Horned nerite snail (Clithon corona) care guide

Group

Snails

Other names

Horned nerite, Crown nerite, Bumblebee nerite, Nerita corona, Clithon variabilis, Neritina aspera

Family

Neritidae

Origin

Western Pacific and South-East Asia: Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands, Papua New Guinea to Samoa

Water

freshwater

Maximum size

2.5 cm

Temperature

22–26°C

pH

7–8

Hardness

6–12 dGH, 2–12 dKH

Minimum tank

38 litres

Care level

beginner

Lifespan

2–3 years

Care

The horned nerite is a small, round nerite snail, usually black with yellow bands and up to about 2.5 cm across, with short spines ("horns") on the shell. The spines vary a lot between individuals and can wear down with age. It is one of many Clithon sold under this name, and sellers often label it simply Clithon sp. It has an operculum (trapdoor) that it closes when disturbed. Habitat: in the wild it is amphidromous, living in fast-flowing streams and rivers and in brackish estuaries, grazing algae on hard surfaces. In the aquarium it lives happily in fresh water and suits planted tanks, nano tanks and shrimp tanks of about 38 litres and upwards. Set-up: give hard surfaces, wood and stones to graze. Keep a tight-fitting lid because nerites can climb out. Water that is too soft or acidic erodes the shell, so keep the pH at 7 or above with some carbonate hardness. Role: an excellent algae eater for green spot, diatoms (brown algae) and soft green algae, and to a lesser degree cyanobacteria. It also tidies up leftover food and detritus. It does not eat healthy plants. Copper: copper-based medicines and some plant fertilisers are toxic to shrimp, snails and most invertebrates. Never dose copper in a tank holding this animal, and check fertiliser and medicine labels before use. Sources: LiveAquaria (liveaquaria.com/products/horned-nerita-snail); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clithoncorona). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Grazes algae and biofilm from glass, stones, wood and leaves: diatoms, green algae and some cyanobacteria. In a very clean tank it can starve, so supplement with algae wafers or blanched vegetables such as courgette, spinach or carrot.

Breeding

Sexes are separate but cannot be told apart by eye. Females lay small white egg capsules on hard surfaces, which can look untidy on glass and wood. In fresh water the eggs do not develop into snails, because the larvae need brackish or salt water, so this snail will not overrun a tank. Captive breeding needs the larvae raised in brackish water and is rarely attempted.

Compatibility and tank mates

Peaceful with all community fish and shrimp. Avoid pufferfish, loaches and large cichlids that eat snails, and assassin snails. Plant-safe. In the wild its empty shells are used by a freshwater hermit crab.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.