# Olive nerite hatched



## shalu (Oct 1, 2004)

I got some olive nerites about a month ago. They laid tons of white eggs on the glass, but almost everyone on the net says they don't hatch in freshwater . I kept finding empty egg shells on the glass after a period of time, and thought they might have hatched. Well, last night, I caught one larva just coming out of the egg shell! Will post a pic later . I can't find the larva anymore this morning.

Now the question is, what happens to the larvae after hatching? Do they die without brackish/saltwater? If I can separate some larvae out without killing them, then I can find out the answer in a small container.

The same thing might be happening with my Virgin nerites(in both fresh and salt water), except their eggs are much smaller and harder to track the larvae.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

I've heard conjecture that they will survive, but get eaten by other occupants or sucked into filter intakes.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

My guess is that they aren't surviving without the brackish water but I hope you prove otherwise!


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## shalu (Oct 1, 2004)

I guess I can do an experiment. I found they like to lay eggs on any hard surface, so I can put a small rock in there and take it out when there are eggs on it. Hatch it in a small container and see what happens.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Shalu, if you do happen to find they hatch for you, you know you will have one very hot property on your hands. Everyone's going to want some of the 'Shalu variety Nerites', which will survive and propagate in fresh water.


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## SnakeIce (May 9, 2005)

This is amuseing, I thought the apeal of nerites was the fact that they didn't reproduce in fw.


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## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

It maybe attractive to some that they don't breed in FW, but for me that wouldn't be an issue. I would like them to breed in FW. They are said to be great algae eaters.


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## shalu (Oct 1, 2004)

Here is a picture of a newly hatched larva just coming out of the egg shell:









I believe, upon further observation, that the larvae die shortly after hatching. More on this later, with pictures to show it.


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