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Ruby Nerite Snail
Neritina variegata
📍 Southeast Asia (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia)
Ruby Nerite Snails are small, attractive freshwater snails with distinctive red and black striped shells. They are excellent algae eaters that graze on biofilm and algae without harming live plants. These peaceful snails are ideal for planted tanks and community aquariums seeking natural algae control.
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Care Guide
Diet
Ruby Nerite Snails primarily graze on algae, biofilm, and decaying plant matter in the aquarium. Supplement with blanched vegetables (zucchini, spinach) and algae wafers if algae is scarce. Provide calcium-rich foods and cuttlebone or calcium supplements to maintain shell health and prevent erosion.
Behavior
These snails are nocturnal grazers that spend most of their time on surfaces consuming algae and biofilm. They are slow-moving and peaceful, rarely leaving the bottom or lower tank areas. Ruby Nerites do not burrow and are generally inactive during the day, becoming more active at night.
Breeding
Ruby Nerite Snails lay eggs above the waterline on hard surfaces, but the larvae require brackish water to develop. In freshwater aquariums, eggs will not hatch, making population control automatic and preventing tank overpopulation. This makes them ideal for community tanks without the risk of snail plagues.
Tank Mates
Both are peaceful algae eaters that occupy similar ecological niches without competing aggressively
Small, peaceful shrimp that coexist well with snails in planted tanks
Peaceful schooling fish that ignore snails and occupy different tank zones
Bottom-dwelling catfish that share similar peaceful temperament and do not prey on snails
Peaceful mid-water fish that generally ignore snails and do not pose predation risk
Small algae-eating fish that work synergistically with snails for algae control
Common Diseases
Shell Erosion / Calcium Deficiency
Pitted, thin, or crumbling shell; visible erosion on shell surface; slow growth
Increase water hardness (GH 6-12), add calcium supplements or cuttlebone, ensure pH above 6.5, perform regular water changes with mineral-rich water
Copper Toxicity
Lethargy, shell discoloration, retraction into shell, death; caused by copper in medications or tap water
Perform immediate large water changes, use copper-free medications only, test tap water for copper content, use reverse osmosis or copper-removing filters if needed
Parasitic Infections (Flukes/Worms)
Excessive mucus production, shell damage, lethargy, abnormal behavior, visible parasites
Quarantine affected snails, perform salt baths (1-2 teaspoons per gallon for 10-15 minutes), treat with copper-free parasite medications, improve water quality and tank hygiene
Bacterial Shell Disease
Fuzzy growth on shell, discoloration, pitting, foul odor from shell
Improve water quality through frequent water changes, remove decaying organic matter, maintain proper pH and hardness, ensure adequate calcium availability
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Quick Facts
- diet
- Herbivore/detritivore - grazes on algae, biofilm, and decaying plant matter
- lifespan
- 3-5 years
- max size
- 2 cm (0.75 in)
- tank size
- 5 gallons minimum
- temperament
- peaceful
Water it likes
- ph
- 6.5-8.0
- ammonia
- 0 ppm
- nitrate
- <20 ppm
- hardness
- 6-12 dGH
- temperature
- 72–82°F (22–28°C)