Tiger Nerite Snail (Neritina sp.)

A grazing nerite snail for mature freshwater aquariums

The Tiger Nerite Snail (Neritina sp.) is a small aquatic snail with an operculum, from the family Neritidae, the nerites. WoRMS lists Neritina as an accepted genus in the family Neritidae, placed in Cycloneritida, and the genus summary on Wikipedia describes its members as marine, brackish-water and sometimes freshwater snails. It suits keepers who want a quiet algae grazer for a mature, well-filtered freshwater aquarium that is free of copper treatments and snail-eating fish.

Tiger is a trade name, and this snail is identified to genus level. The exact species has not been identified, so the care advice here follows the genus Neritina and its care group. In practice that means the OATA care sheet for freshwater shrimp and snails, which names nerites among the snails popular in aquariums, sets the water, feeding and maintenance advice on this page.

Snails like this are kept because they graze. OATA explains that freshwater shrimp and snails are popular partly because they help to control nuisance algae, and that they are generally herbivorous. Treat the snail as one part of a well-run aquarium rather than a replacement for water changes and careful feeding.

OATA names apple, nerite and assassin snails among the snails popular in aquariums, and they are kept for different reasons. Apple snails are larger, and OATA allows them about 20 litres; assassin snails prey on other snails; nerites like this one are kept as grazers. Knowing which kind you are buying makes the rest of the planning simpler.

What one purchase brings

Each purchase is one live snail, supplied at around 2 cm. To keep several, add the number you want to the basket; snails do not need company, so one is a complete purchase in itself. Sex is guaranteed only when the selected option explicitly states male or female. This Tiger Nerite Snail listing has no sex-guaranteed option.

Because the species has not been identified, there is no species maximum to plan around. OATA's care sheet notes that the snails popular in aquariums come in various colours, shapes and sizes but are unlikely to grow any larger than 5 cm, and that is the practical ceiling to allow for.

The gallery shows a snail with a golden shell banded in black. Gallery images have been digitally enhanced to improve image quality. Natural colour, pattern, size and maturity can vary between live animals.

If you are comparing nerites, the nerite snail collection lists the other nerites side by side.

Before you buy: a five-point check

1. The aquarium has a working, matured filter, and ammonia and nitrite read zero.
2. Temperature and pH sit within 17–27 °C and 6.5–8.0.
3. No pufferfish, loaches, assassin snails or other snail-eating animals share the tank.
4. Every treatment you use is labelled safe for invertebrates, with no copper.
5. You can offer algae wafers or shrimp pellets two or three times a week.

If all five are true, the tank is ready for this snail. If one is not, put it right first; the care sections below explain how.

Set up a mature, filtered aquarium first

OATA recommends an aquarium of at least 10 litres for a group of small freshwater shrimp or snails, and approximately 20 litres for larger species such as apple snails. Those figures are for invertebrate-only tanks: the aquarium needs to be larger if the snail will live with any fish species. As a general rule, buy as large an aquarium as is reasonable, because a larger volume keeps temperature and water quality more stable.

Filtration comes first

Whatever the size, a filter is essential. The RSPCA explains the reason: animals release ammonia, which is toxic, and a working biological filter lets beneficial bacteria convert it to nitrite, which is also toxic, and then to the safer nitrate. A snail added to a tank whose filter has not matured meets that ammonia and nitrite directly.

Substrate, plants and shelter

• Use aquarium gravel or sand, as OATA suggests.
• Include live plants for cover where you can.
• If live plants are not used, add plastic plants and ornaments such as plant pots or model caves.
• Leave hard surfaces, such as rock and glass, where algae can grow for the snail to graze.

Two worked set-ups

If this will be a new aquarium, our first-tank guide for shrimp and other invertebrates walks through setting it up and maturing the filter before any livestock goes in.

Keep the water steady within the shrimp and snail ranges

Keep the aquarium at 17–27 °C and pH 6.5–8.0, with a general hardness of 4–18 °dH and a carbonate hardness of 3–15 °dKH. These are OATA's figures for freshwater shrimp and snails as a group, which is the right basis while the species is unidentified; OATA describes the group as usually undemanding of water chemistry.

