SNAIL YES! Your favorite snails & why you love them!

[SeaJay]

It may not be very PC of me to say, but I’ve tried a lot of snails and found that the Mexican turbo snails are the hardest working and most efficient at keeping my tank clean...

 

[waterskiguy]

The only snails I put in my system are Trochus and a few bumblebee (for looks and vermetid). Both suit their purpose well. Trochus are the best cleaners IMO. They eat like its going out of style, don't mow down frags, grow well, multiply and can right themselves when flipped.

 

[Nathan Milender]

I recently ordered 250 snails for my 450g system......yea hair algae BAD!

Ya I know we've only talked about this a couple million times but a fresh discussion about important topics can't be bad right?! Plus we want to hear from people who have yet to chime in on this subject. So it's time to come out of your shell and tell us about your favorite snail and more importantly is why! We need an answer for both of the following questions.

1. WHAT is your favorite snail?

2. WHY is your favorite snail your favorite?

snail image via @DaveFe

I like the cerith snails. Main reason is they seem to not die. Trocus and turbos make it a few months but I usually find them dead. Ceriths seem to keep going. For meat, I stick to the smaller varieties, these do no seem as picky.

 

[Key-tie]

For me...clear #1 is Trochus by far...because those little buggers put in WORK.
#2 would be mexican turbos for the live rock.

 

[Reefer Reboot]

Zebra Turbo. What's not to love about a fluorescent "strobe light" mouth?
Also helps the RFA escape the GSP!;Hilarious

 

[Sley1]

Trochus Snails are constant grazers both on rock and glass. They seem to like lots of different algae types. They just bred in my tank about 3 weeks ago, I now have about 50 baby red banded Trochus snails from what I can see, I will have to see if they continue to grow and survive. Probably not enough algae in the tank to keep that many full and satisfied. You can see several on the back wall of my overflow and 1 on the floor in the attached photos.

 

[Nathan Milender]

I forgot, the nerites are really solid as well. Only problem with those is I have to pull them out of the overflow for the first few weeks until they quit going in there. They really seem to like the overflow. I think the trochus and turbos are prettier, but they seem to only make it 2-3 months before I find something snacking on them.

 

[Ryan420r6]

Trochus and conch snails thrive in my 90g. Really like the nassarius just wish they lived longer.

 

[MrDLHughesY]

For me it’s got to be the trochus and strawberry conch. Just never stop

 

[RP709]

Cerith snails, hands down the hardest working snail you might never see! They do their best work in the substrate but will clean glass and rocks as well, very hardy with long lifespans and reproduce easily.

 

[tthomas]

I would definitely go with Tiger Trochus - best algae eaters IMO for the entire tank, both rock and sand!

 

[bobbyM]

Red banded trochus snails

they breed, provide live coral food, and I don’t have to replace them. they eat a ton of algae and flip themselves upright if they flip over.

 

[Emerson]

Trochus are my best workers, but conches are the most fun to watch.

 

[Cuzuco]

I like white Cyprea annulus, they seem to do a good job and they can be spotted often even at daytime, not like other snails that get out only at night

 

[ReefAtlas]

Trochus are great. They live long and eat and eat...
Now the bad - they are absolute bulldozers. Your coral better be encrusted well.
Ceriths are good and can get into smaller places but the babies like to find their way into the sump and then into my skimmer impeller.

 

[SMB]

I have a dozen or more of these. Don't know where they came from. They multiply regularly and eat algae and detritus.
You never see them unless you go "night diving" in your tank and then they are out and about. When I find the babies in the sump, I put them in the DT.

The Sea Slug Forum - Elephant Slug, Shield Slug, Ducksbill Limpet (Scutus sp.)

 

[Bpb]

Haven’t had a snail in my tank in years

 

[Shooter6]

I love Trochus and Stomatella snails. Currently working on getting Stomatellas but not having much luck, nobody sells them. If you have any hit me up lol!

Located? I started with one have hundreds or more now

 

[Scott97062]

My fish eat snails for lunch so I don't bother.

 

[Reefs and Geeks]

I've been wanting to add snails (and maybe hermits) to my non-existant CUC. Is there a list of snails that don't have trouble righting themselves and who will live longer than a few months? My tank is pretty deep, and if I'm honest with myself I know I'd get sick of reaching into the tank to the bottom to flip them upright if they can't right themselves. I'd eventually not bother.

Only CUC I have now is 2 urchins.