Zebra Horned Nerite Snail (Clithon corona)

Zebra Horned Nerite Snail is the trade name used for this small, patterned Clithon snail. The stock is sold as Clithon corona, an accepted species in the family Neritidae, while the supplier record itself identifies the animal more broadly as "Clithon / thorn zebra". That distinction matters: the striped shell and horn-like projections make the trade form recognisable, but shell colour, banding, horn number and horn length naturally vary between living snails.

This listing supplies one unsexed snail per selected quantity. The current supplier dispatch-size band is approximately 0.5-1 cm; it is not a promise that every shell will measure exactly the same on arrival, and it should not be confused with a fixed adult maximum. Quantity one is not a pair, even where an illustrative gallery image contains two snails. Sex and a particular shell pattern cannot be selected.

A horned nerite is best chosen for a mature, filtered aquarium that already offers edible films on glass, wood or rock. It can contribute to surface grazing, but it is not a guaranteed cure for every type of aquarium algae and it does not replace water tests, maintenance or suitable feeding. The animal must have enough food after the visible growth has been reduced.

The four current gallery images are illustrative views derived from the supplier reference, not photographs of the exact snail that will be packed. They show the broad yellow-and-dark horned shell form, while the animal dispatched can be smaller, less intensely coloured and differently patterned.

What exactly will I receive?

Each basket quantity buys one living snail from the active stock. The supplier's 0.5-1 cm band describes the expected dispatch grade, not an exact measurement certificate. A shell can be measured differently depending on whether projections are included, and availability can vary within the band. The live price and inventory shown beside the basket are the commercial source of truth; this care text does not override them.

If several snails are required, increase the Shopify quantity. Do not decide the number from litres alone: each animal needs enough established grazing surface, and a clean-looking aquarium may have little edible growth. Adding too many at once can create food competition even when the filter could process their waste.

Eligible livestock orders are covered by our current Live Arrival Guarantee; postcode, dispatch and evidence conditions are explained on the delivery page. Eligible first-time customers can use WELCOME10 for 10% off under the current checkout terms. Neither offer changes the need to prepare a mature, suitable aquarium before ordering.

Name, taxonomy and identity limits

GBIF and Catalogue of Life accept Clithon corona (Linnaeus, 1758) in the family Neritidae. Recorded English common names include horned nerite, thorn nerite, Bumblebee Horned Snail and Assorted Thorn Nerite Snail. Older sources may use Neritina corona; that is a historical combination rather than a second animal that should be added to the title for extra keywords.

The supplier record is less specific than the retail trade name: it gives the genus and the description "thorn zebra". The supplied reference photograph is consistent with the familiar striped, spined Clithon form, but a photograph and trade label are not the same as examining every specimen's diagnostic anatomy. This page therefore uses the accepted trade identification while stating the boundary openly.

Peer-reviewed field work has recorded C. corona in upper mangrove and estuarine settings. That ecological context helps explain why neritid life cycles and salinity are more complicated than a simple "freshwater-only" label. It does not mean salt should be added to a normal community aquarium, and it does not provide a reason to make abrupt salinity changes to a newly delivered snail.

The exact capture or breeding country for this supplier batch is not stated. It would therefore be misleading to promise "wild from" a particular country or to claim captive breeding without evidence. Customers receive the trade stock described above, not a locality-certified specimen.

Shell appearance, adult growth and image limits

A typical individual has a compact, rounded shell with dark and yellow, cream or olive banding. Short horn-like projections emerge from the shell, but their number, direction and length vary. A horn may also be shorter through normal growth or prior wear. Pattern variation is part of the animal and is not a defect merely because it differs from a highly polished illustration.

The supplier provides a 0.5-1 cm dispatch band but no separately verified adult maximum for this batch. Hobby sources often describe horned forms as remaining small, yet reported figures vary according to species identity and how the shell is measured. This listing does not turn those estimates into a guaranteed final size. Plan the aquarium around water stability, available grazing area and the needs of all inhabitants rather than treating a small shell measurement as permission to overcrowd a nano tank.

The gallery is useful for recognising the general form: image one presents a single striped shell in aquarium context, image two shows two illustrative animals, image three isolates a side profile, and image four places one beside a plant. These are not scale photographs. The second image does not alter the sale unit, and none of the four guarantees a particular stripe, horn arrangement, sex or exact colour saturation.

Is this snail right for my aquarium?