Choosing a point within the ranges

In a community aquarium, the fish usually decide the exact temperature and pH. Check that their needs sit inside these ranges before adding the snail, and aim for a point both can share rather than an edge of either range. Once set, keep it steady rather than adjusting it often.

Keeping readings steady

Each water change brings in new tap water, so condition every batch, test the tank on the same day each week, and compare pH and hardness with last week's readings. A change of direction over several weeks is the cue to look at your tap water and routine before the snail shows any sign of stress.

Testing and comparing

• Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and general hardness before the snail arrives.
• Check the results against these ranges with the water parameter matcher.
• Read our guide to which aquarium water values to test and why for what each reading tells you.

A freshwater snail from a genus of many habitats

The genus Neritina covers snails from marine, brackish and sometimes freshwater habitats. That breadth is one reason nerites can be confusing to research: advice written for a marine or brackish species does not automatically apply to the snail in your tank.

This Tiger Nerite Snail is offered for freshwater aquariums, and its care on this page follows OATA's freshwater shrimp and snail sheet. Set the tank up as a normal freshwater aquarium within the ranges above, and keep it there.

Practical points

• Plan a freshwater aquarium, not a brackish or marine one.
• Keep conditions steady rather than experimenting with different water types.
• Treat care advice written for another nerite species with caution, because the exact species here is not known.

What a genus-level name means for you

Neritina sp. means the snail belongs to the genus Neritina, but the species within it has not been named. For a keeper, that has three consequences:

• There is no species-level water optimum, so the group ranges above are the working targets.
• There is no recorded maximum for this exact snail, so plan with OATA's 5 cm ceiling for popular aquarium snails.
• Any source that names a particular Neritina species describes that species, not necessarily this one.

None of this makes the snail harder to keep. It simply means the dependable advice is the group guidance that covers every freshwater snail of this kind.

Feed algae wafers or shrimp pellets two or three times a week

OATA describes freshwater shrimp and snails as generally herbivorous: they graze on algae in the aquarium. Grazing alone may not be enough, so OATA recommends supplementing it with algae wafers to make sure the snail is given enough food. Commercial pellets made for freshwater shrimp can be used for snails too.

A simple feeding plan

1. Let the snail graze the algae that grows naturally on rock, glass and décor.
2. Two or three times a week, add an algae wafer or a few shrimp pellets.
3. Leave the food for at least 30 minutes, because snails need time to find and eat it.
4. Remove whatever is left afterwards.

Why less is more

Overfeeding leaves uneaten food to break down and release toxic waste into the water, and a small tank has little margin for that. If food is regularly left untouched, offer less next time rather than more often.

Sharing a tank with fish

Where fish share the tank, place the wafer or pellets where the snail is grazing, and watch that the fish do not take all of it before the snail has had its share over the 30 minutes.

Matching food to the algae in your tank

A tank with plenty of algae on its rock and glass gives the snail more of its own food, so the supplementary feeds can stay small. A very clean or newly matured tank with little algae leaves the snail more dependent on the wafers or pellets, so keep to the two or three feeds a week and watch that the food is found.

Signs the snail is getting enough

• It is active and grazing surfaces around the tank.
• It shows interest when food is added.
• There is no noticeable weight loss or change in condition, which OATA lists among the signs to watch.

Keep copper and unsafe treatments out of the tank

Copper is the one hazard with no margin for error. OATA explains that invertebrates, shrimp and snails alike, are very sensitive to copper and will die if exposed even to low levels. Always make sure any treatment added to the aquarium is safe for invertebrates.

Before you add anything

• Read the label of every treatment before it goes into an aquarium that holds this snail.
• Only use products whose labels state they are safe for invertebrates.
• If a fish in the same tank is unwell, choose its treatment with the snail in mind.
• Keep a note of what has been added to the tank and when.

If you are unsure whether a product is safe to use with snails, ask us before dosing and we will help you check it.

After adding anything new

Whenever a treatment or additive goes into the tank, watch the snail closely over the following days for the changes listed under health signs, such as unusual inactivity or loss of interest in food, and test the water if anything looks wrong.

A weekly routine for clean, stable water

OATA stresses that good husbandry is essential for freshwater shrimp and snails, which are easily stressed. A short weekly routine keeps waste down and conditions stable.

