# How to tell if nerite snail is healthy?



## B3TT45

I know I'm not the only one who has wondered this. Just like many before me, I introduced my nerite due to a serious and enormous algae problem in my tank that the snail readily and completely eliminated within a week. Since then, my tank doesn't seem to have any visible algae left and I worry that my snail may be starving, I added him about 2 months ago so imagine how it's been without an abundant supply of food. He used to poop like crazy and now he poops dusty specs that float off in the current, nothing like the solid cylinders he used to do. 
I recently cooked a small slice of cucumber for him to eat and after moving it a lot so he could see it, he spent about 2 hours on it and then just left. 
A snail isn't like a fish where you can physically see its stomach and tell if it's over fed or starving, you can't really look at it to see if it's pale and has the physical symptoms of starvation or disease. How can I tell if my snail is healthy or if it's starving?


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## RussellTheShihTzu

Try cultivating algae for him: Put some rocks in a bowl of water and set in a sunny window. It won't be long before you have natural algae. When your Nerite cleans one rock replace it with another.

As far as health? Wish I knew. :-(


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## Hallyx

A healthy Nerite is almost always moving. Make sure his little "teeth" things are not red. They should be whitish.

That algae-rock trick really works.


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## B3TT45

Alright I'll try the rock and a cucumber again just in case. Thankfully, my nerite moves, and quite fast for being a snail! Thank you for the replies. I've seen him poop a little bit again though so it seems like for now he is fine.


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## Anemonee

I have a similar question about the health of my nerite as well, I know lack of food isn't really the issue since there's still a decent amount of algae in my tank, but they like to hang out out of the water up near the lid to my tank. They won't move from there much and I know they're not dead since they change the exact spot they're in from time to time but I'm wondering if this is a normal thing or a sign of something?

Also the rock trick is something I'm going to try! I never thought of that before thanks!


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