'm monitoring closely b/c the QT is overstocked with these guys. 

And so far... no escapees. I do have a lid on it... but I vent it a little so it doesn't get too hot and to let air pass through. They haven't yet gone past the rim around the top that holds the lid in place. I hope that's more than luck!

I really, really appreciate your experiences... I'm learning lots! Another thing they seem to like to do is sometimes huddle with each other. Or maybe they're just afraid of the big-bad meanie that keeps moving them around when it's time to clean the tank! But then again, I can't be so bad if I provide food too!  

Thanks again!!

Michele


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