Cute little Cowrie

melev

melev

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Here is a small cowrie. I have the large one already that is the size of a lemon (Tiger Cowrie). This one is more like the size of an olive. Often you see these types of shells used in a necklace, although they are smaller in size. I'm expecting this to work on algae, including filamentous in nature (such as GHA or Bryopsis).
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Wow, that is really cute! Awww. . I want one someday! Maybe after my tanks have been up a year or so. I know how hard they are to keep. :?
 
Some cowries are reef safe, others aren't..

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-07/rs/index.php

Dr. Ron identified a couple of species that are supposed to be strict herbivores.
 
I've had my Tiger Cowrie for almost a year, and it has done fine. This little guy has been cruising a tank full of corals at Franks Tanks for months and months, and when I saw it originally I told him I wanted it. Of course it vanished later, but I saw it again yesterday and bought him.

According to Dr Ron's Field Guide (just saw a copy at The Fish Place on Saturday), some cowries are safe and will help with nuisance algae. My favorite kind. :)
 
I read somewhere, on RC I believe, that due to their tough, slick shells the larger cowries like the Tigers are not as threatened by smaller wrasses and puffers. That they do well as cleaners in aggressive predator tanks where most other snails are served up as Escargot. It’s like the puffers can’t get a hold of them well enough to crack the shell.
 
I think he's real cool!

What's on his shell? Orange carnation?

I would like to get 1-2 of those! I was told not to get them with a reef!

I guess I was told wrong!

Ricky
 
Ricky, those projections are actually the mantle of the snail- much like the foot of other snails, but folded back up and over the shell. The constant polishing of the shell by the mantle is what gives their shells such a slick surface.

As noted above, not all cowries are reef safe. If you have a reef tank, look into some of the 'identified as safe' cowries if you want to be sure.

This is a guy that I purchased as a spotted cowrie (misidentified, unfortunately) that turned out to be not reef safe (ate GSP and zoas.)
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