Mini Trochus Snail

Collonista sp.

Also known as Collonista Snail

SaltwaterSnail

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 8.1–8.4
Adult size: 0.2 in (0.6 cm)
Minimum tank: 5 gal (20 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Beginner
Breeding: Easy
Rarity: Common
Reef safe: Reef safe
Origin: Indo-Pacific
Family: Colloniidae

Overview

A peaceful round-the-clock grazer that eats film algae, diatoms, and some cyanobacteria without bothering anything else in the tank. It is hardy and forgiving, and its one real quirk is being small enough to wander into pump intakes, which routine maintenance keeps in check.

In the wild

Collonista snails live tucked into rock crevices on Indo-Pacific reefs, coming out mostly at night to graze hard surfaces. In the aquarium they work the glass, the rock, and the tight gaps larger snails cannot reach, and they suit anything from a pico tank to a full-size reef.

Good to know

Collonista is a genus of very small turban-like snails in the family Colloniidae, with adults topping out around half a centimeter. They look like miniature Trochus or baby Turbo snails, which is where the trade name comes from, but they are a separate group that stays tiny for life.

Did you know

Unlike almost every other reef snail, Collonista reproduces readily in closed aquariums, so a starter group quietly grows into a self-sustaining population. Plenty of reefers already have a colony they never bought, since these snails are classic live rock hitchhikers.