TankBud

Nassarius snail

Nassarius sp.

Also known as Super Tongan Nassarius, Zombie Snail

SaltwaterSnail

Nassarius snail (Nassarius sp.)
(c) Javier, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Javier · cc-by

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
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Nassariidae
Origin
Indo-Pacific and Atlantic (species dependent)

Overview

The Nassarius snail is a peaceful detritivore for the sand bed of a saltwater tank. It is a good first snail.

Did you know

Nassarius snails stay buried until they smell food. Then they burst out of the sand all at once to swarm a dropped morsel, which is why hobbyists call them zombie snails.

Caring for the Nassarius snail

Nassarius snails need an established tank of at least 11 gal (40 L) with an open sand bed to burrow in. Ideally, give them a few centimeters of fine aragonite. Their constant burrowing keeps the sand bed turned over and aerated.

Keep the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Like other marine snails, they are sensitive to high nitrate and copper-based medications.

They patrol under the sand eating leftover meaty food, detritus and decaying matter. They ignore corals and algae almost entirely, so they are scavengers rather than algae grazers. They are reef safe and get along fine in groups.

Good to know

Nassarius snails are mud and dog whelks in the family Nassariidae. They detect food by scent through a long, tube-like siphon. The smaller common types stay around 1.5 to 2 cm, and the Super Tongan Nassarius is the larger form.

In the wild

Nassarius snails come from the Indo-Pacific and the Atlantic, depending on the species. They are sand-dwelling scavengers that live buried in soft substrate, with only the siphon poking out.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Nassarius 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Nassarius snail need?

A Nassarius snail needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Nassarius snail need?

A Nassarius snail is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a Nassarius snail eat?

A Nassarius snail eats leftover meaty food, detritus and decaying matter under the sand. It ignores corals and algae almost entirely, so it is a scavenger rather than an algae grazer.

How big does a Nassarius snail get?

An adult Nassarius snail reaches about 1 in (2.5 cm).

Related species