Dusky Nerite Snail

Neritina pulligera

FreshwaterBrackishSnail

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–82°F (22–28°C)
pH: 6.5–8.0
Adult size: 1.6 in (4 cm)
Minimum tank: 5 gal (20 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Beginner
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Very common
Origin: Southeast Asia, Northern Australia
Family: Neritidae

Overview

A peaceful, solitary bottom grazer that spends its day rasping algae off rocks, wood, and glass. One in a 20 liter tank is fine, and they leave plants and other animals alone. They eat algae and biofilm, so add blanched vegetables or algae wafers if the tank is too clean. They do best in stable, harder water with plenty of surfaces to scrape.

In the wild

Dusky nerite snails come from fast-flowing streams and lower river stretches across Southeast Asia and northern Australia, often near where freshwater meets the sea. They graze on hard surfaces in clean, oxygen-rich water. Give them an established tank with rocks, driftwood, and glass that grows a film of algae, and keep the water moving and well-filtered. They handle a wide pH range, from soft and slightly acidic to hard and alkaline.

Good to know

This is a snail in the family Neritidae. Adults reach about 4 cm across, with a smooth, dark dome-shaped shell. Like other nerites, it cannot complete its life cycle in pure freshwater. Females lay eggs that need brackish or salt water for the larvae to develop, which is why home breeding almost never works.

Did you know

They will lay small, hard white egg capsules on surfaces around the tank even though those eggs will never hatch in freshwater. The capsules stick firmly and can be tricky to scrape off, so some keepers just leave them be.