Got my Nerites - Question about care

I got 4 Nerites yesterday - 2 Zebra ones and 2 Tiger ones.

This morning, I noticed 2 of them completely out of the water above the water line. I tested my water to make sure everything was okay and it was ( 0/0/10 )
Is this a normal trait for them?

Also, one of the Nerites was completely on top of Gigantor's ( Mystery snail ) egg clutch ( Naughty, Naughty, Naughty )
I managed to get the snail off of the clutch with no damage to the clutch ( I don't think )
I swear, the egg clutch ( babysitting it ) is going to be the death of me yet!

My 7 yr old son named the Tiger Nerites ( dippin dots ) for BOTH the snails. No name yet for the Zebra ones. They sure are cute ( the size of a small cherry right now ) and VERY active!!!!! They are just all over the place!!!!

Here's a pic of them




Thanks for looking!


Junne

 

Hi, I just purchased 2 Zebra ones myself about 2 weeks ago. I have noticed they love to climb above the water line or just at the water line. They always end up back in the water and only send a couple hours or so above it. So I think its normal.

With that being said we should wait and see what somebody who has had them for more than 2 weeks says .

 

It's totally normal for them to climb above the water line. Snails actually breathe air, and sometimes they like to hang out up there while they catch their breath.

 

Thank you for the info! It appears that all of them are back in the water on their own accord.

 

Mine climb above the water line all the time, so I figure it is normal since my water parameters are consistently 0, 0, 20.

Love the name(s) your son gave to the snails! My boyfriend named our nerite snails Little Buddy 1-8. So original. lol

 

Hello Junne congratulations on the nerites they are very pretty dot and flash hang out wherever they fancy lol flash quite likes climbing up the filter tube and hanging out up there for an hour or two its normal

 

These snails are soooo cute!!! They are just a little bit bigger than a peanut m&m but they are SO fast! Yesterday when I was acclimating them in a bowl, my son and I were laughing because they all lined up in a vertical row and they were "snail racing"
They made it about 2 times around the bowl while we watched.....
When I got them in the main tank, within 5 minutes they were scattered everywhere! One found the zucchinI and has been on it all night!!!!
Cute! Cute! Cute!!!
My lfs has a new tank with hundreds of babies too!!!! I think I want to get some more...

 

Lol it was my nerites that got me hooked on snails I rarely see them in my LFS' but as soon as I see them again I'm definitely getting some more I quite like the markings on your tigers and I love the zebras

 

Lol it was my nerites that got me hooked on snails I rarely see them in my LFS' but as soon as I see them again I'm definitely getting some more I quite like the markings on your tigers and I love the zebras

Thank you!!!! They were actually cheaper than my Mystery snails at $2.99 a piece

Oh, how long can they be out of the water? Two of them have been at the top above the water line for at least 4 hours now. When I left this morning, they were there and they are STILL there.... Sleeping I presume.... Meanwhile, "dippin dots" is enjoying the zucchinI - still there from last night!

 

oh I love them! I wish we had them in Australia!

 

I wouldn't worry about it. Mine hang out above the water pretty frequently. He'll go back in the water before he "dries out."

 

I wouldn't worry about it. Mine hang out above the water pretty frequently. He'll go back in the water before he "dries out."

Gosh I hope your right otherwise I may have to attempt an "extraction" since the two are behind the filter housing. There's ample room for them to move so they're not stuck - its been over 6 hours now
Geez............................................

okay... these Nerites are scaring me!!!

I found one of the "Dippin dots" on the top of my tank lid ( unnoticed for awhile so I put him back in the water )
The other two are STILL ( assuming these are the same ones ) at the top of the tank behind the filter housing. The other one is safely in the water and prefers to be "in" than "out"

 

Hey Junne it's really nothing to worry about they sometimes like to be out of the water I find flash and dot in the inside of the hood of the fluval edge and caught flash once on his way into the filter.
They are strange little snails but I wouldn't worry. It did take me a few days but I'm used to the wierdness now

 

If your nitrates are low, and there's no ammonia or nitrite, then I think you're fine. Also make sure your pH is above 7, so their shells don't deteriorate (but I'm sure you knew this already).

 

Hey Junne it's really nothing to worry about they sometimes like to be out of the water I find flash and dot in the inside of the hood of the fluval edge and caught flash once on his way into the filter.
They are strange little snails but I wouldn't worry. It did take me a few days but I'm used to the wierdness now

Boy you're not kidding these little guys are really WEIRD! I've never had snails that were SO FAST and ALL over the place!!!! I just now noticed that the SAME one that was on the top of the lid IS BACK there!!!!

