Fancy antler snail

Clithon sowerianum

Also known as Antler nerite, Fancy horned nerite

FreshwaterBrackishSnail

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–82°F (22–28°C)
pH: 7.0–8.2
Adult size: 0.8 in (2 cm)
Minimum tank: 5 gal (19 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Coastal streams of Southeast Asia
Family: Neritidae

Overview

The fancy antler snail is a small, peaceful nerite kept as a tireless algae grazer, not a social animal, so it neither needs nor forms groups; keep one, or add a few to a larger tank to match the algae on offer. It works slowly over glass, rock, wood and broad leaves, rasping off films of algae and biofilm while leaving healthy plants alone. Since a clean tank will not feed it for long, top up its diet with algae wafers and Spirulina tablets. It is completely safe with fish and shrimp but should be kept away from snail-eating fish. A mature tank of about 19 liters or more, with surfaces worth grazing, is plenty.

In the wild

Clithon sowerianum comes from the clear coastal streams of Southeast Asia, where hard, mineral-rich water keeps nerite shells sound. Give it a mature tank with plenty of algae-covered surfaces, wood and rock, and stable, well-filtered water. It wants hard, alkaline conditions, about pH 7.0 to 8.2, kept warm from 22 to 28 degrees Celsius; in soft or acidic water the shell begins to pit and dissolve. A tight lid helps, as nerites wander above the waterline.

Good to know

Clithon sowerianum is a nerite snail of the Neritidae, only about 2 centimeters across, whose shell grows branched, antler-like projections instead of the simple single spikes of related thorn snails. The horns vary from snail to snail and can be worn down or snapped off; given hard, mineral-rich water they can regrow. It grazes algae with a rasping tongue and, like all nerites, will not build up a population in a freshwater tank.

Did you know

Those shell horns are not just decoration: they make the snail an awkward, spiky mouthful, discouraging fish and other predators from trying to swallow it whole in the wild.