Description

Nerite Spotted Snail (Neritina natalensis)

📌 Basic Info

• Scientific Name: Neritina natalensis

• Family: Neritidae

• Origin: East Africa (rivers, streams, coastal areas)

• Size: 1 – 1.5 inches (2.5 – 4 cm)

• Lifespan: 1 – 3 years (can live longer in ideal conditions)

• Tank Zone: Bottom dwellers (mostly glass, rocks, driftwood surfaces)

🌊 Water Parameters

• TDS: 150 – 250 ppm

• pH: 6.5 – 8.0

• Temperature: 22 – 28°C (72 – 82°F)

• Hardness: 6 – 12 dGH

🐌 Characteristics

• Beautiful shell with black spots on a golden or yellow background.

• Excellent algae eaters – clean glass, rocks, and decorations.

• Peaceful and non-aggressive.

• Cannot reproduce in freshwater (need brackish water for breeding).

🍽️ Food

• Type: Herbivore.

• Diet: Algae, biofilm, blanched vegetables (spinach, cucumber, zucchini), algae wafers.

• Feeding: Mostly graze on surfaces; supplement food if the tank lacks algae.

🛠️ Maintenance

• Tank Size: Minimum 10 gallons.

• Filtration: Gentle to moderate filter flow.

• Decor: Rocks, driftwood, live plants (they won’t eat healthy plants).

• Water Change: 20–30% weekly.

👥 Social Behavior

• Minimum Group Size: Can be kept singly or in groups.

• Tank Mates: Peaceful fish (Tetras, Guppies, Mollies, Corydoras, Gouramis), shrimp, and other snails.

• Avoid: Loaches, Pufferfish, or aggressive fish that eat snails.

✅ Do’s

• Provide a secure lid – they may crawl out of tanks.

• Ensure stable water parameters for long life.

• Supplement food if algae is scarce.

❌ Don’ts

• Don’t expose to copper-based medications (toxic to snails).

• Don’t keep with snail-eating species.

• Don’t rely only on algae if the tank is new or very clean.

⭐ Quick Tips

• One of the best algae-cleaning snails for aquariums.

• Easy to care for, peaceful, and beginner-friendly.

• Great for planted and community tanks.