<p>Nickel ferrite nanoparticles (NiFNPs) have been indicated as a sustainable nanotechnology for biomedical, electronic, and nanoremediation fields. However, their release and presence in aquatic environments raise concerns about their potential effects on organisms and their offspring. Thus, the current study aimed to evaluate the effects of NiFNPs and nickel chloride (NiCl₂) on young-to-adult freshwater snail <i>Biomphalaria glabrata</i> (mortality, growth, and fecundity) during 30 days of exposure, as well as the possible carry-over effects on the first generation (mortality, embryo development, hatching rate, heart rate, locomotor behavior, and touch sensitivity behavior) sampled after 7 and 28 days of parental exposure. <i>B. glabrata</i> adults were not significantly affected by the direct exposure to either Ni forms. Similarly, mortality, embryo development, and hatching rate of their offspring were not significantly impacted by parental exposure to either NiFNPs or NiCl₂. Nevertheless, an increase in heart rate was observed in embryos sampled after 7-day parental exposure for both Ni forms compared with controls, whereas the opposite pattern was observed in embryos sampled after 28-day parental exposure. Further studies are needed to explain this contrasting outcome. In addition, parental exposure to NiFNPs produced snails with reduced thigmotaxis, which would make these snails more susceptible to predation in a NiFNPs-contaminated environment. The present study showed that parental exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of NiFNPs and NiCl₂ can cause effects on unexposed offspring, highlighting the relevance of intergenerational studies in nanoecotoxicology.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>