Do Nerites just not like my tank?

Does lack of nerite eggs mean they aren’t doing well? I expected to see white eggs everywhere but I haven’t seen any. I also rarely see the nerites, they’re usually hiding, I don’t see them eating, and when they move they are very slow. Very different than all the pest snails I have.

Curious also if anybody has had trouble keeping them alive? I had 5 (zebras, tiger, batik) and 3 have died in the last month. I kept finding them outside the tank or in the filter, one of them was on the floor 5 feet from the tank. I’d pick them up and put them back in but they ended up dying.

ammo 0 nitrites 0 nitrates 20 ph 8.2 kh 12 gh 6 (minerals added to get it to 6)

 

How much algae (especially brown algae) does your tank have? Or, I should say "did" your tank have, because the Nerites would've mowed through it by now. I never had any luck keeping Nerites alive, or even active when they were still alive. Then I had a breakout of brown algae. I decided to try Nerites again. I fought the urge to get more than 2 and honestly, even 2 are probably too many for a 10 gallon tank. But, they've thrived. Houdini is shy and only comes out after lights out. Zebra is super active and out eating all the time. After they cleared my algae problem, I started adding a little shrimp fit to the tank and also feeding them snail jello. I've come to believe that a lot of Nerites don't survive long because they not only prefer algae, they kinda need it. I think many accidentally starve. Try supplementing their diet. I could be off base, I've only recently had success with keeping Nerites, but I hope my advice is helpful.

 

I throw algae wafers in from time to time because even having 1 per tank they mowed the algae down very well...i don't see them often with the tank lights on, unless they haven't made it back to their hidey spots yet. So maybe they prefer low light in general? Mine seem to at least.

 

I have no luck with them either. I put algae wafers in every other day because I cant seem to grow algae, but I've lost 4 in the last few months. Theres a chance you just have males and that's why there's no eggs. Even the snails I lost laid eggs everywhere.

 

Does lack of nerite eggs mean they aren’t doing well? I expected to see white eggs everywhere but I haven’t seen any. I also rarely see the nerites, they’re usually hiding, I don’t see them eating, and when they move they are very slow. Very different than all the pest snails I have.

Curious also if anybody has had trouble keeping them alive? I had 5 (zebras, tiger, batik) and 3 have died in the last month. I kept finding them outside the tank or in the filter, one of them was on the floor 5 feet from the tank. I’d pick them up and put them back in but they ended up dying.

ammo 0 nitrites 0 nitrates 20 ph 8.2 kh 12 gh 6 (minerals added to get it to 6)

Mine are invincible, they lay eggs everywhere and just eat shrimp food. Btw don’t pick them up and put them back in the water, just let them do as they please

 

Haven't noticed eggs in my tank either.. i just assumed i have males. Haven't seen any clutches in the tank where the mystery snail is at either, now that i think about it.

 

I purchased 2 Nerite Horned Snails in Sept. and having no problems with them. So far they are healthy because I see them all over the tank and haven't tried to climb out either. I'm not sure if I would know of eggs if I see any.

 

How much algae (especially brown algae) does your tank have? Or, I should say "did" your tank have, because the Nerites would've mowed through it by now. I never had any luck keeping Nerites alive, or even active when they were still alive. Then I had a breakout of brown algae. I decided to try Nerites again. I fought the urge to get more than 2 and honestly, even 2 are probably too many for a 10 gallon tank. But, they've thrived. Houdini is shy and only comes out after lights out. Zebra is super active and out eating all the time. After they cleared my algae problem, I started adding a little shrimp fit to the tank and also feeding them snail jello. I've come to believe that a lot of Nerites don't survive long because they not only prefer algae, they kinda need it. I think many accidentally starve. Try supplementing their diet. I could be off base, I've only recently had success with keeping Nerites, but I hope my advice is helpful.

I unfortunately don’t have a lot of algae, except for cladophora, which the snails don’t eat. So that makes sense, maybe they are starving. My pest snails will eat wafers and pellets that drop to the bottom but the nerites dont. Maybe I need to try the snello. Thank you for the reply.

I throw algae wafers in from time to time because even having 1 per tank they mowed the algae down very well...i don't see them often with the tank lights on, unless they haven't made it back to their hidey spots yet. So maybe they prefer low light in general? Mine seem to at least.

Do you see them eating the algae wafers? I drop in those for my pleco, the ram and Corys will eat it too, I don’t see the nerites ever come out for it for some reason.

I have no luck with them either. I put algae wafers in every other day because I cant seem to grow algae, but I've lost 4 in the last few months. Theres a chance you just have males and that's why there's no eggs. Even the snails I lost laid eggs everywhere.

Ah that makes sense. I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who has trouble with them (but sorry that you lost 4 :/ )

Mine are invincible, they lay eggs everywhere and just eat shrimp food. Btw don’t pick them up and put them back in the water, just let them do as they please

Really, even if they are outside the tank or on the floor??
I don’t touch the ones hanging out in the filter or above the water line on the rim

 

I spoke too soon. Turned my aquarium light on, there is what appears to be snail eggs all over the top of my sponge filter.

