Zebra nerite snail
The striped nerite most people picture when they hear the name, with a golden shell banded in black. Its husbandry is that of every nerite, and its distinctness from the others sold under the same name is mostly a matter of the shell.
Quick profile
- Scientific name
- Vittina turrita
- Adult size
- 2–2.5 cm (0.8–1 in)
- Lifespan
- 1–3 years
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- pH
- 7–8.5
- Hardness
- 6–20 °dGH
- Minimum tank
- 20 L (5 US gal)
- Minimum length
- 30 cm
- Swimming zone
- Bottom
- Social
- Tolerant of any grouping
- Diet
- Algae grazer
- Overall confidence
- moderate confidence
What keeping this species involves
Hardy and effective in hard alkaline water. The white egg capsules on the hardscape are the price and they are permanent.
Lower coastal stream reaches with tidal influence, grazing rock and wood.
Identity and names
- Common name
- Zebra nerite snail
- Scientific name
- Vittina turrita
- Family
- Neritidae
- Order
- Cycloneritida
- Class
- Gastropoda
- Also sold as
- tiger nerite, Vittina turrita, Neritina turrita
- Former or synonymous names
- Neritina turrita
Name ambiguity
The zebra-striped nerite of the trade. Sold interchangeably with several other striped Neritidae, and the catalogue's general 'nerite snail' record covers a different species again.
Adult size and growth
2–2.5 cm (0.8–1 in)
Typical lifespan in an aquarium: 1–3 years. Almost every animal sold in a shop is a juvenile, so the tank has to suit the size in the first line rather than the size in the bag.
Water and tank requirements
Grazeable hard surface is the limiting resource; the water volume matters only for the bioload.
| Requirement | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 22–28 °C (72–82 °F) | Stability matters more than hitting an exact figure. |
| pH | 7–8.5 | A stable pH outside the ideal band is usually better than an unstable one inside it. |
| General hardness | 6–20 °dGH | Check your supplier's published figure before choosing species. |
| Carbonate hardness | 4–15 °dKH | Buffering capacity — what stops the pH moving. |
| Minimum volume | 20 L (5 US gal) | A floor, not a recommendation. |
| Minimum footprint | 30 cm long | Grazeable hard surface is the limiting resource; the water volume matters only for the bioload. |
| Water flow | low | Match the outflow to this rather than to the filter's rating. |
| Lid required | Recommended | Reduces evaporation and prevents accidents. |
| Structure | Hard surfaces with algae films in hard alkaline water. |
Behaviour
- Grazes glass and hardscape steadily, including in bright light.
- Climbs above the waterline.
Feeding
- Diet type
- Algae grazer
- Staples
- Algae films on glass and hardscape, Algae wafers, Blanched vegetables
Breeding
- Strategy
- Lays hard egg capsules requiring brackish water to develop
- Difficulty
- rarely achieved
- Parental care
- none
Tankmates and compatibility
Assessments are derived from stored traits by the compatibility engine, with the reasoning shown. A verdict is a statement about probability, not a guarantee — individual temperament can override it.
| Towards | Risk | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Small fish | none | Anything that fits in the mouth is at risk once this species reaches adult size. |
| Adult dwarf shrimp | none | Cover reduces losses but rarely prevents them where the risk is high. |
| Shrimplets | none | Determines whether a shrimp colony can grow rather than merely persist. |
| Snails | none | Applies to snails you wanted as well as snails you did not. |
| Long or trailing fins | none | Fin damage is an entry point for secondary infection. |
| Plants | grazes-algae | Tough species such as Anubias and Java fern survive most grazers. |
Any pair in the catalogue can be assessed with the compatibility checker.
Welfare considerations
Points where the way this species is commonly sold or kept differs from what it actually needs.
- Shell dissolves in soft acidic water and the damage is not repaired.
- Cannot right itself easily on sand or glass.
- Sold under at least three trade names shared with other species; the shell pattern is the only practical identification in a shop.
Problems to watch for
Most problems in a tank containing this species are general rather than species-specific. Start with the troubleshooting index and work from the observation rather than from a guess at the cause.
What AquariumHQ does not yet hold
Species-level disease susceptibility is modelled in the graph and is not yet populated. Health pages will not be published until each condition has veterinary sourcing, because health content written without evidence is the most harmful thing this product could publish. The gap is recorded in the coverage report.
Where it comes from
- Native range
- Indo-Pacific coastal streams of South-East Asia
- Habitat
- Lower coastal stream reaches with tidal influence, grazing rock and wood.
Evidence
Every stored value with the kind of support behind it and where to check it. Evidence type and confidence are separate axes: an editorial position held confidently and a measurement held tentatively are different things.
| Claim | Value | Evidence type | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| scientific name | Vittina turrita | Observed / measured | high confidence | Catalogue of Life; GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| native range | Indo-Pacific coastal streams of South-East Asia | Observed / measured | moderate confidence | GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| adult size | 2–2.5 cm | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| lifespan | 1–3 years | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| temperature | 22–28 °C | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| ph | 7–8.5 pH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| general hardness | 6–20 °dGH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank volume | ≥ 20 L | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank length | ≥ 30 cm | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| carbonate hardness | 4–15 °dKH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
Last reviewed 2026-08-10. Values labelled as an aquarium-literature consensus are AquariumHQ editorial positions rather than measurements — see how evidence is handled.
Why we say this
What each figure on this page rests on, and how far that is from being independently established.
Every figure on this page has a provenance. Open any claim to see what AquariumHQ holds for it, which sources say what, and what a claim of that kind actually needs. Different claims need different evidence: an accepted scientific name is settled by one authority, while a legal restriction needs a current primary instrument. A single source is often the right answer rather than a thin one.
scientific nameAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: accepted scientific name and classification — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. Checked against gbif on 2026-08-12. One authoritative backbone is what this class requires.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
native rangeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableLimited evidence — treat with caution.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: where the species occurs — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. No checklist distribution statement is held for this species. The range on the page is editorial until one is.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
adult sizeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: size a well-kept specimen reaches — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
lifespanAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
temperatureAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
phAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
general hardnessAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
minimum tank volumeAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
minimum tank lengthAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
carbonate hardnessAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
Group size and social behaviour
Indifferent to its own kind and to everything else.