This animal can suit planted aquaria, shrimp systems and peaceful communities when the tank is mature and its chemistry is appropriate. The best match is not simply a tank with visible algae. It is a system with a working biological filter, zero ammonia and nitrite, stable temperature, enough mineral content to support the shell, a secure cover and tank mates that will not bite, crush or repeatedly dislodge the snail.

It is inaccurate to call any livestock maintenance-free. A small invertebrate may create modest waste, but it can still starve, suffer chemical shock or be poisoned by a treatment chosen for fish. A prepared beginner can keep this snail successfully; an unprepared aquarium is not made suitable by the word "easy".

Tank size, grazing area and stocking number

OATA gives at least 10 litres as a broad minimum for a group of small freshwater shrimp or snails and stresses that larger aquaria are more environmentally stable. That is a general welfare floor, not a formula proving that every 10-litre aquarium should receive this species. For one Zebra Horned Nerite, 20 litres or more is our practical starting point because it gives more water stability, more hard surface for grazing and more room to separate the snail from equipment and tank mates.

A larger aquarium is required when fish are present, when several grazing animals share the tank or when natural food is sparse. The relevant resource is not water volume alone. Two tanks of equal litres can offer very different surface area, maturity, oxygenation, filter capacity and competition. A well-established 30-litre planted aquarium may provide more useful grazing than a newly scrubbed larger tank, but maturity cannot excuse unsuitable chemistry or crowding.

Add livestock gradually. Even a mature filter responds to increased waste and feeding, while the available biofilm does not instantly multiply because several snails were ordered. Start conservatively, observe whether the animal remains active and maintains body condition, and supplement appropriately rather than using a fixed "one snail per number of litres" rule.

Use a close-fitting lid or cover glass and inspect cable, pipe and filter gaps. Nerites may explore at or above the waterline. Escaping can also increase when conditions are unsuitable, but occasional exploration is not by itself a diagnosis. Check chemistry, oxygen, temperature, food and tank-mate pressure if behaviour changes.

Aquarium setup: filtration, surfaces, plants and flow

A dependable filter is essential. OATA recommends filtration for freshwater snails because it supports biological processing and more stable water quality. Choose a unit appropriate to the whole aquarium, protect any intake that could trap small invertebrates, and maintain oxygen exchange without creating a current that repeatedly rolls or dislodges the snail.

Wood, aquarium-safe stone, glass and broad plant leaves provide surfaces on which edible films can develop. Do not sterilise every surface at the same time. Routine cleaning should remove harmful waste while leaving the aquarium biologically mature. If all visible growth is scrubbed away, the feeding plan must compensate.

Healthy live plants are not a complete diet, but they add structure and grazing area. This snail is normally selected as a surface grazer rather than a plant eater. It should not be sold with an absolute promise that no plant will ever show contact or damage: a hungry animal can investigate soft or deteriorating tissue, and pre-existing leaf decay is easily mistaken for grazing on healthy growth. Monitor the actual tank rather than relying on a slogan.

Sand or smooth gravel can both work. The substrate choice should suit the entire community and be easy to keep free of decaying food. Avoid sharp metal, flaking ornament, exposed adhesive and decor whose aquarium safety is unknown. Rinse hands thoroughly so no soap, moisturiser, cleaning spray or other household residue enters the water.

Moderate aquarium lighting can support plants and a controlled amount of surface growth, but leaving lights on excessively to feed a snail can create unstable nuisance blooms. Use a consistent day-night schedule appropriate to the plants and fish, then offer supplementary food if the available film is insufficient.

Water parameters with source context

OATA's current general guide for freshwater shrimp and snails gives 17-27°C, pH 6.5-8.0, 4-18 dGH and 3-15 dKH, with ammonia and nitrite at zero. OATA also states that these are broad group values and species-specific requirements must be checked. This trade stock is a tropical, shell-bearing Clithon, so a practical target is a stable 22-26°C, pH 7.0-8.0 and moderate-to-hard mineral content rather than the extreme edge of every generic range.

Minerals matter because the shell is calcium-carbonate based, but "add calcium" is not a complete diagnosis. Measure GH, KH and pH before adding a remineraliser, mineral food or other product. Too much unmeasured correction can create another rapid change. If tap water is naturally very soft, choose a controlled remineralisation method intended for aquaria and verify the resulting chemistry with tests.

There is no single UK tap-water profile. Two postcodes can receive very different supplies, and source water can change. Use the water parameter matcher to organise the comparison, then test the actual aquarium. Published ranges describe conditions to maintain; they do not make abrupt movement between two endpoints safe.

