Zebra nerite

Vittina natalensis

FreshwaterBrackishSnail

Care at a glance

Temperature: 66–84°F; 19–29°C
pH: 6.5–8.0
Adult size: 1 in; 2.5 cm
Minimum tank: 5 gal; 19 L

Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Diet: Herbivore
Difficulty: Beginner
Breeding: Egg layer · Hard
Rarity: Very common
Family: Neritidae
Origin: Africa

Overview

The zebra nerite is a peaceful, solitary algae grazer and one of the best cleanup snails you can keep. It is a good snail for beginners.

Did you know

Zebra nerite egg capsules can be a bit unsightly on decor, and they are tough to scrape off.

Caring for the zebra nerite

Give a zebra nerite a mature tank of at least 5 gal (19 L), with established algae to eat. It is a solitary snail that spends its time clinging to glass, rock and decor.

It lives happily in plain freshwater across a wide range, 66 to 84°F (19 to 29°C) and pH 6.5 to 8.0. Harder, alkaline water keeps its shell in better shape.

It eats algae and biofilm without touching live plants. Make sure there is enough algae, or feed it algae wafers and blanched vegetables, since it can slowly starve in a spotless tank.

The zebra nerite gets along with everything and is a safe pick for community and shrimp tanks. Sexes are separate, and females lay small white egg capsules on hard surfaces. The larvae need brackish or salt water to develop, so it does not breed in a normal freshwater tank.

Good to know

The zebra nerite, Vittina natalensis, is a snail in the family Neritidae. It is not considered endangered, and wild populations are stable. In good conditions it can live several years.

In the wild

Zebra nerites come from East African coastal rivers and estuaries. There they move between fresh and brackish water and graze algae off rocks and hard surfaces.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The zebra nerite is a peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a zebra nerite need?

A zebra nerite needs at least 5 gal (19 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a zebra nerite need?

A zebra nerite is comfortable at 66–84°F (19–29°C) with a pH of 6.5–8.0.

What does a zebra nerite eat?

A zebra nerite eats algae and biofilm and leaves live plants alone. In a spotless tank, feed it algae wafers and blanched vegetables so it does not slowly starve.

How big does a zebra nerite get?

An adult zebra nerite reaches about 1 in (2.5 cm).

How does a zebra nerite breed?

Zebra nerite females lay small white egg capsules on hard surfaces. The larvae need brackish or salt water to develop, so it does not breed in a normal freshwater tank.