Best Aquarium Snails for Beginners
Snails are the lowest-effort livestock there is — nerites for algae, mystery snails for personality, and a few that will breed whether you want them to or not. Every species here copes with ordinary community-tank water.
51 species · ordered by how many Shoal & Stem keepers have them · every card links to a full care guide
Nerite Snail
Neritina natalensis
5 gal min · 1" adult · Peaceful
Ramshorn Snail
Planorbarius corneus
5 gal min · 0.75" adult · Peaceful
Bladder Snail
Physella acuta
5 gal min · 0.5" adult · Peaceful
Mystery Snail
Pomacea bridgesii
5 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Assassin Snail
Clea helena
5 gal min · 1" adult · Peaceful
Gold Mystery Snail
Pomacea bridgesii
5 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Zebra Nerite Snail
Neritina natalensis 'Zebra'
5 gal min · 1" adult · Peaceful
Blue Mystery Snail
Pomacea bridgesii
5 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Malaysian Trumpet Snail
Melanoides tuberculata
5 gal min · 0.75" adult · Peaceful
Japanese Trapdoor Snail
Cipangopaludina japonica
10 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Pond Snail
Lymnaea stagnalis
10 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Red Racer Nerite Snail
Vittina waigiensis
5 gal min · 1" adult · Peaceful
Horned Nerite Snail
Clithon corona
5 gal min · 0.75" adult · Peaceful
Little Whirlpool Ramshorn Snail
Anisus vorticulus
5 gal min · 0.35" adult · Peaceful
Yellow Rabbit Snail
Tylomelania towutensis
20 gal min · 1.5" adult · Peaceful
Blue Ramshorn Snail
Planorbarius corneus
5 gal min · 0.75" adult · Peaceful
Giant Ramshorn Snail
Marisa cornuarietis
10 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Pink Ramshorn Snail
Planorbarius corneus
5 gal min · 0.75" adult · Peaceful
Purple Mystery Snail
Pomacea bridgesii
5 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Tiger Nerite Snail
Vittina semiconica
5 gal min · 1" adult · Peaceful
White Wizard Snail
Filopaludina martensi
10 gal min · 1.5" adult · Peaceful
Astrea Snail
Astraea tecta
10 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Batik Nerite Snail
Vittina turrita
5 gal min · 0.75" adult · Peaceful
Black Mystery Snail
Pomacea bridgesii
5 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Black Racer Nerite Snail
Neritina pulligera
5 gal min · 0.75" adult · Peaceful
Blueberry Snail
Viviparus sp.
5 gal min · 0.75" adult · Peaceful
Bumblebee Snail
Engina mendicaria
10 gal min · 1" adult · Peaceful
Cerith Snail
Cerithium sp.
10 gal min · 1" adult · Peaceful
Chestnut Mystery Snail
Pomacea bridgesii
5 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Chinese Trapdoor Snail
Bellamya chinensis
20 gal min · 2.5" adult · Peaceful
Fighting Conch
Strombus alatus
30 gal min · 3" adult · Peaceful
Ivory Mystery Snail
Pomacea bridgesii
5 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Jade Mystery Snail
Pomacea bridgesii
5 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Leopard Ramshorn Snail
Planorbella duryi
5 gal min · 1.25" adult · Peaceful
Magenta Mystery Snail
Pomacea bridgesii
5 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Margarita Snail
Margarites pupillus
10 gal min · 1" adult · Peaceful
Mountain Nerite Snail
Septaria porcellana
5 gal min · 0.5" adult · Peaceful
Nassarius
Nassarius vibex
10 gal min · 0.6" adult · Peaceful
Nassarius Snail
Nassarius sp.
10 gal min · 1.5" adult · Peaceful
Olive Nerite Snail
Neritina reclivata
5 gal min · 1" adult · Peaceful
Orange Track Snail
Taia naticoides
5 gal min · 0.5" adult · Peaceful
Red Lip Nerite Snail
Neritina waigiensis
5 gal min · 0.75" adult · Peaceful
Red Ramshorn Snail
Planorbarius corneus
5 gal min · 0.75" adult · Peaceful
Red Spot Nerite Snail
Clithon diadema
5 gal min · 0.75" adult · Peaceful
Ruby Nerite Snail
Neritina variegata
5 gal min · 0.75" adult · Peaceful
Spixi Snail
Asolene spixi
10 gal min · 1.2" adult · Peaceful
Stomatella Snail
Stomatella varia
10 gal min · 1" adult · Peaceful
Tectus Snail
Tectus fenestratus
10 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Trochus Snail
Trochus sp.
10 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Turbo Snail
Turbo fluctuosus
10 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Wild Mystery Snail
Pomacea bridgesii
5 gal min · 2" adult · Peaceful
Not sure your combination fits?
Put your tank size and stock into the calculator — it checks bioload, schooling numbers and compatibility together.