Freshwater Snails
Tiger Nerite Snail
A compact, warm-toned Nerite with an amber-gold shell marked with irregular black blotching and striping that gives each individual a tiger-like patterned character. A capable algae grazer that cannot breed in freshwater.
Tiger Nerite Snails (Neritina turrita) are a compact, warm-toned Nerite species with an amber to golden-yellow shell marked by irregular black blotching, streaking, and banding that varies between individuals. The pattern has a looser, more organic quality than the clean parallel stripes of the Zebra Nerite, giving each Tiger Nerite a somewhat unique appearance while sharing the same warm black-and-gold colour palette. Tiger Nerites are slightly smaller than Zebra Nerites at maturity, reaching around ¾ inch, which makes them particularly well-suited to smaller nano tanks and aquascapes where a full-sized Nerite would feel oversized. Algae-grazing performance is consistent with other Nerite species -- continuous, thorough, and highly effective across glass and hardscape. Cannot breed in freshwater. Fully safe with all shrimp. GH 6+ and pH above 7.0 for shell health.
Appearance
Shell Pattern & Colour
Amber-gold base with irregular black tiger markings -- warmer and more organic than Zebra Nerite patterning. The Tiger Nerite shell is a warm amber to golden-yellow with black blotching, streaking, and irregular banding that is less uniformly structured than the Zebra Nerite's clean parallel stripes. The result reads as more naturalistic and less graphic -- the pattern suggests the irregular markings of a tiger's coat rather than the clean geometry of zebra stripes. Under tank lighting the amber-gold base glows warmly, and the black markings provide clear contrast without the high-contrast boldness of the Zebra's patterning.
Individual variation in marking pattern -- no two are identical. While Tiger Nerites share the same general amber-and-black colour palette, the specific distribution of black markings varies between individuals. Some have heavier black coverage with amber showing through in patches; others have a predominantly amber shell with sparse black blotching. This individual variation makes a group of Tiger Nerites more visually interesting as a collective than the uniform patterning of a Zebra Nerite group.
Slightly smaller than Zebra Nerites at around ¾ inch at maturity -- well-suited to nano tanks. The smaller size of the Tiger Nerite makes it proportionally better suited to tanks under 20 gallons where a full-sized Nerite would look visually heavy. In a 5 to 10 gallon shrimp tank three to five Tiger Nerites feel appropriately scaled to the environment in a way that larger Nerite species do not.
Behaviour & Care
Algae Grazing & Husbandry
Continuous broad-spectrum algae grazer -- effective on glass, hardscape, and plant surfaces. Tiger Nerites graze constantly, consuming soft green algae, brown diatom films, and biofilm from all available surfaces. They are active during both day and night and cover the full tank surface area over the course of a day. In a well-maintained shrimp tank they significantly reduce the frequency of manual glass cleaning.
Cannot breed in freshwater, population is completely stable. Like all Nerite species, Tiger Nerites require brackish water for larval development. White egg capsules may appear on hardscape, glass, and plant surfaces but will not hatch in freshwater. You will never have more Tiger Nerites than you introduce.
White egg capsules will be deposited on hard surfaces. Tiger Nerites lay hard white egg capsules in freshwater that do not hatch but also do not dissolve on their own. They can be scraped off hardscape and glass when cleaning. This is normal behaviour shared by all Nerite species and is the standard trade-off for their algae-grazing effectiveness and non-breeding status.
GH 6+ and pH above 7.0 for shell integrity and colour quality. Adequate calcium keeps the amber colouration vivid and the shell surface smooth. In soft or acidic water the shell erodes over time, dulling the warm amber tone and degrading the black markings. Standard Neocaridina parameters are ideal. Supplement with cuttlebone in softer water. Safe with all Neocaridina and Caridina shrimp.
Cover the tank and keep the water line low. Tiger Nerites climb and will exit through any gap. Keep the water line at least 5 to 7cm below the rim or use a fitted lid.
Supplement feeding in new or clean tanks. In an established tank with consistent algae growth no supplemental feeding is needed. In newer or very clean tanks supplement with algae wafers or blanched vegetables. Sensitive to elevated nitrates -- keep below 20 ppm with regular water changes.
Keeper's NoteTiger and Zebra Nerites kept together in the same tank create a more visually interesting snail population than either species alone. The clean geometric striping of the Zebra reads as a clear counterpoint to the looser, more organic markings of the Tiger, and the size difference between the two species adds further variation. Both share identical care requirements and neither can reproduce in freshwater, so a mixed group of three Zebra and three Tiger Nerites is a straightforward and effective algae-grazing combination for any shrimp tank.
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