Transitioning Snails
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minishrimps
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Transitioning Snails
I've been wondering about Nerites snails ability to transition back and forth between freshwater tanks and brackish water tanks. I would like to order a few Thorned Nerite Snails but i can only find them from freshwater sellers. I know they can survive brackish water and even reproduce in this environment. My questions is how do you transition them from the freshwater to brackish water? I've read everything from drip acclimate them adding an ounce of brackish water every hour until they are at the same level as the tank they are entering to "just drop them in"... Anyone have suggestions or want to share your idea on the best method?
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JennyPenny
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Re: Transitioning Snails
It's very common for these snails to be sold in freshwater tanks. They require full salt to hatch, and can live in fresh or saltwater or in between.
My understanding is if you buy one from a saltwater tank, you must acclimate them to brackish or freshwater over a period of weeks or months, and there is a high mortality rate for them when hobbyists try to do this.
If you buy them from a freshwater tank, they have already been acclimated (likely by nature) and can now be transferred from fresh to brackish water without any acclimation. I believe it's in the nature of brackish animals to be highly adaptable to sudden changes in salinity, and perhaps even temperature.
I acclimated my thorned nerites from fresh water to brackish water. I lost three nerites from the fenben in my freshwater tank and didn't want to risk the new ones. I wasn't extremely careful though. I put them in a measuring cup and measured how much water they were in. Then I made a batch of full strength saltwater in that same quantity as the freshwater they were in, in another measuring cup. Over the course of a few hours, I squirted a dropperful of the saltwater in their bowl until I had added all the saltwater. This meant they were at about half saltwater. Since my H. Rubra is at room temperature, at that point I just dropped them in the tank. They didn't seem bothered by any of that, it's been a month or so and they are doing great!
My understanding is if you buy one from a saltwater tank, you must acclimate them to brackish or freshwater over a period of weeks or months, and there is a high mortality rate for them when hobbyists try to do this.
If you buy them from a freshwater tank, they have already been acclimated (likely by nature) and can now be transferred from fresh to brackish water without any acclimation. I believe it's in the nature of brackish animals to be highly adaptable to sudden changes in salinity, and perhaps even temperature.
I acclimated my thorned nerites from fresh water to brackish water. I lost three nerites from the fenben in my freshwater tank and didn't want to risk the new ones. I wasn't extremely careful though. I put them in a measuring cup and measured how much water they were in. Then I made a batch of full strength saltwater in that same quantity as the freshwater they were in, in another measuring cup. Over the course of a few hours, I squirted a dropperful of the saltwater in their bowl until I had added all the saltwater. This meant they were at about half saltwater. Since my H. Rubra is at room temperature, at that point I just dropped them in the tank. They didn't seem bothered by any of that, it's been a month or so and they are doing great!
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JennyPenny
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Re: Transitioning Snails
Do you want the nerites for your super shrimp tank? I highly recommend them. I have two in my little 2.5 gallon and that's about perfect. One would probably be OK. Three would be too much without additional feeding.
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minishrimps
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Re: Transitioning Snails
Yes, I'm hoping to get a couple nerites for the 2.5 shrimp tank... I am also in the process of setting up a 5.5 gallon tank I may add a few to this tank too. Do your nerites share the tank with any other snails?JennyPenny wrote:Do you want the nerites for your super shrimp tank? I highly recommend them. I have two in my little 2.5 gallon and that's about perfect. One would probably be OK. Three would be too much without additional feeding.
Seems easy enough... This is what I had envisioned doing... though I planned to use the actual water from my tank so they got used to it too, but now that I think about it, that would only get them to half the salinity of my tank... I'll mix up a full strength batch of saltwater and give it a try. I guess I will go ahead and order them. Thanks!JennyPenny wrote:...I put them in a measuring cup and measured how much water they were in. Then I made a batch of full strength saltwater in that same quantity as the freshwater they were in, in another measuring cup. Over the course of a few hours, I squirted a dropperful of the saltwater in their bowl until I had added all the saltwater. This meant they were at about half saltwater. Since my H. Rubra is at room temperature, at that point I just dropped them in the tank. They didn't seem bothered by any of that, it's been a month or so and they are doing great!
