Zebra Nerite Snail

The zebra nerite snail (Neritina natalensis) comes from the coastal rivers and estuaries of East Africa, and it is one of the tidiest algae eaters available to a freshwater tank. The shell is a flattened half-dome ruled with black stripes over a gold or olive background, and no two are marked quite the same way. It works patiently across glass, rock and hardscape, taking the tough green spot algae that most other cleaners leave behind.

Aquarium care

• Reaches roughly 2 to 2.5 cm across.
• Completely peaceful and safe with healthy plants.
• Grazes algae and biofilm; offer a sinking algae wafer if the tank is very clean.
• Prefers harder water with plenty of calcium to keep the shell in good condition.
• Will not reproduce in a freshwater tank, so numbers stay where you put them.
• Keep a lid or a covered rim, as nerites do climb above the waterline.

It suits planted tanks, shrimp tanks and peaceful community setups equally well. The one thing to plan for is the small white eggs it leaves on hardscape; they never hatch in fresh water, but they are noticeable on dark wood.

Stock rotates with each shipment, and livestock is sold for local pickup at our Lethbridge store. Browse the rest of the snails we have in.