Sometimes called a horned zebra Nerite, Clithon corona/diadema, are superb algae eaters. They'll attack spot algae, hair algae, and the dreaded Black Beard Algae.
Native to the Indo-pacific region (like most nerites), these are among the most distinctive- looking!
They can grow up to .5", but ours will be younger, and pea-sized at .25"
Looking for a different color? Visit our collection of Nerite Snails!
Nerite Snails
Cassandra's notes:
Useful and attractive!
Broadly considered the gold standard in algae management, Nerites work tirelessly to keep your glass and decor spot-free!
These little guys play such an important role in a balanced aquarium! They are nature's recyclers, and work tirelessly to scrub detritus, algae and fish poo from your tank.
Peaceful and easy- going, these snails do not eat live plants, but you may see them resting on green foliage in order to scrub away any algae or biofilms on the surface.
These guys are undemanding, but would prefer a planted, community tank within normal parameters. They do like a bit of cuttlebone here and there to keep their shells hard and clear.
These snails do not reproduce in a freshwater aquarium. They will try by leaving tiny little "pearls" on the glass and decorations. These eggs will never hatch, however, and will slowly dissolve over time.
If you do not see any visible algae anywhere in your aquarium, it would be pertinent to place a blanched piece of vegetable on the substrate every few days. Be sure to remove within the day, as you won't want to foul up your water! They will also happily accept little algae wafers (the kind advertised for bottom feeders such as Plecos)
Under 40F where you are? Don’t forget your HEAT PACK!
Ordered 3. 3 were sent but one was DOA. After waiting a couple days to confirm death the company did send a partial refund for him. My son was super upset and buried him in the back yard. The other two appear to be healthy and active about a month later. They are pretty cool and unique little snails. There was issues with shipping being delayed for almost a month so I’m not sure if that’s what happened with him dying or what but that definitely was a bummer.
I purchased these three packs of snails twice. They are the perfect size and always on the move cleaning up my tanks. They are not large enough to produce noticeable eggs on the glass. My favorite snails!
All three arrives fast and healthy. They immediately began to eat algae on the tank glass and any surface. Its fun to watch them ride each other around and dig into the substrate.
The colors on all three are beautiful! All arrived alive
received them but 2 died. not sure if it was in transit or not..