Spiny Turbo Snail

The Spiny Turbo Snail has a unique shell and a ravenous appetite for algae. Unlike many bottom dwellers that are dressed in drab colours to better camouflage themselves against the sand bottoms, Spiny Turbo Snail boasts a pyramid-shape shell with beautiful, green, yellow, and tan colouration. The Spiny Turbo Snail boasts pronounced projections on their shells creating a sculptured spiral star shape that is sure to dazzle the eye.

Though interesting to observe in your home aquarium, the Spiny Turbo Snail serves a greater function of cleaning algae-covered live rock. It is very adept at keeping your aquarium clean. In fact, this small herbivore prefers to feed on nuisance hair algae, as well as cyanobacteria and diatoms. Some aquarists also report that the Spiny Turbo Snail actually consumes the entire hair algae structure, which helps prevent immediate further algae growth. The Spiny Turbo Snail prefers established aquariums with ample hiding places and sufficient room to roam. In addition to eating algae off of your live rock, this member of the Astraeinae family will also clean your aquarium glass. However, the Spiny Star Astraea Snail is not known to be a climber like other smaller-shelled snail species.

Care needs to be taken to observe the daily activities of this hungry snail since it has difficulty righting itself if it falls or is knocked upside down. Like other invertebrates, the Spiny Turbo Snail is sensitive to high nitrate levels and will not tolerate copper-based medications. The Spiny Turbo Snail requires a gradual acclimation period, preferably the drip acclimation method, since it cannot tolerate even minute changes in water parameters.

If sufficient food levels are not present, supplement the diet with blanched spinach or lettuce and vegetable-based pellet foods.