About the species

The antenna snail is a small nerite recognised by the horn-like spines on its shell. The base colour is light brown to yellow with dark streaks or triangles, and every animal carries its own pattern. Despite its small size it is a diligent algae eater that does real work even in smaller aquariums.

Facts

• Latin name: Clithon corona
• Common name: Antenna Snail
• Size: 1.5–2.5 cm
• Lifespan: 3–8 years

Behavior

Antenna Snail is a small, peaceful grazer that works in a nano tank thanks to its size. It moves across glass, stone and driftwood and leaves healthy plants alone. It suits dwarf shrimp and small, calm fish. A tight lid is needed since it readily climbs above the waterline.

Reproduction

• Females deposit small, hard white egg capsules on stone, driftwood and glass
• The larvae require brackish or salt water to develop further
• The species therefore cannot reproduce in a freshwater aquarium and never becomes numerous

Feeding

Antenna Snail grazes aufwuchs and feeds on:

• Diatoms and green algae
• Biofilm and bacterial growth
• Cyanobacteria and detritus

Grazing alone is rarely enough — supplement with:

• Food for algae eaters and snails
• Blanched courgette, spinach or nettle
• Catappa and other leaves that grow biofilm

Aquarium

• Minimum aquarium size: 20 litres
• Substrate: Gravel with stone and driftwood to graze on

Difficulty level

🟢 Easy

Recommendation

The antenna snail is our pick when the tank is too small for the larger nerites. It works from about 20 litres and suits shrimp tanks very well. The spines corrode with age and are often missing in older animals — this is entirely normal and does not affect their health.