Are Nerite Snails Good for Your Tank?

If you are an enthusiastic aquarist you must have been in the dilemma of whether nerite snails are good for your tank or not. For newbie aquarists, deciding whether to keep these snails or not is even more confusing. But don’t worry we will clear all your doubts regarding the same. Freshwater aquarium snails like nerite Snails are becoming increasingly popular among pet stores and chain stores and it is easy to find anywhere. 

Nerite snails are highly regarded as excellent tank cleaners and algae-eating snails. Moreover, Amano Shrimp and nerite Snails are frequently referred to as members of an aquarium cleaning crew. These snails have a docile, pacifist, and calm temperament, and can easily move around the aquarium. 

The above-mentioned qualities of nerite snails make them people's favorite and they are a great addition to your freshwater tanks. Moreover, there are various varieties of  snails that you can put in your saltwater aquarium tank with fish. We are sure you have a lot more questions about nerite snails so keep on reading to know more about them!

Benefits of Keeping Nerite Snails in your Tank

Now that you know nerite snails are a perfect fit for your freshwater tank let’s examine some of their benefits and why you should actually invest in them:

• They come in various varieties:  It is common for nerite snails to be sold as freshwater aquarium snails, but some varieties can also be found in saltwater aquariums as well. These algae snails are very popular and are available in many pet stores in numerous varieties. Some of the most common varieties of nerite snails are: tiger nerite snails, zebra nerite snails, black racer nerite snails, olive nerite snails, horned nerite snails and many more.

• Easy to take care of: Another advantage of keeping nerite snails in your tank is that they are relatively easy to maintain and take care of. Aquarists who have less experience with snails or prefer low-maintenance aquariums should go for this snail. In addition, if you manage or take care of multiple freshwater aquariums with aquatic plants, you must consider getting nerite snails. 

• They have a calm and pacifist nature: It is natural to want an aquarium that is suitable for cultivating all sorts of plants and animals and what better choice can be other nerite snails for that? This snail is a good tank mate for a variety of aquatic animals because they are very calm and non-aggressive.

• Nerite snails eat algae: If you don’t know what algae are then they are a wide group of aquatic plants or non-flowering organisms. The most common question which aquarists have is how they can keep their tank algae-free. And the answer to that is with the help of nerite snails. Algae doubles in size every 24 hours and grows rapidly. The good news is these snails can help control the growth of algae in your aquarium. Aquarium decorations, glass, and plants are regularly consumed by this snail. Among the algae nerite snails also eat soft film algae, hair algae, soft brown algae, soft green algae, and brown diatoms.

Can Fish and Nerite Snails Live Together in the Tank?

By now you know that nerite snails are not harmful to your tank's environment and they live peacefully with other animals in the tank including fish. But you should keep some things in mind like don't overstock the tank with snails. 

It will give me a hard time with other creatures. They will face problems in moving freely in the tank and you can not also feed them in a proper manner. In addition, you must keep one thing in mind: you should not include aggressive fish in the tank like crayfish, goldfish etc., because they might eat the snails. 

Just like any other tank animal, nerite snails also have some disadvantages but it is not something that you can not overlook. For example: they can hide behind or inside the rank filter which can clog the piping, and your tank's ecological balance might get disturbed by the ammonia released by snails etc. But these are things that do not happen often and can be easily taken care of. 

All in all nerite snails are a good addition to your freshwater tank. And we hope after reading this article you can make an informed decision about whether you want to keep nerite snails in your tank or not!