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
- Diet
- Herbivore
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Breeding
- Easy
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Colloniidae
- Origin
- Indo-Pacific
Overview
The mini trochus snail is a tiny, peaceful algae grazer for reef tanks. It is hardy and forgiving, and a good first snail.
Did you know
Mini trochus snails are classic live rock hitchhikers. Plenty of reefers already have a colony they never bought.
Caring for the mini trochus snail
Mini trochus snails suit anything from a pico tank to a full-size reef, with a minimum of 5 gal (20 L). They work the glass, the rock and the tight gaps that larger snails cannot reach. Their one real quirk is being small enough to wander into pump intakes, which routine maintenance keeps in check.
Keep the water at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. They graze around the clock on film algae, diatoms and some cyanobacteria.
They are peaceful and reef safe, and they do not bother anything else in the tank. Unlike almost every other reef snail, they reproduce readily in closed aquariums. A starter group quietly grows into a self-sustaining population.
Good to know
Collonista is a genus of very small turban-like snails in the family Colloniidae. They look like miniature Trochus or baby Turbo snails, which is where the trade name comes from. They are a separate group, though, and stay tiny for life.
In the wild
Mini trochus snails live tucked into rock crevices on Indo-Pacific reefs. They come out mostly at night to graze hard surfaces.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The mini trochus 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.
Zebra dartfish
Ptereleotris zebra
Saltwater4.7 in (12 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Marine nerite snail
Nerita sp.
Saltwater1 in (2.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Scissortail dartfish
Ptereleotris evides
Saltwater5.5 in (14 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Fisher's angelfish
Centropyge fisheri
Saltwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Helfrich's firefish
Nemateleotris helfrichi
Saltwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a mini trochus snail need?
A mini trochus snail needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a mini trochus snail need?
A mini trochus snail is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a mini trochus snail eat?
A mini trochus snail grazes around the clock on film algae, diatoms and some cyanobacteria.
How big does a mini trochus snail get?
An adult mini trochus snail reaches about 0.2 in (0.6 cm).
How does a mini trochus snail breed?
Mini trochus snails reproduce readily in closed aquariums, unlike almost every other reef snail. A starter group grows into a self-sustaining population.