Bleeding Tooth Nerite

The bleeding tooth nerite is recognized by the cream, black and red zigzag patterns on its thick, round shell and the blood-red patch surrounding the white teeth at the shell opening. In the wild it lives in the intertidal zone and spends part of the day out of the water on wet rocks. For this reason it also climbs above the water surface in the aquarium and can escape from a tank without a lid. It meticulously cleans the algal film on rocks and glass. Specimens in the trade are wild-collected.

• 40 liters or more; a tight-fitting lid is essential. A rock or edge above the water surface satisfies its need to climb.
• Salinity 1.023–1.026 specific gravity, pH 8.1–8.4, temperature 24–27°C; calcium and alkalinity should be stable for the shell.
• Reef-safe; it leaves corals and other animals alone.
• It should be acclimated by the drip method for at least 1 hour; copper-based medications are lethal.

Herbivorous; it scrapes algal film and diatoms from rock and glass surfaces. When algae run short, it should be supplemented with nori or algae wafers.

Peaceful; it roams mostly at night and near the water surface. A nerite that dries out outside the aquarium dies quickly; the lid and gaps around tubing should be checked.

Good companions: almost all reef-safe fish; shrimp, other snails.

Avoid: aquariums without lids; triggerfish and pufferfish, large wrasses; aggressive hermit crabs without spare shells.