# Would Olive Nerites be better?



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I had my LFS guy order me in some Zebra Nerites. They are supposed to be in tomorrow (if he could get them).

Just reading on line that they eat TONS of algae, and ONLY algae and I'm afraid they will starve out my 3 new Otto cats, as my tank does not have a lot of algae. (The RCS and otto's are eating it all). I've read that Zebras do not like algae wafers, (which is what I was planning on feeding them.....) I don't want to get into the whole zuchinni feeding thing...

I read that Olive Nerites will eat left over fish food if the algae supply is low.... maybe this would be a better choice? (Except, I'm afraid to tell the guy to order those and that I won't need the Zebras....)

With an Olive, I would get probably 2. With a Zebra, I would probably only get 1 because of my low algae levels.... I do have some BBA, but I've heard some Zebras will eat it and some won't.

I already feed 1/2 an algae wafer each night to the otto's. Would a whole wafer each night be enough for the Ottos and a Zebra?

Thanks so much for any feedback!


----------



## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

nerite snails are sloooowwww eaters but they do clean algae really well, just slooowwww.. lol. I have a ew in my tank, it took one of them about 3 days to clean off a single leaf (albeit, a large leaf). So you'll be fine.


----------



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Thanks. (I never know who to listen to, lol. The LFS guy said with 3 ottos and all my RCS's, if I were to get Zebras, _someone_ would starve). Then, when I called back later to see if the snails had even arrived, the SAME guy said that 2 Zebras would be fine in a tank with Ottos and RCS......... lol. He said forums aren't great because you only get 1 or 2 opinions.......... I tried sooooo hard not to laugh out loud! (Considering HE gave me 2 totally different opinions in one day!!!)

I found this quote on line: "Nutrition - The diet of the Zebra nerite snail mainly consists of algae and other vegetable matter,

in the aquarium will eat also uneaten fish foods and meaty foods such as dead fish corpses. Needs Calcium additions to its diet." 

How accurate is that? (will it really eat left over fish food - vegetable AND meaty? This would be fantastic!!) I read somewhere else that they will not but Olive and other Nerites will.

And as for the calcium. We have very hard water, so I haven't been adding calcium for the RCS..... will the snails be ok because our water is so hard? (I can buy a cuttle bone - for birds - boil it for a few minutes and leave it in the tank if needed).


----------



## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

I mentioned this in another of your threads too, but do check in with Kens Fish and look at getting the Veggie Flakes and Sticks. Perfect feed for inverts.

Also, you can make a homemade gel food called 'Snailo' for them. I think I posted it out here somewhere. I'll see if I can't track it down for you.


----------



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I got a bunch of rocks from the LFS store today, (regular ones and lava rocks - which apparantly are great for growing algae), and I'm going to grow some algae for the snails and ottos. 

I'm going to rinse the stones off tomorrow and put them in a tupperware container with water and leave it for a while....... lol....... and then we play the waiting game....... how long does it take to grow your own algae? We'll find out! 

I think with veggie flakes that sink to the bottom that the guppies miss, the wafers, zuchinni and home-grown algae should be enough for the snails, (and the ottos and the shrimp, lol).

I may try ordering some of those food sticks sometime though. (I wish he sold his stuff in stores). I've spent a lot on the tank lately..... I'd better "be good" for a while so the hubby doesn't get mad, lol.


----------



## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

I'm sure nerites would eat left over stuff if they were to get to it in time. It'd probably be eaten by other stuff in the tank before they had a chance to get to it.


----------



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Cool. Thanks.

Um.... this may sound dumb, because they are snails and I know snails are slow but..... do they stay in one place for a looong time?

The little one I have, he zooms around the tank all the time, eating stuff off the glass. The other one moves slowly from rock to rock. Staying in the same general area for a few days, but definitely moving. The third one.... he's alive because he's stuck to the glass. Last night I saw his mouth moving, but today he still hasn't moved from that spot and has his head tucked in. His body is still stuck to the glass, but he won't come out and eat or move. Is this normal? (Maybe just stressed from moving from the LFS to my tank?)


----------



## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

they can stay in the same spot for days on end. One of mine was stuck in its shell for about a month before it started moving around again. So just wait. I thought it was dead but i've been fooled before so i let it sit and wait and it finally came out again.


----------



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Thanks. He finally started nomming the algae on the glass again. I wonder what they're doing in their shells for that long? (Maybe plotting the slowest world domination ever!)


----------



## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

maybe they're evolving the ability to snail out of the water.


----------



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Hahaha! I've heard this type does like to leave the tank and check things out outside of the tank before drying up and dying.....

Do Nerites have a breathing funnel they need to stick above the water? (If so, I'd better empty a bit of water out of my tank).


----------



## Rob72 (Apr 2, 2011)

i have the Olive Nerites in my tank, they keep it clean, i have had them alittle over a year, when i got them the guy at the store i got them said they dont breed in freshwater well guess what he lied to me, they have been breeding like crazy and i now have thousands of them, they are comming out and looking at other options, if by some chance you wanted them and we could find a way to ship them, i would give them to you free, just pay the shipping if you are interested, just an idea Holly


----------



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Crazy! You've got some determined Nerite babies! (They need brackish water to hatch, so you must have some baby snails who really want to live!)

When I set up my 65g tank I'll want some for sure, but for now, my little 10g is fully (and overly) stocked. Thanks though, and I'll keep you in mind!


----------



## Rob72 (Apr 2, 2011)

tell me about it, they were in the other tank before and no babys, but since i set up the new on and put more plants in and the big chunk of driftwood in, they have been breeding like crazy, i do water changes and add chemicals and they still live and more and more, one day hopefully once i get a clown loach they will be gone for good, but i have no algea in the tank though its nice and clean


----------

