Red Racing Snail

Vittina waigiensis (syn. Neritina waigiensis), also known as the Red Racing Snail, is a fresh and brackish water snail native to the Philippines and Indonesia in Southeast Asia and lives in brackish water estuaries. The appearance of the Red Racing Snail, which can grow up to 2.5cm in size, makes it a sought-after aquarium resident. It is characterized by its red to yellow colored shell, which can have 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 Red Racing Snail is very active. It spends the whole day eating algae and is particularly suitable for fighting algae in the nano aquarium. The Red Racing Snail, like all nerite snails, should not be placed in new tanks, but only in well-established tanks.

Feeding

Like all nerite snails, the Red Racing 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