# Nerite egg question



## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

My Olive Nerites have started laying their eggs all over one of my aquariums. I don't really mind this, but if I could find a way to not have them I would probably get rid of the eggs. Are their any fishes or other critters that would eat those eggs? Is there any other way to possibly keep the eggs out?


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## zachary908 (Feb 12, 2011)

When you find out a solution let me know! :hihi:


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## xxbenjamminxx (Aug 8, 2011)

I have read that you can order more than what is needed and only keep the males in the tanks that you dont want any eggs in, while putting the females in tanks that are more out of sight so its not as bothersome. 

I dont know how true this is, nor do I know how to sex them yet, but I just ordered my first Nerites lastnight so have been doing some reading up on them.

HTH's


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## eser21 (Apr 19, 2011)

HATE nerites, they are a great way to make yout tank look unmaintained!! 
Time someone online started just selling males, i bought 5 and got 5 females. Within a month all wood was speckled.
Once they start laying they never stop!!


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## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

xxbenjamminxx said:


> I have read that you can order more than what is needed and only keep the males in the tanks that you dont want any eggs in, while putting the females in tanks that are more out of sight so its not as bothersome.
> 
> I dont know how true this is, nor do I know how to sex them yet, but I just ordered my first Nerites lastnight so have been doing some reading up on them.
> 
> HTH's


This seems logical. Do you have any info on how to determine the sex of these snails?


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## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

eser21 said:


> HATE nerites, they are a great way to make yout tank look unmaintained!!
> Time someone online started just selling males, i bought 5 and got 5 females. Within a month all wood was speckled.
> Once they start laying they never stop!!


It has not quite gotten THAT bad just yet. I was hoping for perhaps a fish that liked to eat eggs? That would definitely take care of the egg problem.


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## garfieldnfish (Sep 25, 2010)

I have not found any fish that eat the nerite snail eggs but they disappear on their own over time. What I did find is that different types of nerites do not mate. I have several tanks and bought some olive, horned, zebra and tracked nerites and mixed them up. The little white dots stopped showing up if I only have one of each type in a tank. But they are the best in keeping algae under control and have the lowest bioload for their effectiveness that I personally would not mind a few little white dots instead of hair/brush algae and green spot algae that few fish will tackle. So you have to weigh the pro and cons and the nerites in my mind win.


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## xxbenjamminxx (Aug 8, 2011)

I do not know much about sexing them yet, but from i did read real quick it was mainly determined by the size of the grown snail. If my memory serves me right I believe the females are larger than the males. Dont quote me on that though as I may be wrong. 

I will be doing some more research on them prob tonight and will chime in with any findings that I may make about the subject.

If you do some searching please do the same. Also hoping some experienced Nerite keepers will see this thread and lend their experience here.


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## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

garfieldnfish said:


> I have not found any fish that eat the nerite snail eggs but they disappear on their own over time. What I did find is that different types of nerites do not mate. I have several tanks and bought some olive, horned, zebra and tracked nerites and mixed them up. The little white dots stopped showing up if I only have one of each type in a tank. But they are the best in keeping algae under control and have the lowest bioload for their effectiveness that I personally would not mind a few little white dots instead of hair/brush algae and green spot algae that few fish will tackle. So you have to weigh the pro and cons and the nerites in my mind win.


I completely agree that the benefits of Nerites far outweigh the egg problem.


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## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

xxbenjamminxx said:


> I do not know much about sexing them yet, but from i did read real quick it was mainly determined by the size of the grown snail. If my memory serves me right I believe the females are larger than the males. Dont quote me on that though as I may be wrong.
> 
> I will be doing some more research on them prob tonight and will chime in with any findings that I may make about the subject.
> 
> If you do some searching please do the same. Also hoping some experienced Nerite keepers will see this thread and lend their experience here.


Excellent- I am looking forward to seeing what info your research produces. If I find any further details on my own I will post them here. And hopefully some users here have some experiences to share with us.


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## xxbenjamminxx (Aug 8, 2011)

Well since I was too lazy to go outside and cut the grass like I wanted to do, i did manage to find something out about these snails.

As far as sexing them goes, apparently the males have a reproductive organ at the base of their right eye/attenna, and the female does not. 

Here are some examples I took from this posting about it:
Male Vs Female









Male









Female









Also read several other places that they tend to lay more eggs when first being introduced into a new tank, and then it tends to slow down a bit. Others are also saying that separating the males and females have stopped egg production, while others claim to a single nerites that lays eggs.

I will continue more searching as I get time and will continue to update as I find more out.
Hope this helps out a little at least!


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## eser21 (Apr 19, 2011)

thats very interesting, good post. i searched a lot when i had them and never found this anywhere. thanks


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## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

xxbenjamminxx said:


> Well since I was too lazy to go outside and cut the grass like I wanted to do, i did manage to find something out about these snails.
> 
> As far as sexing them goes, apparently the males have a reproductive organ at the base of their right eye/attenna, and the female does not.
> 
> ...


Great info, thanks for posting the pics and your research. Any chance you could post the links to some of your reference sites?


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## xxbenjamminxx (Aug 8, 2011)

Sure here is the thread that I found the link to his Photobucket album that contained these examples.

http://www.applesnail.net/forum3/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=18327

And here is is album

http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh310/5hadox/?action=view&current=NeriteFemaleMale001.jpg

Took me a little bit to find it again, good thing I remeber to check my browser history!


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## wetworks (Jul 22, 2011)

xxbenjamminxx said:


> Sure here is the thread that I found the link to his Photobucket album that contained these examples.
> 
> http://www.applesnail.net/forum3/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=18327
> 
> ...


Cool, thanks for the links. If I find any other info I will post it.


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