1. Test the water at least once a week so ammonia and nitrite do not build up.
2. Make a partial water change of 25% at least once every week, using a siphon to lift solid waste from the gravel.
3. Treat the replacement water with a tap water conditioner to remove chlorine or chloramine before it goes in.
4. Check the filter for blockages.
5. If the filter media needs cleaning, rinse it lightly in tank water removed during the water change. Do not run it under the tap, because chlorine or chloramine can kill the beneficial bacteria.

A worked example

In a 20 litre invertebrate tank, a 25% change is 5 litres a week. Condition that water as above, and watch the siphon intake so it cannot pick up the snail from the gravel.

What each task protects against

First-month checkpoints

• Before arrival: ammonia and nitrite at zero, water within the ranges above.
• Week one: a daily look at the snail and your usual tests; feed lightly.
• Weeks two to four: settle into the weekly routine and the two or three feeds a week, and check the food is being found.
• After the first month: add further snails or shrimp slowly, if you want them.

Keep a simple log

Write down each week's test results and water change. A slow rise in nitrate or a drift in pH is much easier to spot in a list of numbers than by watching the snail.

Arrival day and the first week

Before ordering, check that the aquarium is ready. OATA advises that ammonia and nitrite should read zero, and that shrimp or snails should be added slowly, because the filter bacteria must increase every time more livestock is added and feeding increases. Stocking too many too quickly can lead to new tank syndrome, with unhealthy ammonia and nitrite levels which may cause freshwater shrimp and snails to become ill or die.

Your order is hand-bagged in pure oxygen and packed in an insulated poly box, with a heat pack when the weather calls for it. It travels with a licensed live-animal courier, and you receive the tracking number and a confirmed Thursday or Friday delivery date by email, so you know when to be in. Livestock cannot be left unattended.

When the parcel arrives

1. Take the parcel in person at the delivery address.
2. Start a continuous unboxing video before opening anything: show the sealed parcel with the outer box visible, open it in one take, and keep the snail in view inside the sealed bag.
3. Open and inspect the parcel the same day it arrives.
4. Float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing the snail.
5. Release the snail without pouring the bag water into your tank.

If anything has gone wrong, contact us the same day, with WhatsApp the fastest route, including your order number and the unboxing video, and a replacement or refund will be arranged. The full terms are on the delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee page.

The first week

Keep up your normal testing, feed sparingly, and check the snail each day against the signs in the next section. Add any further snails or shrimp later, once readings have stayed at zero ammonia and nitrite.

Health signs worth acting on

All shrimp and snails vary a little in behaviour and appearance, so learn what is normal for yours. OATA suggests watching for changes in these areas:

• Activity: more inactivity than usual, restlessness or unusual behaviour.
• Colour: turning darker or paler than normal.
• Behaviour: hiding more than normal.
• Breathing: more time spent in areas with higher oxygen levels.
• Appearance: white spots, discolouration, lesions or abnormal growths.
• Condition: noticeable weight gain or loss, or abnormal swelling.
• Feeding: less food eaten or no interest in food.

What to check first

If a change persists once the water checks out, ask us, with your test results and what you have noticed, and we will help you work through it.

Choose companions that will not eat snails

OATA describes freshwater shrimp and snails as generally compatible with most species in the aquarium, but also says they should be mixed with caution because they may be eaten by common aquarium fish. Snails should not be mixed with fish that can eat them, such as pufferfish or loaches, and OATA's advice is always to check before mixing snails with fish species.

Why assassin snails are on the list

OATA explains that the assassin snail preys on other snail species, which is why it is used to control excessive snail populations. That makes it a poor companion for a snail you want to keep.

A quick screen for any fish

1. Could it eat a snail of around 2 cm, or is it known to eat snails?
2. Is it a pufferfish or a loach?
3. Does it share the water ranges on this page?
4. Is the tank larger than the invertebrate minimum, to allow for the fish?

A fish that fails any of these checks is not a safe companion. When in doubt, keep the snail with shrimp or in an invertebrate-only aquarium.

