Questionable Clean-Up Crew Snails

As discussed in the article, “Best Snails for the Saltwater Tank,” Asterea, Trochus, Cerith, and Nerite snails are four of the best snail species to include as part of the clean-up crew for a newly cycled marine tank. As the previous article also pointed out, there are other snail species commonly recommended for inclusion in an effective clean-up crew but which should only be added to a system if certain criteria are met. Specifically, Turbo, Margarita, Nassarius, and Bumble Bee snails are readily available online and at the local fish store and are commonly touted as excellent clean-up crew candidates. This article touches on some of the things to consider before adding any of these species to your system.

Turbo snails (Turbo sp.) are undoubtedly some of the most effective snails at controlling filamentous algae. They are also, however, some of the most destructive snails commonly seen in the hobby. A Turbo snail’s wake of destruction is almost always unintentional, but its large size and the speed at which it moves mean that anything not firmly anchored will most likely be toppled. In addition, Turbo snails are so effective at eating algae, that it is not uncommon for them to starve in a mature tank where there is not enough food. This puts the aquarist in the ironic position of needing to supplement the clean-up crew’s diet. Having said this, Turbo snails can be kept in the home aquarium with success so long as the aquarist only adds a few of them and makes sure everything is firmly anchored.

Margarita snails (Margarites pupillus) are another snail species commonly included in a clean-up crew package, but one that should not be added to a tropical marine system. While some hobbyists will knowingly add Margarita snails to a cooler tropical reef tank, this species is not a tropical species and should only be utilized in a temperate or cold water system. While Margarita snails are excellent hair algae eaters, and they will survive for some length of time in tropical reef tanks, knowingly adding a temperate species to a tropical environment is (and should be) frowned upon.

Nassarius snails (Nassarius sp.) are fantastic additions to an effective clean-up crew with one major caveat—the tank into which they are introduced must have a deep sand bed. Nassarius snails bury themselves in the sand bed and emerge to feed, making them ideal and continuous agitators of the substrate (a critical function for a tank with a deep sand bed). In addition to agitation of the sand bed, Nassarius snails will feed on detritus, carrion and organic waste that other snails are likely to ignore. Consider adding one Nassarius snail for every two to three gallons of system water in a standard sized tank (or one for every five gallons of water in a tall tank given the reduction in substrate surface area).

While alluring due to their attractive coloration, Bumble Bee snails (Engina mendicaria) (Pusiostoma mendicaria) are not the best choice for the tropical marine aquarium with a deep sand bed. The reason for this is that Bumble Bee snails are carnivores and will prey on beneficial fauna in the sand bed. There is also some anecdotal evidence that they will feed on zooanthids and polyps. For tanks with a deep sand bed, it is best to include Nassarius snails rather than Bumble Bee snails. In a bare bottom (or shallow sand bed) tank, Bumble Bee snails can be added with caution, although be forewarned that their nocturnal nature means that viewing their attractive shells may be limited to the hours when the aquarist would rather be sleeping.

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