Do not add aquarium salt merely because the species has estuarine ecology or a complex larval life cycle. Adult maintenance and larval propagation are different questions. Unplanned salinity can harm plants and tank mates and can create osmotic stress. A normal freshwater purchase should enter a freshwater aquarium whose measured conditions are compatible with the holding water.

Cycling, testing and routine maintenance

The aquarium must be cycled before the snail arrives. Clear water is not proof that nitrifying bacteria can process waste. Confirm zero ammonia and nitrite with suitable tests, establish a normal nitrate baseline, and check that the filter and heater continue to work under real operating conditions. Our care planner can help organise preparation, but it cannot replace test results.

OATA recommends a weekly partial water change of about 25% as a general routine. The appropriate amount depends on stocking, feeding, plant mass, source-water nitrate and test trends. Treat replacement tap water for chlorine or chloramine, match temperature reasonably, and add it in a way that does not create a sudden chemistry swing.

Rinse reusable filter media gently in removed aquarium water when necessary, not under untreated chlorinated tap water. Do not replace all biological media at once. Siphon persistent waste and remove decomposing food, but avoid turning maintenance into a complete stripping of every established surface.

What does a horned nerite eat?

The animal grazes microscopic and visible growth from hard surfaces. That can include biofilm, diatoms and some soft algal films, but preferences vary and no snail reliably consumes every problem growth. It may ignore long filamentous algae, hard spots or growth whose texture is unsuitable. Buy it as a living animal with feeding needs, not as a guaranteed cleaning appliance.

A mature aquarium may supply much of the diet, but the supply changes as grazing succeeds. Watch the relationship between the number of grazers and the available surface. In a very clean tank, offer a suitable algae wafer, plant-based invertebrate food or another reputable snail-safe product. OATA specifically recommends supplementing grazing with algae wafers so that freshwater snails receive enough food.

OATA's broad guide suggests feeding freshwater shrimp and snails two or three times a week, but the correct supplementation frequency depends on the tank's natural food, competition and what the animal actually consumes. Do not feed mechanically while uneaten food accumulates. Conversely, do not assume a polished aquarium provides enough simply because the snail was originally bought to graze.

Shrimp, fish and other snails may take a wafer first. Feed where the snail can locate it and observe after the lights dim if necessary. A food disappearing does not prove this individual ate it. Persistent inactivity, loss of attachment or poor body condition should prompt water tests and a review of food access rather than indiscriminate overfeeding.

Tank mates and planted-aquarium compatibility

This Clithon is a non-predatory grazer and does not hunt fish or shrimp. The main compatibility risk runs in the other direction: fish or crustaceans may bite the soft body, pull at the operculum, crush the shell or repeatedly knock the snail from surfaces. Check each tank mate by exact species and adult behaviour.

Many peaceful fish can share an aquarium, but the label "community fish" is not a guarantee. Compare temperature, pH, hardness, group size, adult mouth size and feeding behaviour. A tank can be chemically suitable for the snail yet unsuitable for a soft-water fish, or the reverse. Space used by existing fish also matters.

For another non-predatory patterned option, compare the Parallel Nerite Snail or the supplier-assorted Mixed Nerite Snails. The Yellow Rabbit Snail is a different, larger-bodied type whose space and feeding needs must be checked separately. Do not house this product with the Assassin Snail.

Planted aquaria can be a good match because leaves and hardscape provide grazing surfaces. Healthy-plant safety should still be described as normal behaviour, not a warranty. Diagnose holes or melting leaves from the plant's condition, nutrients, light, livestock and physical damage rather than assigning every mark to the nearest snail.

Egg capsules, sex and breeding expectations

Male and female nerites are separate, but customers generally cannot sex this trade stock reliably from shell appearance. This listing is unsexed. Ordering one does not guarantee either sex; ordering several does not guarantee a mixed group or a fertile pairing.

A female may leave small, pale egg capsules on wood, rock, equipment, glass or other hard surfaces. The presence of capsules does not prove that viable young will develop. Fertilisation, species identity, salinity transitions, larval food and rearing conditions all influence the outcome.

Do not expect juvenile recruitment in an ordinary freshwater community aquarium. Peer-reviewed propagation work on the related horned species Clithon diadema found no larval hatching at zero salinity, illustrating why the life cycle cannot be reduced to ordinary freshwater egg care. That study is not permission to copy its experimental salinities onto C. corona, and it does not make a safe home-breeding recipe.