Snails and shrimp together

OATA's care sheet covers freshwater shrimp and snails together, with the same water ranges, feeding and maintenance, which makes a shared invertebrate tank straightforward. Two differences are worth knowing: shrimp species are usually social, unlike snails, and OATA says freshwater shrimp should not be mixed with any fish that can fit them in its mouth or any species known to be predatory. If you plan shrimp as well as this snail, choose fish with both limits in mind.

One snail or several

Snails are not social creatures, OATA notes, unlike most shrimp species, which usually are. A single Tiger Nerite Snail will not suffer for lack of company, so the right number is set by the aquarium, not by the snail.

How to decide on numbers

• Tank size: start from OATA's minimum of at least 10 litres for a group of small snails, and more once fish share the tank.
• Food supply: every extra grazer shares the same algae, so more snails mean more supplementary feeding.
• Waste: each addition adds load to the filter, which is why OATA advises increasing numbers slowly.

Mixing with other nerites

OATA treats freshwater shrimp and snails as generally compatible, and different grazing snails can usually share a tank. Build up slowly, feed for the total number of grazers, and keep an eye on whether every snail is finding food.

Two worked examples

In both cases, test ammonia and nitrite after each addition and hold off on the next until the readings stay at zero.

Nerite snail questions answered

How big does a Tiger Nerite Snail get?

Because the exact species of this snail has not been identified, there is no single species maximum to quote. OATA's shrimp and snail care sheet says the snails popular in aquariums, nerites among them, are unlikely to grow any larger than 5 cm, which makes a sensible upper limit for planning.

What size aquarium does a nerite snail need?

OATA recommends an aquarium of at least 10 litres for a group of small freshwater snails, and approximately 20 litres for larger species such as apple snails. The tank needs to be larger again if the snail will share it with fish, and a bigger aquarium keeps temperature and water quality more stable.

How many nerite snails should be kept together?

One is fine. OATA notes that snails are not social creatures, so the number depends on the size of the aquarium and how much algae and food it offers, not on company. Add snails gradually, so the filter bacteria can keep pace with the extra waste, and feed for the total number of grazers.

Is the Tiger Nerite Snail good for beginners?

It can be, in the right tank. OATA describes freshwater shrimp and snails as usually undemanding of water chemistry and good aquarium inhabitants. It still needs a mature, filtered aquarium, ammonia and nitrite at zero, no copper-based treatments and no fish that eat snails.

What does a Tiger Nerite Snail eat?

It grazes algae in the aquarium, as OATA says freshwater snails generally do, and needs extra food to be sure it gets enough. Offer algae wafers or pellets made for freshwater shrimp two or three times a week, leave them for at least 30 minutes, and remove what is left so it does not foul the water.

What temperature and pH does a nerite snail need?

OATA's shrimp and snail guidance gives 17–27 °C, pH 6.5–8.0 and a general hardness of 4–18 °dH for the group, with ammonia and nitrite at zero and nitrate no more than 20 mg per litre above your tap water. Keep conditions steady within those ranges.

Is a nerite snail aggressive towards fish or shrimp?

It is a grazer, and OATA describes freshwater shrimp and snails as generally compatible with most species in the aquarium. The risk runs the other way: some fish eat snails, so check every fish species before mixing and keep it away from snail-eating fish.

Which animals can live with a Tiger Nerite Snail?

Freshwater shrimp and most community fish that cannot eat snails. Avoid pufferfish, loaches and other fish that can eat snails, and avoid assassin snails, which prey on other snail species.

How does a Tiger Nerite Snail arrive alive in the UK?

Start filming a continuous unboxing video with the parcel still sealed, open it in one take and inspect the snail the same day, then float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing it. Livestock travels hand-bagged in pure oxygen in an insulated poly box, with a heat pack when the weather calls for it, by a licensed live-animal courier on a confirmed Thursday or Friday, so someone must be in to receive the parcel. For a Live Arrival Guarantee claim, send the order number and the video the same day.

Sources for this care guide

• WoRMS: Neritina: accepted genus, family Neritidae and its placement in Cycloneritida.
• Wikipedia: Neritina: what the genus is and the range of habitats its snails occupy.
• OATA: how to look after freshwater shrimp and snails: group water guidance, aquarium size, feeding, copper sensitivity, maintenance, introduction, health signs and compatibility.
• RSPCA: fish environment: why filtration matters and how waste is broken down.