Marbled Limpet Nerite Snail
Septaria porcellana
The Marbled Limpet Nerite Snail is not only pretty, but also a great algae eater.
- very good algae eater
- pretty, variably colored housing
- no reproduction in fresh water
1 in stock
Important data
Product description & details
Septaria porcellana, also known as the Marbled Limpet Nerite Snail, is a freshwater and brackish water snail that is native to the coasts of the Indo-Pacific and lives there primarily in fast-flowing rivers. Not only does its attractive-looking, yellow to orange-colored shell with a variable black pattern make the Marbled Limpet Nerite Snail, which can grow up to 3cm in size, a sought-after aquarium resident, but also the fact that it happily eats algae – preferably spot algae – in the aquarium.
Care in the aquarium
As long as the basic needs of this nerite snail are taken into account, it is easy to care for. Due to its small size, it can be kept in aquariums starting at 20 liters. As with most species of snails, medium to hard water is ideal, as the shell can be damaged if the water is too soft. The extremely peaceful snail is very active and spends the whole day eating algae. The Marbled Limpet Nerite Snail prefers a good current and is not impressed by shrimps and fish when looking for food. It probably relies on its tough armor.
Feeding
The Marbled Limpet Nerite Snail is limnivorous, i.e. feeds on growth in the form of algae and bacterial films. Spot algae, which often appear on stones and aquarium glass, are preferred. If there is no algae in the aquarium, you must provide the snail with algae dust food. Spirulina or chlorella powder has proven to be ideal here.
Sexual characteristics and breeding
Septaria porcellana has separate sexes, but the sex differences cannot be detected from the outside. Breeding the Marbled Limpet Nerite Snail is extremely difficult. The young animals require brackish water and go through various larval stages until they can be transferred back to fresh water as fully grown snails.