 

I have 4 nerites and notice that they seem to prefer driftwood and cholla to anything else. They are very active eaters when on them. They appear fine, but I also don’t have eggs (yet).

 

Thought I'd come back here because I've made an observation

I had to take my nerite out of my betta tank because I was treating the tank with meds that weren't snail safe. He went into a jar that I've been keeping bladder snails in and propagating Pothos. The jar was pretty much luminous green because it lives on the window sill. 2 days of the nerite being in the jar, it is crystal clear. I always vaccum out the algae wafers in the betta tank and I figured they just weren't big eaters; evidently this isnt the case. Now I'm convinced the reason my nerites are dying is they're starving because they dont eat the wafers. There is absolutely no way my tank has the kind of algae growth the jar did, and my nerite cleaned it all up in just 2 days. He is also so much more active in the jar than he ever was in the tank.

 

For me, my tank has only been up for a bit past a month. Originally got my nerite to eat A LOT of white fungus on my driftwood (after fishless cycling), but I also bought two other mystery snails. Thing is, my mystery snails devoured the whole thing theirselves in 5 days. My nerite is very slow; my mystery snails are the flash compared to him

And I have no algae at all in my tank, or at least it's not visible. So he has no source of food at all. I tried feeding him, but he ignored the food I provide (the mystery snails ended up eating all). However, he's doing really well and alive (quite active too), I really don't know how though

 

Thought I'd come back here because I've made an observation

I had to take my nerite out of my betta tank because I was treating the tank with meds that weren't snail safe. He went into a jar that I've been keeping bladder snails in and propagating Pothos. The jar was pretty much luminous green because it lives on the window sill. 2 days of the nerite being in the jar, it is crystal clear. I always vaccum out the algae wafers in the betta tank and I figured they just weren't big eaters; evidently this isnt the case. Now I'm convinced the reason my nerites are dying is they're starving because they dont eat the wafers. There is absolutely no way my tank has the kind of algae growth the jar did, and my nerite cleaned it all up in just 2 days. He is also so much more active in the jar than he ever was in the tank.

I'm so glad you figured out the problem. I suspect starvation is the reason a lot of people have trouble keeping Nerites alive. I know mine didn't thrive until I bought my Nerites AFTER a ton of brown algae had already grown.

 

I've never had any luck with nerites either. They didn't eat anything, hid in their shells all day and then eventually just died

 

Thought I'd come back here because I've made an observation

I had to take my nerite out of my betta tank because I was treating the tank with meds that weren't snail safe. He went into a jar that I've been keeping bladder snails in and propagating Pothos. The jar was pretty much luminous green because it lives on the window sill. 2 days of the nerite being in the jar, it is crystal clear. I always vaccum out the algae wafers in the betta tank and I figured they just weren't big eaters; evidently this isnt the case. Now I'm convinced the reason my nerites are dying is they're starving because they dont eat the wafers. There is absolutely no way my tank has the kind of algae growth the jar did, and my nerite cleaned it all up in just 2 days. He is also so much more active in the jar than he ever was in the tank.

Very interesting. It definitely sounds like they are starving. Will you perhaps keep him in the jar?

For me, my tank has only been up for a bit past a month. Originally got my nerite to eat A LOT of white fungus on my driftwood (after fishless cycling), but I also bought two other mystery snails. Thing is, my mystery snails devoured the whole thing theirselves in 5 days. My nerite is very slow; my mystery snails are the flash compared to him

And I have no algae at all in my tank, or at least it's not visible. So he has no source of food at all. I tried feeding him, but he ignored the food I provide (the mystery snails ended up eating all). However, he's doing really well and alive (quite active too), I really don't know how though

I’m going to try some mystery snails. I know they aren’t big algae eaters but that’s not really what I want them for anymore. They will be ornamental more than anything.

I've never had any luck with nerites either. They didn't eat anything, hid in their shells all day and then eventually just died

Sounds very familiar :/

 

I’m going to try some mystery snails. I know they aren’t big algae eaters but that’s not really what I want them for anymore. They will be ornamental more than anything.

Mystery snails are THE best snails (for me). They're basically half fish half snail. I got my mystery snails as "pets" and not cleaners. But they cleaned up my tank real good (way more than my nerite did). And there's so many things they do I never knew snails did XDDD So much personality

I might be biased though as I'm in love with mystery snails, but look, my mystery snail walking "on" the water surface;

 

If there's not enough algae in a nerite's tank then you'll need to supplement their diet. The unfortunate thing is that they can be picky eaters with individual tastes. I suggest trying blanched vegetables, like zucchini, cucumber, and I've heard they eat romaine lettuce.

 

Its so strange. I have every Nerite I ever purchased still alive. The Zebras are going on 2 yrs old. Don't seem to be slowing down at all. I can't keep a Mystery snail alive for more than a few months so I gave up on those. My Nerites lay eggs everywhere.....Even the solo one in my 5g How's that happening? lol