Nerita tessellata

Choosing one, the key point: pick individuals that stay underwater. Sprung found that checkered nerites that rarely leave the water suit aquariums and the others do not; a shell covered with pink coralline algae is a good sign.

Lid: even with an "aquatic" individual, keep the tank well covered. Intertidal nerites may climb out, and some survive several days out of water.

Acclimation: no species-specific instructions found; go slowly, as for any invertebrate, and never use copper.

Setup: rock to graze, hiding places and room to roam. Small and round, it knocks over neither rocks nor corals (LiveAquaria, about nerites).

Sensitivities: copper-based medications and high nitrate (LiveAquaria). Nerites are often more active at night.

Herbivore: like most nerites, it mainly eats the diatom film coating rocks, as well as filamentous and film-forming cyanobacteria and filamentous green algae (Sprung). In the aquarium it grazes the rock and the algae film on the glass (LiveAquaria).

If algae run short, Quality Marine recommends dried algae or vegetable pellets.