Horned Nerite Snail

About

The horned nerite snail (Clithon corona) is one of the more visually interesting algae-eaters you can add to a planted tank. What sets it apart from other nerites is the variable set of spiky protrusions that grow from its shell. Some individuals sport a dramatic ring of long horns, others just a few stubby ones, and occasionally a specimen turns up with almost none at all. No two are quite the same, which makes them genuinely fun to collect. The shell itself tends to be dark, often patterned with yellow or orange spots or stripes, keeping things interesting even on the hornless individuals. In the wild these snails are found in fast-moving freshwater streams and rivers across Southeast Asia and parts of the Indo-Pacific, often clinging to rocks in areas with good current. In the aquarium they go about their business methodically, rasping algae from glass, hardscape, and plant leaves without bothering tankmates or uprooting anything. Like all nerites, they will not breed in freshwater, so you never have to worry about a population explosion. That alone makes them a popular pick, and their straightforward care makes them a genuinely solid choice for newer keepers.