Astraea turbo snail
Astraea tecta
Also known as Astrea Turbo Snail, Astraea Star Snail, Astraea Conehead Snail, Lithopoma tectum
SaltwaterSnail
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–79°F
- 22–26°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 1 in
- 2.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 11 gal
- 40 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Very common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Turbinidae
- Origin
- Caribbean and Western Atlantic
Overview
A peaceful, reef-safe herbivore that spends its time cleaning rock and glass and never bothers corals or other livestock. Its main weakness is that it struggles to flip itself back over once it lands on its back, so it can starve on the sand bed if not helped. Keep an eye on upside-down snails and turn them over. Stock about one per 8 to 12 litres.
In the wild
The Astraea turbo comes from Caribbean and Western Atlantic reefs, where it grazes rock surfaces for hair algae, film algae, cyanobacteria, and diatoms. It wants a well-established tank with lots of live rock to graze and stable parameters. It is sensitive to high nitrate and copper, and because it does not handle sudden parameter swings, a long drip acclimation is important.
Good to know
Astraea tecta (also sold as Lithopoma tectum) has a pyramid-shaped, olive-green shell that often carries pointed projections, giving some individuals a star-like or conehead outline. It is one of the most efficient hair-algae grazers in the hobby, and some aquarists report it consuming the whole algae structure rather than just cropping the tips.
Did you know
It cannot easily right itself when knocked onto its back, so it often ends up stranded upside down on the sand and needs a quick flip from the aquarist to survive.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Astraea turbo snail is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
White-spot anemone shrimp
Periclimenes brevicarpalis
Saltwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Broadstripe cleaner goby
Elacatinus prochilos
Saltwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Purple firefish
Nemateleotris decora
Saltwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Stomatella snail
Stomatella varia
Saltwater0.8 in (2 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Sexy shrimp
Thor amboinensis
Saltwater1.2 in (3 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Barsnout cleaner goby
Elacatinus illecebrosus
Saltwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Common questions
What size tank does an Astraea turbo snail need?
An Astraea turbo snail needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does an Astraea turbo snail need?
An Astraea turbo snail is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
How big does an Astraea turbo snail get?
An adult Astraea turbo snail reaches about 1 in (2.5 cm).
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