If your nitrates are low, and there's no ammonia or nitrite, then I think you're fine. Also make sure your pH is above 7, so their shells don't deteriorate (but I'm sure you knew this already).

0/0/10 on my current water parameters - My Nitrates used to stay around 5.0 for about 12-16 days but lately its been climbing up to around 10.0 around day 10 - I'm told its typical when your tank is established. As for my ph, its a steady 8.0 - 8.3
Other than that, I have no idea why they are doing this! All my other snails have never done this ( Well except for Gigantor who had her egg clutch )
They are making me crazy!

 

Lol sit back relax and let the little zooming snail monkeys do their thing

I was surprised how fast flash especially was when I first got them and there characteristics are completely different to the apple snail gang.
They sometimes find a place and disappear for a while in the tank too just thought I would give you the heads up

 

Lol sit back relax and let the little zooming snail monkeys do their thing

I was surprised how fast flash especially was when I first got them and there characteristics are completely different to the apple snail gang.
They sometimes find a place and disappear for a while in the tank too just thought I would give you the heads up

Thanks and yes, quite different from my slow poke Mystery snails!!! These guys move and move FAST! I just took him off the lid ( I know! MY BAD! ) and put him back in the water... I think he's trying to make a run for it again...... Silly Dippin dots!!!

 

They're exploring their new home. Soon they'll settle into a routine, mostly nocturnal.
I really enjoy my zebra nerite and I never thought I'd have snails again (didn't like them as a child because I could never tell whether they were alive or not, and well, they didn't last long 30 years ago before we knew about the nitrogen cycle, and you know what happens when snails die, etc., etc., )

 

They're exploring their new home. Soon they'll settle into a routine, mostly nocturnal.
I really enjoy my zebra nerite and I never thought I'd have snails again (didn't like them as a child because I could never tell whether they were alive or not, and well, they didn't last long 30 years ago before we knew about the nitrogen cycle, and you know what happens when snails die, etc., etc., )

Gosh it seems as though my biggest concern now is that they don't escape or stay out of the water too long. The floor under the tank is wood and it's a long way down!

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LOL it's okay. Generally speaking, they "know" what they're doing. When I first got mine, he/she disappeared for a few days and then reappeared. Now I don't worry about it.

It's cool when they go onto a plant leaf, also. I have an anubias in there and she/he explores all the way to the edge of a leaf, as far as possible, then adroitly turns around and moves down the stem. Very cool to watch!

 

LOL it's okay. Generally speaking, they "know" what they're doing. When I first got mine, he/she disappeared for a few days and then reappeared. Now I don't worry about it.

It's cool when they go onto a plant leaf, also. I have an anubias in there and she/he explores all the way to the edge of a leaf, as far as possible, then adroitly turns around and moves down the stem. Very cool to watch!

My mystery snail does that and she is not a small girl either. Lol
It's very amusing to see the plant leaf bend to the floor while she is still on it. She has no shame

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My mystery snail does that and she is not a small girl either. Lol
It's very amusing to see the plant leaf bend to the floor while she is still on it. She has no shame

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Good morning,

I'm glad you are enjoying your new Nerites. I have 5 in my 33g tank, one of them likes to escape and I found it on the floor (tile) 3' away from the tank. It had to have escaped via the back of the tank, and it had to have landed on some light bulb boxes and not the tile floor itself. The boxes were the only thing from preventing the snail from hitting the floor and cracking the shell. Luckily I found it in time and it's ok today.

Too, I have found them in my Overflow box (wet/dry filtration). They can truly get around! If you can block their escape routes, it would be a good idea.

Ken

 

Thanks Ken,
I thought the barbs would keep me busy but these little tiny guys are quick!!!!

I've got to try and figure out how to cover the 1/2 - 1 inch areas near the filter and hood area - so far they don't go near there but they DO like to hang out behind the filter housing - I am assuming its because its warm and humid back there?
3 of them are up there right now - gotta go find the other one
Boy and these little guys are poop machines!!! MUCH more so than my 3 plecos AND 3 mystery snails put together!!! I noticed my substrate was 3 times as messy as it was in the last 3 days that I got them!!! I am surprised my Nitrates aren't through the roof! Going to do my water change a few days early today!
Thanks again for the advice!!!

Junne

 

I've got to try and figure out how to cover the 1/2 - 1 inch areas near the filter and hood area

Duct tape of course It is my favorite tool, as it can fix absolutely ANYTHING!

 

Duct tape of course It is my favorite tool, as it can fix absolutely ANYTHING!

