FAQ Cerith Snails

[Macca]

The Cerith Snail is a small scavenger with an elongated spiral shell that is usually black with tiny white dots covering the entire shell. One of the most ideal scavengers, detritus eaters, and algae eaters, this snail is perfect for the reef aquarium, quickly devouring detritus, uneaten food, decaying organics, fish waste, and several types of nuisance algae. Cerith Snails will often bury themselves in the sand, which will help maintain adequate oxygen levels in the substrate.

The Cerith Snail prefers an established aquarium with live rock and a deep sand bed. These snails are sensitive to high nitrate levels and copper-based medications.

The Cerith Snail is extremely difficult to breed in captivity.

Please post your Questions / Links below regarding Cerith snails.

[newkidfish]

if you see a cerith upside down on the sand should you turn it the right way up or leave it?

[liquidlogic]

so ceriths are good for turning over substrate? or are there better snails ?

[Macca]

Ceriths can be upside for days and be ok unlike astreas that exhaust themselves trying to get a footing. All snails are vunerable in this position so I would personally turn him over before he becomes a crab snack.

Ceriths are indeed good sand burrowers as they mow through the substrate. Very good at removing the unsightly algae just below the substrate level on the glass. Another good deterius snail is the vibex snail.

So for sand snails I would personally buy cerith snails (omnivores) and vibex or tongan snails (carnivores) for sand movement. An important note is these snails tend to stick to the upper sand regions IMHO leaving the denitryfing levels alone.

James

[liquidlogic]

thats great thanks mate :)

[newkidfish]

Thanks James, turned over the one that was upside down, I felt sorry for him!!!

[liquidlogic]

lmao. thats so cute :D.