Nerite Snail

Nerite Snails, Trochus sp., make one of the better cleaners available to aquarium hobbyists, as they stay small enough that they do not upset corals or decorations. At a maximum size of around 1 inch, these outstanding cleaners are found on a number of reefs scattered throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Of particular use to the home aquarist is this snail's penchant for removing film algae on the aquarium glass. The black and brown mottled, rounded shell is attractive, for a snail. These eager eaters desire several types of micro algae commonly found in the home aquarium. The radula, or tongue, of the snail has a rasp like texture. When pulled across a surface, this rasp pulls the algae loose for a quick snack. This can be easily seen while the snail is working on cleaning the glass. As with other marine snails, a copper content above moderate levels will likely cause the snail to perish.

Notes: The shell of this animal is constantly growing. The fleshy mantle deposits the calcium based construction material on a continual basis. Maintaining proper calcium levels of 350 to 450 ppm will assist the growth of this animal. If algae becomes unavailable in the aquarium, supplement this animals diet with dried seaweed.

Detailed Information about this animal.