Batik Nerite Snail
Neritina variegata
The Batik Nerite Snail is not only very beautiful, but also a hard-working algae eater.
- very good algae eater
- beautifully colored housing
- no reproduction in fresh water
1 in stock
Important data
Product description & details
The Batik Nerite Snail, Neritina variegata, is a species of snail that is native to Southeast Asia (Philippines, Indonesia), lives in estuaries of brackish water and is found in both freshwater and brackish water. The appearance alone makes the Batik Nerite Snail, which is up to 2.5cm long, a sought-after aquarium resident. The Batik Nerite Snail is characterized by its yellow to orange colored shell, which has a pretty, very variable black dot or stripe pattern.
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. In its natural habitat, the water often has brackish water conditions, i.e. a slightly higher salt content. Nevertheless, the naturally very adaptable snail can easily be kept in a freshwater aquarium. As with most species of snails, medium to hard water is ideal, as the shell can be damaged if the water is too soft. Although extremely peaceful, the Batik Nerite Snail is very active. It spends the whole day eating algae and is particularly suitable for fighting algae in the nano aquarium. The Batik Nerite Snail, like all nerite snails, should not be placed in new tanks, but only in well-established tanks.
Feeding
Like all nerite snails, the Batik Nerite Snail is limnivorous, i.e. feeds on growth in the form of algae and bacterial films. Supplementary feeding is usually only necessary if the snail does not have enough biofilm in the aquarium. Spirulina and chlorella are ideal as feed.
Sexual characteristics and breeding
Neritina variegata has separate sexes, but the sex differences cannot be detected from the outside. Breeding the Batik 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.