[Laurel]

These are saltwater snails that are easily acclimated to freshwater systems. I've read that they do better in hard water for obvious reasons, but seem to be perfectly happy in lower pH settings. They lay eggs (look like scattered sesame seeds) but they rarely (and most of the time never) hatch because they're not in salt water. They eat algae, but leave live plants alone. I hear they like to "explore" so it's necessary to have a tight-fitting lid, but other than that, I can't come up with any downsides to them. They grow to around the size of apple/mystery/trapdoor snails size.

Do you think my multies/small julies would leave these guys alone enough for them to get their work done? I figure as a worst-case scenario, the fish kill them and I have some beautiful shells for the multies to move into.

I hadn't heard of these prior to last week, and figured I'd write a thread about them to let other people know what I've learned so far. I'm gonna track some down for a tank that I can't seem to keep BN plecos alive in.

 

[PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn]

from what I read their fairly short lived, though are supposed to do better in slightly to full saline environments.

there are some very pretty nerites out there,

 

[DJRansome]

I've read a lot about them. First, I think the pretty striped ones are hard (impossible?) to obtain in the US, although I see them on UK and Canada web sites all the time. Second, I've read they leave hard white calcium dots that are impossible to remove all over your glass and decor. So I'm not pursuing them at this time.

 

[Laurel]

Well I hope they don't ruin the glass, the decor I can live with. I'll update this thread after I have them for a while.

 

[Barbie]

The eggs are hard to scrape off without a razor blade, but far from impossible to remove. Some of the nerites are also rumored to eat types of hair algae and even cyano, which is part of the draw for them. I had some zebra nerite in a tank for 1.5 years before I had to move and give them away. I would definitely consider that not short lived, personally. I'm sure it will differ from species to species though.

Barbie

 

[Laurel]

I read that the eggs eventually rot and die, but the window for this is a few weeks to a month. Is that correct? Also in my reading, a few people have said that the egg-laying slows down a bit once they figure out the eggs aren't hatching. Any validity to this?

 

[lloyd]

my planted tank has a few nerite snails, and the egg shells are everywhere. i've not seen any slowdown in their production over the years, but they all digress to oblivion in good time. my nerites love all anubia varieties, and strip the leaves to toothpick stalks, but they are still a favorite snail of mine.

 

[Laurel]

How do they do with Java Fern? That's the only plant I have in the tank I plan to put them in.

 

[lloyd]

my few java plants seem unaffected by them. HTH.

 

[Laurel]

I brought them home from the fish store, and put them in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket, and added a glassful of tank water to start acclimating them to freshwater. About 25 minutes later I added another one, and in the course of a couple hours I added about 6 glasses from the tank, then put the snails in the tank. Immediately one of them started moving and made it to a rock. The other 5 didn't move at all, and now, the next day none of them have moved. Should I be worried? I found one website that said they clamp shut for up to 8 days until they work out their osmoregulation, but I get nervous and would prefer not to have 5 dead snails sitting in the tank for a week. Does anyone have any experience acclimating them? I read that they didn't even need to be acclimated, but that idea made me nervous.