Nerite snails are one of the most beneficial snails in fish tanks. They assist in keeping the tanks clean by feeding on algae. However, getting rid of nerite eggs in fish tanks can be challenging and frustrating.
How Do I Get Rid Of Nerite Snail Eggs? To get rid of nerite snail eggs from tanks, scrap them off the surface they are attached to then perform a water change. If the tank is a freshwater tank, it will prevent the nerite snails from laying eggs in the first place.
Some individuals also suggest the use of hydrogen peroxide in getting rid of nerite snail eggs. As much as this works, it can have negative side effects.
Hydrogen peroxide will get rid of both the snails and their eggs. Also, it can bleach driftwood and other substrates in the tank. Nerite snail eggs can be annoying; however, it is equally essential to take cautious steps in your approach.
Will My Nerite Snail Eggs Hatch?
It is very unlikely for nerite snails to lay eggs in freshwater tanks. Nerite snails need brackish water to aid their reproduction. Their reproduction requirements limit the rate at which nerite snails take over tanks relative to other sails.
Once the nerite snail lay eggs in your tank, they become noticeable. You will begin to find them on many hard surfaces in the tank. These surfaces include; walls of the tanks, plant surfaces, substrates, and any other available surface.
What Do Nerite Snail Eggs Look Like?
Nerite snail eggs are more noticeable on dark surfaces or dark shades. This preference is because nerite eggs usually appear like white dots. The eggs will scatter all over the tank and can develop to form larvae in a couple of weeks.
Nerite snails reproduce by external fertilization. The resulting larvae don’t usually survive in freshwater habitats.
What do you do with snail eggs in a fish tank?
Lifespan of Nerite Snails
Nerite snails have one of the shortest lifespans compared to most aquarium members. On average, nerite snails can live around 1-2 years in an aquarium. Their lifespans depend on tank conditions, feeding, and other parameters like tank mates.
If you intend to enhance your nerite snails’ lifespan, it is essential to make some tank preparations before adding them. You should evaluate all the tank parameters and be sure that they are suitable conditions for the snail.
You should evaluate the tank water for pH, ammonia concentration, nitrate level, and water hardness. It is best to tweak these parameters to suit the nerite snails if you intend to keep them.
Nerite Snail Required Water Conditions
Nerite snails can survive both freshwater and brackish water, as long as the parameters are favorable to them. However, their reproduction is only favored in brackish water. Nerite snails’ larvae cannot survive in freshwater.
In some cases, you might find your nerite snail dying off after a few days or weeks of adding them. This unfortunate incident can happen due to several reasons. It might be due to stress that comes with a change of environment or being transported.
The scenario can also be as a result of unhealthy water and tank conditions. You should start by re-evaluating the tank parameters and gradually alter it to suit the nerite snails if need be. However, you can avoid this from the onset by preparing the parameters before introducing them to the tank.
What Does a Nerite Snails Look Like?
The first observable characteristic of a nerite snail is its size. The sizes, however, vary with the age and type. The size of nerite snails is directly proportional to their age. The older the snail, the larger it gets.
On average, the size of a nerite snail is within the range of 1 to 2 inches. The horned nerite snail is the smallest type when it comes to sizes. The smaller size of a horned nerite measures about 0.25 inches while the larger size is about 0.5 inches.
Another significant feature of nerite snails is the color. It is quite difficult to say the specific color of nerite snails because there are many types. Each type of nerite usually has its colors.
However, the range of nerite colors includes olive green, golden, dark brown, reddish-brown, and some near-black colors.
Nerites can also exhibit several patterns. Some have colored dots, while others are striped. Some nerites also have dark ridges, and track marks.
It is best to note the specific type of nerite that you intend to get to have a better insight into nerite colors.
Suitable Tank Mates for Nerite Snails
Most aquarists choose to have nerites in their tank because they form good tank mates for most aquarium fish. Nerites can live with several species of freshwater and brackish fish as long as the tank conditions are favorable.
The only problem with nerite snails is the difficulty in getting rid of their eggs. You can, however, prevent this occurrence by making the tank non-suitable for their reproduction. Brackish water favors their reproduction, while freshwater inhibits it.
Nerites can also have problems living with aggressive fish that can eat them. It is best to avoid including fish like loaches, cichlids, aquarium crayfish, and goldfish in the same tank with nerites.
The suitable tank mates for nerites include snails of a similar type, ghost shrimp, mystery snails, red cherry shrimp, Cory catfish, otocinlus catfish, and ivory sails, bamboo shrimp, and vampire shrimps.
Conclusion
Nerites snails are a fantastic inclusion into fish tanks. They can cope in freshwater environments, but their reproduction is smooth in brackish water. They are easy to care for; thus, making them suitable for beginners.
The only challenge in keeping nerite snails is getting rid of their eggs if you don’t want them. The best step to take is to make the tank condition unfavorable for their reproduction if you don’t intend to breed them.
You can also scrape the eggs off the surface they attach to during a water change. However, aside from the annoying egg issues, you shouldn’t have a problem with having nerites in your fish tank.
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