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Freshwater fishRed Onion Snail
Red Onion Snail
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The red onion snail, or onion nerite snail, is a scavenger and algae eater and, like all nerites, plant-safe. The pattern is a red body with small line patterns around the shell. Nerite snails do not overrun the fish tank and only grow to about one inch at full maturity. In fact, to breed, nerite snails need salt water. Nerites do well in most water conditions except for pH below 7.0.
These attractive snails do not get bigger than an inch, and we recommend several for algae control in larger tanks.
Quick Facts
| Scientific Name | Neritina sp. |
| Origin | East Africa and Indo-Pacific coastal streams (wild-caught) |
| Care Level | Easy |
| Temperament | Peaceful; plant-safe |
| Adult Size | Up to 1" |
| Lifespan | 1–2+ years |
| Diet | Algae eater (also eats algae wafers) |
| Water Temperature | 72–82°F |
| pH | 7.0–8.5 (hard water for healthy shells) |
| Breeding | Lays small white eggs on hard surfaces, but they won't hatch in freshwater, so nerites won't overrun the tank |
| Shipping Size | Approx. ½" |
Care Guide
Tank setup: Nerites do well in most established tanks with algae to graze. Keep the water hard and alkaline for healthy shells, and keep a lid on the tank, since nerites sometimes climb out. If one flips onto its back, turn it over, since some can't right themselves.
Feeding: Nerites mostly graze on algae. If the tank is very clean, add algae wafers so they don't go hungry.
Tankmates: Nerites get along with peaceful fish, shrimp and other snails. Avoid puffers, loaches and large cichlids, which eat snails, and keep them away from assassin snails.
Good to know: Remove snails before treating the tank with copper or other medications, which are toxic to invertebrates.
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