Black Racer Nerite Snail (Neritina pulligera)

Remarks:  The black racer nerite snail (Neritina pulligera), also known as the military helmet nerite, is a very unique species. Unlike its more common relatives, it lacks a pattern and instead is entirely jet black or very dark olive. Another unique aspect of the black racer nerite is its very flat shape when compared to other nerites. This flat shape combined with their exceptionally strong grip makes it especially difficult for fish to get enough of a hold on it to flip the black racer nerite over for an attack.   B-grade snails have imperfections on their shells such as small chips or scratches but none that are a threat to the snail's health. They most likely will eventually heal and look like any other snail.   Nerite snails are excellent algae grazers and they do not reproduce in freshwater due to their larvae requiring brackish conditions, meaning you won't be overrun with tiny snails seemingly crawling out of the substrate. They will deposit eggs on many surfaces, however, and these can be scraped off or left to naturally decay. They seem to appreciate brown algae (diatoms) most. Any tanks housing these snails should have a tight-fitting lid as they can crawl up the glass and escape. Luckily, these snails can close up their shells when out of water to slow the rate at which they dry out. Some have reported finding snails 24 hours or longer after escape that perk back up when placed back in the water.