sea snail lovers!

[ml708]

I thought of finding out what folks are keeping apart from the normal clean up crew.

For myself I have 3 small abalones and a large arabian cowrie.

[sam.basye]

I've got a lettered olive snail I usually don't see. It lives 90% buried and surfaces occasionally at the scent of food.

[Betta132]

I have a money cowry I only see a couple times a month thanks to its camo. This is a 30g, you'd think I'd see it more, but nooo.
I'm getting more the next time they're at the LFS, they're awesome.

[ml708]

Interesting! I had the same problem with my abalones but after the first 2 weeks in the tank they started venturing out, even in the day. As for my cowrie it moves much less than the abalones. Do you feed your cowrie or does it scavenge leftovers?

[Betta132]

It actually eats algae, which makes me wonder if it's a true money cowrie. I've seen it crawling across the glass leaving a trail of algae-free glass behind it. I don't intentionally feed it, though I'd offer it food if I could find it during feeding time.
I'm sure it's out and around, I probably just can't see it. It looks like a lump, and I usually only notice it when it's on the glass.

[ml708]

I believe cowries do eat microalgae as well as microorganisms living on macroalgae. Mine never touches the turtle weed in my tank.