About the species

Red Racer is one of the most sought-after nerite snails in the hobby. The shell is red to red-brown with fine black spiral lines and zigzag patterns, and the variation is so great that every individual is unique. It is rarely available and considered by many to be the most beautiful freshwater snail there is.

Facts

• Latin name: Vittina waigiensis
• Common name: Red Racer Snail
• Size: 2–3 cm
• Lifespan: 3–8 years

Behavior

Red Racer Snail is a peaceful and tireless grazer that works across glass, stone and driftwood around the clock. It leaves healthy plants alone and suits shrimp, other snails and calm fish very well. A tight lid matters — nerite snails readily climb out of the water and find every gap.

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

Red Racer 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: 45 litres
• Substrate: Gravel with stone and driftwood to graze on

Difficulty level

🟢 Easy

Recommendation

Note that the colour looks considerably paler while the snail is dry on arrival — the deep red tone only appears once the animal has been in the water for a while. Since the patterns vary so widely we cannot picture every variant, and the snail you receive will be its own.