1 kinds · tap one for a closer look
Peaceful; leaves white eggs on décor.
326 species in our list are a good match.
Peaceful; leaves white eggs on décor.
Algae, biofilm and algae wafers.
Tap a food to see what it is.
Separate sexes that look alike; among snails of the same age kept together, females grow larger than males.
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Lays eggs in fresh water, but the larvae need brackish or sea water, so it won't multiply in your tank.
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →A small nerite with a smooth, rounded olive-green to dark brown shell from the coasts of Florida, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. One of the most efficient algae grazers in the hobby.
American naturalist Thomas Say described this snail in 1822. It lives in Florida and around the Gulf of Mexico and is a common, hardy algae grazer in aquariums.
First described by Thomas Say in 1822.
15 facts checked with sources
Neritina reclivata (Say, 1822) is a junior subjective synonym; the accepted name is Vitta usnea (Röding, 1798) (MolluscaBase AphiaID 865835). SeaLifeBase still lists it as Neritina usnea. Freshwater/brackish snail. Trade flag: LiveAquaria sells 'olive nerita' only as 'Neritina sp.', and much stock sold as 'olive nerite' may be imported Asian nerites rather than this American species.
MolluscaBase via WoRMS REST record: Neritina reclivata (AphiaID 818802) · MolluscaBase via WoRMS REST record: Vitta usnea (AphiaID 865835)Legacy had no family.
MolluscaBase via WoRMS REST record: Vitta usnea (AphiaID 865835) · LiveAquaria (retailer care sheet): Olive Nerita SnailShell size; larger well-sourced figure (2.5 cm) used per size rule; legacy 2 cm is within range.
Wikipedia: Vitta usnea (olive nerite; cites MolluscaBase, Russell 1941) · Gensou Aquascaping (hobby care guide): Olive nerite snail, 2026 · LiveAquaria (retailer care sheet): Olive Nerita Snail68-85 °F = 20-29.4 °C; legacy 20-26 lies inside LiveAquaria's range and covers Wikipedia's 22.2-25.6 °C preference.
LiveAquaria (retailer care sheet): Olive Nerita Snail · Wikipedia: Vitta usnea (olive nerite; cites MolluscaBase, Russell 1941) · Gensou Aquascaping (hobby care guide): Olive nerite snail, 2026Legacy 7-8.5 slightly high at the top; sources give 7.0-8.2 (Gensou) and 6.5-8.0 (LiveAquaria).
Gensou Aquascaping (hobby care guide): Olive nerite snail, 2026 · LiveAquaria (retailer care sheet): Olive Nerita SnailLegacy had none.
Gensou Aquascaping (hobby care guide): Olive nerite snail, 2026 · LiveAquaria (retailer care sheet): Olive Nerita Snail10 US gal = 37.9 L. Gensou only says one snail 'can keep 20-30 litres of glass spotless', not a minimum. Legacy 20 L not supported by a stated minimum.
LiveAquaria (retailer care sheet): Olive Nerita SnailSources span about 1 to 3 years; legacy 1-2 lies inside.
LiveAquaria (retailer care sheet): Olive Nerita Snail · Gensou Aquascaping (hobby care guide): Olive nerite snail, 2026Legacy 'southern USA' is too narrow: it also occurs through the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.
Wikipedia: Vitta usnea (olive nerite; cites MolluscaBase, Russell 1941) · SeaLifeBase: Neritina usnea (= Vitta usnea), Olive neriteLegacy said 'not visibly different'; only a size difference in same-age groups is reported (retailer source, generic 'Neritina sp.').
LiveAquaria (retailer care sheet): Olive Nerita SnailNeeds brackish water for larvae.
LiveAquaria (retailer care sheet): Olive Nerita Snail · SeaLifeBase: Neritina usnea (= Vitta usnea), Olive neriteRange corrected from 'southern USA'; name updated to Vitta usnea.
Gensou Aquascaping (hobby care guide): Olive nerite snail, 2026