Last edited by minishrimps on Tue Mar 29, 2016 8:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
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JennyPenny
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Re: Transitioning Snails
I have them with Mustafa's snails.
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minishrimps
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Re: Transitioning Snails
Thanks!JennyPenny wrote:I have them with Mustafa's snails.
Do you know if the nerites are as tolerant of tanks that aren't completely cycled/seasoned yet? Will they be beneficial to add ahead of time like Mustafas snails or should I wait until I have good algae established and ammonia is down to 0?
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JennyPenny
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Re: Transitioning Snails
From what I know of nerites, they can actually be sensitive little snails. I don't think they are as tolerant as Mustafa's snails and I would not add them to an uncycled tank. I have two reasons why. First, they have HEARTY appetites for algae. When my tank is looking too clean, I will leave the lid off for a few days and it lets in spores and I get more algae growth. I also have a freshwater tank I can pop mine in if I choose to. The second reason is I believe the ammonia and nitrites could harm, and even maybe kill them. I wouldn't do it. Once your tank is cycled AND has good algae growth I would add them, but not before both conditions are met. 
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minishrimps
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Re: Transitioning Snails
Great advice. Thanks!JennyPenny wrote:From what I know of nerites, they can actually be sensitive little snails. I don't think they are as tolerant as Mustafa's snails and I would not add them to an uncycled tank. I have two reasons why. First, they have HEARTY appetites for algae. When my tank is looking too clean, I will leave the lid off for a few days and it lets in spores and I get more algae growth. I also have a freshwater tank I can pop mine in if I choose to. The second reason is I believe the ammonia and nitrites could harm, and even maybe kill them. I wouldn't do it. Once your tank is cycled AND has good algae growth I would add them, but not before both conditions are met.
Re: Transitioning Snails
My 2c...
Nerites are actually my favorite aquarium inhabitants! While they can be sensitive to certain chemicals, they are generally pretty tough otherwise. I was popping my nerites between my FW aquarium and my Opae Ula aquarium without any acclimation whatsoever, depending on which tank needed the most algae control. If you order freshwater nerites, you can pop them right into a brackish tank. They will keep your glass crystal clear.
I also recommend horned nerites because they are the smallest, but still pretty voracious. You could have 2 in a 2.5 gal, and maybe 4 in the 5.5 gal.
Enjoy these guys! They're so fun! They can also be escape artists if your tank isn't fully lidded, so keep an eye out for them. If they do escape, they'll be fine if you find them within a couple days.
Nerites are actually my favorite aquarium inhabitants! While they can be sensitive to certain chemicals, they are generally pretty tough otherwise. I was popping my nerites between my FW aquarium and my Opae Ula aquarium without any acclimation whatsoever, depending on which tank needed the most algae control. If you order freshwater nerites, you can pop them right into a brackish tank. They will keep your glass crystal clear.
I also recommend horned nerites because they are the smallest, but still pretty voracious. You could have 2 in a 2.5 gal, and maybe 4 in the 5.5 gal.
Enjoy these guys! They're so fun! They can also be escape artists if your tank isn't fully lidded, so keep an eye out for them. If they do escape, they'll be fine if you find them within a couple days.
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minishrimps
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Re: Transitioning Snails
Great Thanks! Good to know they can go back and forth. I ended up getting 5 freshwater zebra horned nerites and slowly acclimated them as above. They are currently, in my 2.5 gallon and have cleaned the glass spotless! They have moved onto the corals and substrate. They are way more voracious then their Hawaiian counterparts, the Pipipi's I have in my 5.5 gallon. Two of them are moving out soon to a friends tank that wasn't quite ready for them yet... Curiously, I have two that are darker in color than the other three who are more brightly colored yellow. I saw one of each color shade writhing operculum to operculum for about thirty minutes the other day. Maybe some beginning stages of reproduction going on there?