Members of the Mollusca phylum, Gastropoda class, here is profile facts and information to learn about and identify Abalone, Astrea, Cowrie, Turbo and other shelled algae grazing marine snails, as well as venomous stinging Cone and Vermetid species that are predatory animals.
Algae Eating Snails
The identification and characteristics of various types of snails as reef tank janitors, centering around three of the most common species used for controlling algae, Astrea, Turbo, and Nerite snails.Astraea Conehead Snails
Debbie Hauter
Astraea Conehead Snails (Astraea tecta), are reef tank safe and devour algae at an incredible rate. This reef tank safe snail spends all of its time consuming algae from the rocks and glass in an aquarium.
Banded Trochus Snails
The Banded Trochus Snail (Trochus spp.) is a terrific reef tank safe algae consumer. This snail consumes cyanobacteria and diatoms from rocks, aquarium walls and the substrate, but will not eat macroalgae.Bumble Bee Snail (Engina mendicaria)
The Bumble Bee Snail (Engina mendicaria), is a sand sifting snail which helps stir the substrate in a deep sand bed aquarium.Cerith Snails
A profile of the Cerith Snail (Cerithium spp.), which is a great sand stirring animal for your deep sand bed.
Fighting Conch Snail
This snail is a good sand stirrer for deep sand beds in aquariums. Like other snails, the Fighting Conch is sensitive to nitrates and totally intolerant of...Margarita Snails (Margarites pupillus)
The Margarita Snail (Margarites pupillus) is a reef tank safe algae eating animal. This reef tank safe snail spends all of its time eating algae from the rocks and glass in an aquarium. When populating an aquarium with these snails, caution should be taken.Nassarius Snails
The Nassarius Snail (Nassarius spp.) is a long living, reef tank safe scavenger. This snail likes to bury itself in the sand, stirring deep sand beds.Nerite Snails
Keoki Stender
The algae eating Nerite Snail (Nerita spp.) is a reef tank safe snail which spends all of its time eating algae from the rocks and glass in an aquarium. This snail is reef tank safe, however caution should be taken when populating an aquarium with this animal.
