Nerite Snail

The best algae-eating snail for planted tanks — voracious on glass and leaves, and its eggs never hatch in freshwater, so no population explosions. Needs hard, mineral-rich water to keep its shell intact.

• Minimum footprint: 5 gallons; a 10+ gallon tank gives real swimming room.
• Preferred swimming zone: bottom of the water column.
• Happy alone or as a compatible pair; avoid crowding with conspecifics.
• Care level: easy.

• Temperature: 70–80°F
• pH: 7–8.2
• Hardness: 8–20 dGH (Hard)

Stable parameters matter more than perfect ones — aim for consistency before chasing an exact number.

peaceful

invertebratealgae-grazerhard-shellhard-waterno-freshwater-breeding

A herbivore / grazer — it needs plant matter and algae. Offer blanched vegetables, algae wafers, and a mature tank with surfaces to graze.

• Neon Tetra
• Guppy
• Bronze Corydoras
• Harlequin Rasbora
• Zebra Danio
• Platy

• Angelfish — Occasional chasing or fin nipping is possible.
• Bolivian Ram — Occasional chasing or fin nipping is possible.
• Dwarf Gourami — Occasional chasing or fin nipping is possible.
• Tiger Barb — Occasional chasing or fin nipping is possible.
• Yoyo Loach — Occasional chasing or fin nipping is possible.
• Kribensis — Occasional chasing or fin nipping is possible.

Standard tanks at or above the recommended 10 gallons:

• 10 gallon 20 × 10 × 12″
• 15 gallon 24 × 12 × 12″
• 20 gallon High 24 × 12 × 16″
• All tank sizes

• Start from a 5 gallon minimum and plan the full group size before you buy.
• Activity level is low, which affects how much of the tank it uses and how much it adds to the bioload.
• Zoning matters: this species lives mostly in the bottom zone, so choose tank mates that occupy other levels.

Compatibility depends on tank size, water chemistry, temperament, and adult size. Run a full check against any species in our database.

In-depth guides for Nerite Snail:

• Nerite Snail and BettaRisky

• FishBase(Scientific Database, accessed 2026-09-20)
• SeriouslyFish(Specialist Publication, accessed 2026-09-20)
• Aquarium Forge editorial guidelines(Editorial Interpretation, accessed 2026-09-22)

Data reviewed: September 2026 · Data version: 2026.11
Editorial note: Minimum tank recommendations may vary by source and husbandry approach. Our figures synthesise the sources above for planning purposes.