Zebra Nerite Snail Anatomy

Hmm, I can't find much about nerites at all. There used to be a site on apple snails but they are different species so are probably not the same.

Not much help really 

Hi Folks,

Please see the attached photo (not one of mine*), which clearly shows the white tip on the right-hand snail. It's tempting to add a caption to this photo but I resisted! There is real beauty in this species of aquatic snail, isn't there?

JPC

* Credit goes to Pro Shrimp (UK)

Thanks for the information. 

The reason the apex of the shell in the photo is white is because it has eroded. Only the surface layer of the shell is coloured, the under layers are white.

Hi Sue,

Thanks for the feedback and photos. What causes the shell to erode? Is it, by any chance, due to a lack of calcium? I note that you and I both have soft water. I did read that one way of compensating for this is to ensure that the snails have plenty of calcium in their diet. But I haven't a clue what the calcium content of algae and biofilm is likely to be! I'll pursue this.

JPC

Hi Sue,

Yes, I have seen references to cuttlefish bone, which will obviously be a rich source of calcium. I also spotted this:

https://dennerle.com/en/products/nano-aquarium/feeding-minerals-vitamins/food-dwarf-crayfish/shrimp-king-snail-stixx

JPC

I have just remembered that fcmf (I think) uses sticks for her snails - your link reminded me 

Hi Sue and fcmf,

Many thanks for the feedback.

I'm a bit hesitant about using cuttlefish bone as it may increase water hardness over time particularly in pH below 7.0. Although my main tank starts out just above pH 7.0, it spends most of the day just below 7.0 as a result of CO2 injection.

But I am sorely tempted to get some of the Dennerle Stixx for my Zebra Nerites. Speaking of which, they had this white apex thingy when I first bought them so I assumed that was a natural part of their anatomy.

JPC

One point I would mention about the Snail Stixx is that I find that any leftovers tend to grow a fungus-like coating the following day and go hard with white dots if a female snail lays eggs in it. If you can feed them in a pot like the one I use, then it's easy to retrieve any leftovers the following day with a net or siphon. Despite this, I think it's definitely worth feeding it for peace of mind that the snail is getting sufficient nutrients in soft water.

One point I would mention about the Snail Stixx is that I find that any leftovers tend to grow a fungus-like coating the following day and go hard with white dots if a female snail lays eggs in it. If you can feed them in a pot like the one I use, then it's easy to retrieve any leftovers the following day with a net or siphon. Despite this, I think it's definitely worth feeding it for peace of mind that the snail is getting sufficient nutrients in soft water.

Hi fcmf,

I have another question before I make a purchase - do you not find that the fish in your tank eat the Snail Stixx before the snails get to them?

TIA.

JPC

Quote from: fcmf on March 06, 2019, 02:12:04 PM

One point I would mention about the Snail Stixx is that I find that any leftovers tend to grow a fungus-like coating the following day and go hard with white dots if a female snail lays eggs in it. If you can feed them in a pot like the one I use, then it's easy to retrieve any leftovers the following day with a net or siphon. Despite this, I think it's definitely worth feeding it for peace of mind that the snail is getting sufficient nutrients in soft water.

Hi fcmf,

I have another question before I make a purchase - do you not find that the fish in your tank eat the Snail Stixx before the snails get to them?

TIA.

JPC

No - they definitely don't eat it all by any means.  Each stick is about 1cm long and is said to last 5 days. I tend to use 1/5 of a stick every day but, even at that, there is more than enough food for the snails and the fish - it softens and expands (sorry - not sure of the official term) to become quite a large quantity. A snail can spend several hours in the pot, bulldozing its way through the food, but actually the amount consumed is barely noticeable. The pot can be occupied for 24 hours by one or the other snail, and they can adorn their shells in fish food in the process, and this still applies. The quantity consumed by the fish is again negligable. In fact, both fish and snails are messy eaters and it tends to be a matter of one or the other eating the debris that gets tossed up from the snails or falls from the fish's mouths as they chomp.

As Sue suggests, and also because the/my snails tend to be asleep in the morning when the lights are off and become increasingly lively as the afternoon and evening wear on, I tend to put the food in during the evening. That said, the fish seem to show little interest in the food until the evening, whether this is replenished food or the previous day's leftovers not yet taken out and replenished.

Therefore, I would have no qualms about this being a potential problem. If you'd prefer to try a few sample sticks (I mean your snails, not you personally ) before purchase, feel free to PM me your name/address and I'll pop some in the mail to you. After that, you could then decide whether to proceed and order them.