Blue Berry Snail - Viviparus sp.
🔷 Rare Species
🌿 Plant Safe
🟢 Beginner Friendly
🇮🇪 Carefully Sourced for Just Keep Shrimping
The Blue Berry Snail (Viviparus sp.) is one of the rarest and most sought-after freshwater snails in the aquarium hobby.
What makes this species truly special is the extraordinary contrast between its textured brown shell and its deep metallic-blue body, highlighted by glowing orange markings on the face and antennae.
These are peaceful, active snails that slowly patrol the aquarium while adding an incredible visual presence that immediately catches the eye.
Unlike many species sold under the same name, these are genuine Blue Berry Snails that were carefully sourced after extensive searching.
🟢 Difficulty: Easy
👉 Looking for the history, identification and care information behind this species? Visit the More Information section below.
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More Information
🔷 The Mystery of Viviparus sp.
Blue Berry Snails belong to the genus Viviparus, a fascinating group of freshwater snails known for their beautiful shells, calm behaviour and unusual reproductive strategy.
Unlike most aquarium snails, they do not lay eggs. Instead, they are livebearers, giving birth to fully developed miniature snails.
Their slow reproductive rate is one of the reasons they remain relatively uncommon in the hobby.
🫐 The Real Blue Berry Snail
Over the years, many snails have been sold under the "Blue Berry" name.
However, many of these are actually different species, often referred to as "Orange Spot" variants.
While beautiful in their own right, they lack the defining characteristics of authentic Blue Berry Snails.
After extensive searching, we deliberately sourced genuine Blue Berry specimens to establish this project.
🧬 Authentic traits include:
🔵 Deep metallic-blue body colour
🟠 Distinct orange facial markings
🐚 Heavy, textured shell
✨ Beautiful iridescence under aquarium lighting
🌿 Perfect Display Animals
These snails are not algae machines or clean-up crew workhorses.
Instead, they are best appreciated as display invertebrates.
They slowly move through the aquarium, grazing on biofilm and adding movement without disturbing plants or hardscape.
They pair exceptionally well with:
🦐 Neocaridina shrimp
🌱 Nature aquascapes
🌿 Planted aquariums
🪨 Stone layouts
🪵 Botanical-style tanks
👶 Livebearers, Not Egg Layers
One of the most fascinating things about Viviparus species is their reproductive strategy.
Instead of laying visible egg clutches, females carry developing young internally before releasing fully formed baby snails.
🐌 Reproduction is naturally slow.
⚖️ Populations remain manageable.
🧬 Genetic diversity becomes particularly important.
This makes them an excellent long-term species for dedicated hobbyists.
📊 Quick Summary
🧬 Scientific name: Viviparus sp.
🔷 Common name: Blue Berry Snail
🐌 Reproduction: Livebearing
🌿 Plant safe: Yes
🟢 Difficulty: Easy
⚖️ Growth rate: Slow
🦐 Shrimp compatibility: Excellent
🇮🇪 Carefully sourced by Just Keep Shrimping, Cork, Ireland