I've thought about tape but I don't want my sneaky snails to be taped to them - may be more harmful?
I was thinking of getting some foam and cutting it to size - maybe styrofoam since its pretty easy to get and dispose of.

 

Tape both sides, inside and out so there is no exposed stickyness. If you want it to look better, look for Gorilla tape. Its a more durable, thicker black version of duct tape. Id think the black will blend with the hood better so It will look more permanent.

 

Get snail-patterned duct tape;D

 

Thanks for the suggestions on the tape but after thinking about it, I really don't want anything semi-permanent and sticky like that. I think I will got with the thin styrofoam that I can cut out - that way it will easily come off when I do my cleaning

 

You could try and get black foam like used in fabric shops as wadding as its not going in the water you don't have to worry about contamination and it will blend with the colour

 

You could try and get black foam like used in fabric shops as wadding as its not going in the water you don't have to worry about contamination and it will blend with the colour

Thank you - that's probably a better idea than the generic styrofoam I was going to use - gotta make everything match, right

This is what the opening area looks like - I have 2 hob's running side by side

 

I would go with the black foam as it will still allow air to circulate or maybe cling film or seran wrap I think it's called in America clear plastic used to wrap food in it'll be cheaper and you probably already have some and when pulled tight looks clear could work temporarily and help to stop you worrying about them going AWOL

 

I would go with the black foam as it will still allow air to circulate or maybe cling film or seran wrap I think it's called in America clear plastic used to wrap food in it'll be cheaper and you probably already have some and when pulled tight looks clear could work temporarily and help to stop you worrying about them going AWOL

I'm going to do the saran wrap right now! Thanks! And yes, they are making me goooo crazy!!! I just got hubby to help me pull the filter housing up and I put all of them back in to the water and told them in my best Austin Power's voice, "ohhhh beeehave"

 

Lol glad I could help and giggles to the Austin powers we both know they won't but at least they will stay in the tank can't wait till I can get some more nerites I'm going to try and get some tigers like dippin dots

 

Love my Tigers, Sarah!!! They are just too cute!! Well, so are the Zebra's but they are so naughty!!! One of them is ALREADY back up at the top, above the water line and behind the filter housing!!! How do they know to go there????? The other 3 are heading up that way too!!!! Is it some radar or GPS they have?????? How could they possibly know which way to go - especially since I put them in the farthest end of the tank in the front!!!
I put the saran wrap on ( I don't know why I didn't think of this before - thanks again ) but this will help for 2 reasons. One to keep it humid in there for Gigantors eggs and 2 to keep my naughty dippin dots from climbing out!!!
Oh..... I need a nap!

Junne

 

Lol you're snail crazy I've been there it passes when I first put flash and dot in they disappeared for two days and then I found flash on his way into the filter so I told him off put him back down in the tank and less than half an hour later he was working his way back up little monkey
Then I got my two bigger apples and a week or so later got Liara a gourami and she wouldn't stop nipping at their antlers drove me nuts they weren't happy so now they are happy with Mordin surprisingly never bothers them I think having bing and bong the little apples already with him helped.

I'm thinking about putting two apples in with Grunt my other gourami as he is allot more relaxed but not sure yet. Liara doesn't bother the nerites though so when I get some more they will be going in my big tank

Grunt has had a bad bout of fin rot and lost both feelers and a bit of his lower fins so going to wait for him to heal either way but he is on the mend thankfully

 

Grunt has had a bad bout of fin rot and lost both feelers and a bit of his lower fins so going to wait for him to heal either way but he is on the mend thankfully

Oh I am sorry to hear that!!! hope he gets better soon!

Sure enough, after I woke up from my nap, ALL of them are back to where they were!!!! They MUST be leaving a scent trail or something!!! Amazing! Guess I will just let them be.....

 

Thank you Junne I hope so he's such a lovely little fish I am hopeful for him though and he is happy he has a tank all to himself well until Trumper multiply's

You'll get used to your snails being uncooperative lol this morning flash is out and about and dot has disappeared but I know they are in there somewhere

 

have you tried pets at home magoo they do Nerites snails!!!!! genarally with the bettas all cooped up I hate to see the bettas there especially the female there is about 6 in a 1L cube I hate it

or there is quite a few on ebay
don't know if I'm allowed to do this but here a good place

 

Junne:
What about glueing some kind of net or mesh to the inside top of the tank?
That could prevent the snail from getting out...
If you glued the net to the filter in a way that the top hood would rest on in, when closed, it would sort of 'seal' the exit for the snails, but it wouldn't be hermetic. So there could still be gas exchange (O2 >< CO2) at the water surface...