If pale capsules would be unacceptable on visible hardscape, consider that before purchase. They can adhere firmly and may remain visible. Never expose the whole community to abrupt salinity changes or unverified chemicals in an attempt to hatch or remove them. Advanced propagation requires species confirmation, controlled systems and appropriate larval foods beyond normal display-tank care.

Normal behaviour and escape prevention

A settled snail may graze across glass, wood, rock, leaves and equipment, with periods of rest between movements. Activity can be easier to see in lower light. One individual may explore more than another, so a single day's pace is not a universal health score.

Nerites may travel to the waterline or briefly above it. Keep a secure lid and block unsafe routes around pipes while allowing normal gas exchange. If the animal repeatedly tries to leave or several inhabitants change behaviour together, test the water and inspect oxygenation, temperature, contaminants and tank-mate pressure.

After transport, temporary inactivity can occur. Do not repeatedly pull the snail from a surface to check it. Observe whether the foot attaches, whether the operculum remains appropriately positioned and whether movement resumes. A foul smell, tissue deterioration, prolonged non-response or inability to attach requires prompt investigation and isolation where appropriate.

If a snail falls, place it upright on a stable submerged surface where it can attach, using clean wet hands or aquarium-safe tools. Do not drop it back from above the water or handle it by the horn projections. Check that forceful flow or a tank mate is not repeatedly causing the fall.

Shell health, copper and troubleshooting

Shell condition reflects both past and current experience. Existing pits, pale areas or worn tips do not instantly disappear when water improves; the aim is to prevent continuing damage and support sound new growth. A solid shell, firm attachment and normal movement are useful observations, but none replaces water tests.

OATA warns that freshwater shrimp and snails are highly sensitive to copper. Check every medication, fertiliser, conditioner and algaecide label for invertebrate safety. Do not assume "natural", "plant-safe" or "safe for fish" means safe for snails. Avoid cross-contamination from nets, buckets or filter media used in a treated aquarium.

Trace copper is a technical subject, and product labels plus the manufacturer's intended dose matter. The practical rule for this listing is simpler: never dose an unverified treatment blindly. If fish require a medicine unsuitable for invertebrates, use an appropriately cycled treatment system under competent guidance instead of exposing the snail and hoping the dose is low enough.

Correct the cause before adding random shell products. Test pH, GH and KH; review source water; confirm that the animal is eating; and make changes gradually. Existing damage may remain visible. For unexplained deterioration, repeated losses or signs affecting several animals, seek advice from an aquatic veterinary professional or another appropriately competent aquatic-health source.

Delivery and acclimation

Prepare before dispatch: cycle the aquarium, test it, confirm that filtration and heating are stable, close escape gaps and make sure a suitable grazing or supplementary food source exists. Do not plan to set up the tank after the animal arrives. Review the delivery terms in advance, especially postcode and evidence requirements for the Live Arrival Guarantee.

This sequence follows OATA's general guidance, but the instructions supplied with the order and the measured chemistry take priority. The acclimation timer can help pace a gradual process. Acclimation cannot make fundamentally unsuitable water safe, which is why pH, hardness and temperature should be checked before purchase.

Do not pour shipping water into the display tank. Use clean, aquarium-dedicated equipment and avoid exposing the snail to dry air for longer than necessary. After transfer, allow quiet settling time. Do not treat a new arrival prophylactically with an unverified fish medication, and do not overfeed merely to test whether it is alive.

If there is a delivery concern, follow the current guarantee instructions immediately and retain time-stamped photographs. Contact us through the support page rather than waiting for the evidence window to pass.

Compare other aquarium snails

Choose this listing when you want the small zebra-horned Clithon trade form and accept natural shell variation. Choose the Mixed Nerite listing when the exact nerite pattern is less important than receiving the supplier's available assortment. Choose the Parallel Nerite when its smoother striped appearance is preferred. Each listing still requires its own current size, identity and care evidence.

Browse the nerite collection for closely related commercial options, the wider aquarium-snail collection for other types, and the nerite care guide for broader husbandry. Those pages cover category-level questions; this product page remains focused on the exact sale unit, supplier evidence and limits for the zebra-horned stock.

Why order from Tropical Fish Co?

Our job is to describe the animal honestly before it enters the box. This page states the current supplier dispatch band, the one-snail sale unit, the scientific-name boundary and the illustrative nature of the gallery instead of using a dramatic image as a hidden size or colour promise.

Orders are packed for live delivery and eligible livestock is supported by the current Live Arrival Guarantee. The exact dispatch schedule, postcode coverage and claim procedure are kept on the delivery page so they can remain current. First-time customers can use WELCOME10 where the checkout terms apply.

