# Nerite snail help :D



## Gennacy (Oct 24, 2013)

I had 2 nerite snails in freshwater with my ranchu and fantail's and a few shrimp. We have had them about 10 weeks or so, nothing in the tank has changed (except for the water) Last week we noticed a new snail about the size of a bean (Beautiful little creature although I cant seem to find her now!)

Today I noticed a smattering of white dots (eggs) just about everywhere I look.
What are the chances these will hatch? I assume i have a male and female due to the other baby snail.


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

I would assume you have a male/female combo. Or one or both of them have been fertilized in the store by a male. Females will carry fertilized eggs for months and lay them when they like tank conditions. However, the chances of them hatching are slim but the chances of any babies surviving are even slimmer. Nerites begin life in brackish water and there have only been a few successful cases of freshwater hatches. 

My nerite Milly has been with me now for about 13 months. Still going strong.


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## Gennacy (Oct 24, 2013)

Thank you for your reply  I think we have a male/female because, as my little boy puts it "they are kissing, mum" 

I am starting to wonder if the baby snail is a hitchhiker, it has similar markings to the other 2, but we did buy live plants at the same time. Not sure how quickly they grow.


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Hitchhiker snails (ramshorn, pond and malaysian trumpet snails) all grow pretty quickly given the right environment. I can't see any of those looking like a nerite though. If you spot it again, take a pic!


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

i have a red spot nerite that has been alone in a tank for 2 years.it lays eggs all over.you do not need 2 to have eggs.they need a mate to fertilize them but not to lay them.


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## Gennacy (Oct 24, 2013)

Okay, This is the baby and one of the other snails. 
I am starting to think its a pond snail


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Yep, that's a pond snail! No harm. I had an outbreak of pond snails after I bought my last lot of plants and they lived with Milly the nerite in my 5 gallon. They cleaned up ALL the green algae so well I thought I would have to remove Milly and fed her separately. But when they ate all the algae they stopped laying eggs. My "problem" lasted about .. well, the summer. They're completely gone now. I think a lot of people are afraid of pond snails bc of the devastating over population of them but I have never had a problem, just don't over feed your tank, they'll manage their own numbers.


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