Nerite Snail Doing The Most Awesome Job

[karin]

Okay, I'm just so pleased that I wanted to share with some folks who care. Just got a couple of Nerite snails and one is going along the bottom of the tank, right where the sand meets the front class and doing a cleaning job. I'm too nervous to take my magnets down to the sand or even a sponge because I'm worried I'll scratch glass. This little guy is doing an awesome job and no scratches on the glass! WAHOO!!!!

 

[Night61]

they are great little snails they really are, i love mine as well.

 

[betta fish]

Me too! I have the one snail but a fair few tanks and if one gets algae ridden I just transfer him to that one for a bit, they always need algae and will not eat any plants or fresh veggies so make sure you have plenty of algae available or they will starve, just going to move mine now as it happens as no algae left in the tank it's in!

 

[fishnovice]

Me too! I have the one snail but a fair few tanks and if one gets algae ridden I just transfer him to that one for a bit, they always need algae and will not eat any plants or fresh veggies so make sure you have plenty of algae available or they will starve, just going to move mine now as it happens as no algae left in the tank it's in!

Brilliant -just what I nee for my outdoor tank! Where can I get nerites in UK? Are they coldwater, tropical or either?

 

[kiriyama]

Had been looking for these for ages, found some in LFS , price £1.75, purchased 3 , total price £3.50
After an hour in the tank I inspect them and find 3 empty shells, Return to shop and pick 3 live ones, I had a really bad build up of algae and did not clean it off, within no time at all the 3 snails were whizzing along polishing up the glass and cleaning the rocks and shell bed, awesome snails.
Sad part is I have lost them, I did a water change and I used a different basin from usual, water very cloudy and stats a bit off to say the least, 50% water change and still foggy water today, also 3 dead snails
Tank emptied and clean, really annoyed at my ignorance, after taking so long to find some, got really attached to them quick

 

[betta fish]

Me too! I have the one snail but a fair few tanks and if one gets algae ridden I just transfer him to that one for a bit, they always need algae and will not eat any plants or fresh veggies so make sure you have plenty of algae available or they will starve, just going to move mine now as it happens as no algae left in the tank it's in!

Brilliant -just what I nee for my outdoor tank! Where can I get nerites in UK? Are they coldwater, tropical or either?

Hi, sometimes they are sold in petshops such as pets at home or on ebay though that route can be expensive! the lowest temperature for a nerite is around 22c I wouldn't go any lower than this so an outdoor tank in the UK would be a no no unless the temperature can stay to that or above once in the summer, you will need a thermometer to check as night time temperatures can dip considerably, they are great snails but can be sensitive to water quality especially the youngsters and need a constant supply of algae if this runs out they will starve as they do not eat anything else, I was once sold an empty shell too they were insistent it would come out of it's shell when it gets used to the tank but there was nothing in there in the first place! got the shell swapped for a nice large nerite, turned out to be a female she laid eggs everywhere no longer have her but can still see the eggshells stuck onto the bogwood, shame they can't be bred readily in captivity.

 

[kiriyama]

Me too! I have the one snail but a fair few tanks and if one gets algae ridden I just transfer him to that one for a bit, they always need algae and will not eat any plants or fresh veggies so make sure you have plenty of algae available or they will starve, just going to move mine now as it happens as no algae left in the tank it's in!

Brilliant -just what I nee for my outdoor tank! Where can I get nerites in UK? Are they coldwater, tropical or either?

I think if the water is brackish the eggs will hatch or the babies have a better chance of survival
Hi, sometimes they are sold in petshops such as pets at home or on ebay though that route can be expensive! the lowest temperature for a nerite is around 22c I wouldn't go any lower than this so an outdoor tank in the UK would be a no no unless the temperature can stay to that or above once in the summer, you will need a thermometer to check as night time temperatures can dip considerably, they are great snails but can be sensitive to water quality especially the youngsters and need a constant supply of algae if this runs out they will starve as they do not eat anything else, I was once sold an empty shell too they were insistent it would come out of it's shell when it gets used to the tank but there was nothing in there in the first place! got the shell swapped for a nice large nerite, turned out to be a female she laid eggs everywhere no longer have her but can still see the eggshells stuck onto the bogwood, shame they can't be bred readily in captivity.

 

[karin]

FYI, I'm in the US and got these mail order from an Arizona outfit that lists on aquabid. AFter weeks of worrying about algae because my tank is in a sunny location, with the above comments I'm now worried my tanks are too clean for these guys. Fish/snail/shrimp keeping... what an adventure.

 

[Gilli]

Cant you feed them algae wafers?

 

[james_fish]

Sorry to crash your post, just wanted to ask a few Qs

Will Burmese Border Loaches eat them?
How big do they grow?
How common are they?


Thanks dude, James.

 

[betta fish]

Sorry to crash your post, just wanted to ask a few Qs

Will Burmese Border Loaches eat them?
How big do they grow?
How common are they?


Thanks dude, James.

Hi, not familiar with a burmese border loach but I wouldn't trust any loaches with snails, they don't grow much larger than an inch if that so stay relatively small, they are not too common here and I only see them occasionally for sale though they may be more common in other areas.
Also in response to Gillis question as far as I am aware they will not eat anything apart from real live algae I think an algae wafer may be too artificial for them I've never seen mine attempt to try to eat anything including algae wafers, they just crawl right over them, if the algae runs out in the tank they become sluggish till I move them to another tank with algae then they carry on munching.

 

[james_fish]

Cheers

James.

 

[Ashley1991]

They sound very interesting creatures if i did get one or two for my tank (after research of course!) and the algae ran out would it be ok to put a rock in some water in front of the window until it was covered in algae and then stick it in my tank for them to eat?

then have another in the window while they eat the algae of that and keep swapping the rocks over?

Cheers Ash

 

[betta fish]

They sound very interesting creatures if i did get one or two for my tank (after research of course!) and the algae ran out would it be ok to put a rock in some water in front of the window until it was covered in algae and then stick it in my tank for them to eat?

then have another in the window while they eat the algae of that and keep swapping the rocks over?

Cheers Ash

I don't see why not infact I am trying this with various jars in the window at the mo so I always have some on tap.

 

[pauld]

anyone know a uk supplier