If you are interested in aquarium, or you’re already an aquarist, you I’ll agree with me that keeping snails is awesome, and having fishes in your tanks without complimenting it with snails is not that amazing. Nerite snails are one of the most awesome aquarium snails out there that can not only help to beautify your fish tank, but also can make a very good tank mate for your fishes. They can stay in both freshwater and brackish but hard water with pH of 8.1 – 8.4 and do stay in a temperature of 72 – 78 °F, Thus could stay with many specie of fishes and other animals. I have heard so many people say ” their Nerite snails escaped from their tanks and survived for days on dry land, yet they are still ok”. This aroused my curiosity, and thus brought about this article.
Can Nerite Snails Live Out of Water? Yes, Nerite snails are intertidal, and thus can live out of water and stay on land for weeks and up to a month and still be okay.
The case of aquarium Snails escaping from their tanks is very common, especially for aquarium keepers that do not close their tanks very well, thus giving the snails a chance to escape.
The the thing is, can all species of snails be able to get along very well on land when they escape?. Let’s fine out.
Related: Can Crayfish live in tal water?
Well, not all snails have the ability to stay long on dry land. This is due to the fact that some aquarium snails have gills and some have lungs, which they use to breath.
It’s no rocket science that those with lungs have the ability to breath more comfortably and stay longer on land than those that do breath with gills.
Related: Why is my Crayfish trying to escape?
With all said, I know your next possible question. keep reading.
Do Nerite Snails Have Lungs or Gills?
As i mentioned that some aquarium Snails have lungs, while others have gills and those with lungs have the capability to stay longer on the land. Judging from how long a Nerite snail could stay on land, your question might be “Do Nerite Snails make use of lungs or gills?
Do Nerite Snails have lungs or gills? Nerite Snails don’t have lungs, they only have gills which they use to breath.
Amazing right?, they don’t have lungs, but they could still be able to stay for a very long time on the land, how possible?
Like I have mentioned earlier, Nerite snails are intertidal, and thus can stay longer on the land and still be okay. Although they make use of gills.
Related: Why is my African dwarf frog climbing out of tank?
I have heard some people say ” their Nerite Snails escaped their tanks and stay days, weeks and up to a month, but was still alright and still became more lively than they were before when returned to water.
So many water animals with gills do stay on the land.
For instance “crayfish” but they stay in moist environment and can stay there for a very long time, because their gills could still be supplying them with oxygen from the moist air.
Related: 8 reasons why your frog will try to jumb out of its tank
Some snails does that too, by breathing from the water in their shell, thereby, staying wet and okay, maybe Nerite does that too to stay longer on the land.
How Long Can Nerite Snails Live Without Water?
As you must have learned, these snails can live on land or should I say ‘stay out of water for a while. The question is, how long can they live without water?
Nerite Snails can live for a few weeks and up to a month without having any contact with water.
This ability to stay this long on land, despite breathing with gills makes them amazing creatures.
Infact they are very unique.
Although they can survive up to a month on dry land, but the case is different if they stay near shores or an environment that has moisture in the air.
Related: Why are my African dwarf frogs hiding?
If they stay in such environment, they will last more than a month on land, because the air is moist and that’s exactly what their gills need for them to breath fine and stay wet.
This is the crab and crayfish secret of lasting longer on land without having any form of direct contact with water etc.
Are Nerite Snails Okay Out of Water?
It is normal for Nerite Snails to escape and stay out of water for days, weeks and even a month. But come to think of it, is it okay for them?, especially when it comes to their health, well being.
Are Nerite Snails okay out of water? Nerite Snails are okay out of water for a days, but can get sick or die if they stay out of water for weeks or months.
Forget about their ability to survive for a while on dry land, but they are still aquarium snails that make use of gills.
So they are meant to stay on water and not on land.
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Although they normally get on land by escaping the aquarium.
Normally, they shouldn’t be allowed to stay on land, especially on dry land, as it can hurt them if they stay very long.
But if you ask me, your Nerite escaping for hours or few days, I don’t think you should be worried about them dying, just look for them and put them back in the aquarium.
But don’t give them the chance to escape, because apart from their health being affected, accidents could happen, like crushing them on the floor unknowingly or predators getting them.
Although I have heard one or two aquarists say ” their dull Nerite snails became more active when returned to water after escaping for a few days”.
Although I can’t clearly explain this, but it might be as a result of change of environment, I think.
So in the conclusion, my advise is, ‘don’t allow or give them the chance to escape, even for a few hours,as accidents could happen or predators could get them.
How to keep Nerite Snails From Escaping
This article cannot be complete without explaining how you can keep or stop them. from escaping the tank or aquarium.
How to keep Nerite Snails from Escaping.
To stop or prevent your Nerite snails from escaping, cover their tanks very well and always check their filters before removing them.
We all know that snails could climb on anything, either slippery or not, so to be on a safer side, make sure that the tanks are well covered, so that they don’t escape by climbing out of it.
I have seen a case where Nerite snail hide in a filter and was removed with it unknowingly. Although it was later found.
Therefore check the filters very well if any snail is inside it before removing, or they might hide and escape in it.
Conclusion
I hope this article answered some of your questions. You can show love by sharing it.