This particular species of nerite snail, the Sea Mine or also called King Koopa Nerite Snail (Neritina juttingae), is a unique variety characterized by a shell design featuring curved "horns" and varying color patterns that are not commonly found in other nerite species.
Like other Nerite snails, the Sea Mine (King Koopa) Nerite Snail requires brackish or marine water as fry and will not reproduce in a freshwater tank. It is not typically bred commercially or outside of its natural habitats.
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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)
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