Care information is built from the supplier record, owned search evidence, OATA husbandry guidance and taxonomic or peer-reviewed sources. Where evidence belongs to a related species or a broad group, the page labels that boundary rather than presenting it as certainty about every individual.

Zebra Horned Nerite questions

How many snails does one quantity buy?

One quantity buys one unsexed snail. It is not a pair or pack, even though one illustrative gallery image contains two animals.

What size will the snail be on arrival?

The current supplier dispatch band is approximately 0.5-1 cm. Living animals vary and shell projections affect measurement, so this is a band rather than an exact promise.

Does it grow to exactly 2 cm?

No exact adult size is promised. Adult estimates also vary by identity and measuring method.

Is the scientific name definitely Clithon corona?

Clithon corona is an accepted species name and the trade identification used for this stock. The supplier record itself says Clithon / thorn zebra, so this page does not claim that every individual was independently examined by a taxonomist.

Will my snail look exactly like the images?

No. The four retained gallery images are illustrations based on the supplier reference. Actual banding, colour, horn number, horn length and size vary.

Can I choose the sex?

No. This is unsexed stock, and shell appearance is not a reliable customer-level method for selecting a male or female.

What tank size should I use?

OATA gives 10 litres as a general floor for small snails. We recommend 20 litres or more as a practical starting point for one because it offers greater stability and grazing area. Use more space with fish, multiple snails or other grazers.

Can it live in a new aquarium?

It should enter a fully cycled aquarium with zero ammonia and nitrite and established edible films. A newly filled tank may be chemically unsafe and too food-poor.

Will it clean all the algae?

No. It can graze biofilm, diatoms and some soft surface growth, but preferences vary and it may ignore other types. It does not replace maintenance or appropriate nutrient and lighting control.

What should I feed when the tank looks clean?

Offer a small suitable algae wafer or reputable invertebrate food and confirm the snail can reach it. Remove persistent leftovers before they decay.

Will it eat healthy aquarium plants?

It is normally kept as a surface grazer and generally leaves healthy tissue alone, but no absolute plant-safety warranty is responsible. It may investigate soft, damaged or decaying material.

Can it live with shrimp?

It can often share a mature aquarium with peaceful shrimp when water needs overlap and enough food is available. All treatments must be safe for both groups.

Which tank mates should I avoid?

Avoid puffers, snail-eating loaches, assassin snails, crayfish and other animals likely to bite, crush or prey on it. Check every proposed companion by exact species.

Are copper treatments safe?

Do not assume so. OATA warns that freshwater snails are highly sensitive to copper. Use only treatments explicitly suitable for the invertebrates present and prevent equipment cross-contamination.

Will it lay eggs in freshwater?

A female may leave pale egg capsules on hard surfaces. That does not mean juveniles will develop, and this unsexed listing does not guarantee a female or fertile mating.

Will the eggs hatch and overrun the aquarium?

Juvenile recruitment should not be expected in an ordinary freshwater community tank. Neritid larval development is specialised; do not make abrupt salinity changes in an attempt to hatch capsules.

Why is my snail above the waterline?

Exploration can be normal, but the aquarium needs a secure lid. Repeated escape attempts should prompt checks of water chemistry, oxygen, temperature, contaminants and tank-mate pressure.

How should I acclimate it?

Dim the lights, equalise temperature where instructed, introduce small amounts of aquarium water gradually for at least 30 minutes, and transfer the snail with as little bag water as possible. Follow the order instructions and measured chemistry.

Does the Live Arrival Guarantee apply?

Eligible livestock orders are covered under the current terms. Check the delivery page before ordering because postcode, dispatch timing and evidence requirements apply.

Sources and further reading

• OATA: how to look after freshwater shrimp and snails - current UK trade-association husbandry guidance.
• GBIF / Catalogue of Life: Clithon corona - accepted name, classification, synonyms and common names.
• Haynes (2005): evaluation of Clithon and Neritina - peer-reviewed taxonomic context.
• Takada (2018): micro-distribution of estuarine neritids - peer-reviewed habitat context including C. corona.
• Nguyen et al. (2024): propagation of the related Clithon diadema - related-species larval evidence, not a home breeding recipe for this stock.

Sources are used according to their scope. Broad OATA values are general freshwater-invertebrate guidance; related-species reproduction research is labelled as such; neither replaces direct observation of the animal or tests of the actual aquarium.