# Nerite Snails: a blessing or a curse?



## Overprotective Fish Lover

So I thought it would be cool to have some tankmates for my male betta. Right now he lives alone in a 5.5 gallon tank. After doing some research, though, I found out that 5 gallons aren't big enough for other fish. I've heard some horror stories about shrimp, too, so that's not happening.

I've heard you can put a snail with a betta. I was thinking maybe a Nerite snail - small, not too messy. But then I heard that the eggs females lay (even without a male) are hard and tough to scrape off. Is there any way to tell a girl snail from a guy snail to prevent this? And would my snail be incredibly boring? Would it be a waste of time and money, or would it be an interesting addition to my tank? Would I have to make any adjustments to my tank to suit the snail's needs? Would my feisty little boy pick on it? Kill it? Scare it to death? Any info would be helpful, and I'd also love if you'd give me your opinions.

-Overprotective Fish Lover


----------



## Aqua Aurora

I've had no luck telling gender until they are in there spitting out eggs. And yes females are a nightmare with eggs, they do not come off easy, nothing eats them, and they take for-ev-er to break down. My 55g has 1 female and the driftwood and back wall by it is *covered *in eggs. Neritres are also major poop monsters so you'll be doing a lot of water changing just trying to remove all the poop!!
Bettas are all different, some will eat their eyes and antenna, I've read some owners seen their bettas smash the snails against the tank walls and kill them.. others never notice them. I had the female now in the 55 in my boy Alastor's tank for a few weeks.. horrible mess with all its poop I had to pull Alastor out and do a few hundred % water changes to get it all out when she moved!! And egg covered driftwood (now hidden by moss thankfully), but the betta paid the snail no mind (this is my most timid betta btw-I did not try the nerites with any of my flare happy boys who seem more aggressive/territorial)
This is 1/4 of the tank, thankfully the nerite mostly stays in this area.. but man the eggs...(aaallllll the white dots)


----------



## Overprotective Fish Lover

Uck. That sounds pretty gross. No Nerite snails for me! Do Mystery and Apple snails lay eggs all over the place like Nerites do?


----------



## kittenfish

Wow that's a lot of eggs! My nerites only lay a few once in a while, maybe because they are the smaller horned variety.

Mystery snails lay egg clutches above the water line so they are easy to remove. I'm not sure but I think they only lay fertilized eggs, so you wouldn't see any with only one snail.


----------



## Overprotective Fish Lover

That's good! I've heard that Mystery snails can produce a lot of poop though. I'm not interested in doing water changed any more than once a week. Would that be fine or would I get an ammonia problem?


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu

Can you post a photo of your tank? There are fish that you can have in a five-gallon if the tank is appropriately planted.

Nerite eggs never bother me; they're a part of Nature.


----------



## Overprotective Fish Lover

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Can you post a photo of your tank? There are fish that you can have in a five-gallon if the tank is appropriately planted.
> 
> Nerite eggs never bother me; they're a part of Nature.


My tank isn't planted at all...just a silk flower and a leaf hammock. I don't really have the time (or patience, for that matter) to take care of live plants. Also Poseidon is a pretty feisty little guy, and I think he would get very stressed if I added other fish (and probably kill them). He attacks his reflection in the glass all the time, so goodness knows what he'd do to another fish. I'd love to add fish to his tank but I don't think it'll work. Thanks anyway, though, and if you have any experience with mystery snails I'd love some information.

Here is my tank - pretty empty but I had a lot of fin tearing problems in the past and I had to take most of his decorations out.:-(


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu

I wasn't suggesting getting fish; just making the point that a five-gallon is not too small for them for others who might be lurking and reading your post.

But, you are correct: It is way to bare for other fish and, actually, too bare for a Betta as they are not light-loving fish. Anubias are easy plants to keep as they don't need fertilizer, etc., and can be floated. With more plants your boy might stop attacking the glass as there won't be much reflection.

Without an algae source a Nerite wouldn't survive so a Mystery Snail might be your best bet. Just know if Posiedon is aggressive, Mystery Snails have long eye stalks that some Betta have been known to bite off. Make sure you have a backup plan.

Good luck! There are some gorgeous Mystery Snails out there. But keep the turkey baster handy.


----------



## Aqua Aurora

kittenfish said:


> Wow that's a lot of eggs! My nerites only lay a few once in a while, maybe because they are the smaller horned variety.
> 
> Mystery snails lay egg clutches above the water line so they are easy to remove. I'm not sure but I think they only lay fertilized eggs, so you wouldn't see any with only one snail.


I have 2 (1 female 1 male) both zebra nerite not horned.. man that girl spits out eggs like nobodies business! =.=


----------



## Overprotective Fish Lover

Thanks everyone for the input! I will do some research on Mystery Snails.


----------



## FinnyNina

I'd be cautious of an apple snail, they get really large. Mystery snails also get big, but not baseball sized, like apple snails do. They are also absolute poop factories, so I'd say that it will push your water changes into the more-than-once-a-week territory.


----------



## MeredithNa

Live plants are amazingly easy to take care of. I have one tank with no lighting (he's near a window) with an anubias and a Java fern and they are doing really well. I have another tank with elodia (don't know what it is called in the US) without lighting but it isn't doing so well. My planted tank has a light and it is beautiful. Not much maintenance in regards to trimming and such. Just turn the light on in the morning and turn it off at night. My aim is to get the grass to cover the top of the tank (obviously with gaps so the fish can breathe). They are also very beneficial with removing all the nasties and a guarantee of no fin ripping, so I am a big advocate for live plants. I have this grass along the back of one tank and it does very well at disguising the heater/filter cords as the grass is long and thin. I'm a big fan of "have a go". If it works, you have a prettier tank with the benefits of live plants, and if it doesn't, you might have wasted a bit of money, but as least you know.


----------

