ORA Cerith Snails

Quick Stats

• Care Level:Easy
• Diet:Omnivore
• Temperament:Peaceful
• Reef-Safe:Yes
• Source:Maricultured
• Approximate Purchase Size:0.5″
• Approximate Max Size:1″

The Cerith Snail (Cerith sp.)makes up for its small size with a big appetite. Active mostly at night, these spiral shelled scavengers consume detritus, uneaten fish food, and algae. They enjoy burrowing through the upper layer of your sand bed, keeping it stirred and oxygenated. This ORA variety grows to a length of approximately 1.5” and is native to the Marshall Islands, where they mariculture these invertebrates.

Note: Image is a representation of what to expect. The animal you receive may vary slightly in appearance.

Water Parameters

Maintaining proper water parameters is crucial for the health and well-being of your cleanup crew. While Cerith snails are some of the hardiest cleanup crew members you can add to your saltwater aquarium, providing a stable environment will allow them to thrive and stay healthy.

• Temperature:Keep the water temperature between 75-78°F. Stability is key, so use a reliable heater that can limit any temperature swings to about +/- 1°F or less.
• pH Level:This animal will do well in a wide pH range from about 7.7 to 8.5.
• Salinity:The specific gravity should be between 1.023-1.026 (27-35ppt). Use a refractometer to monitor salinity levels accurately.
• Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate:Ammonia and nitrite levels should be undetectable, while nitrate levels should be kept below 20 ppm. Regular water changes and proper filtration will help to achieve this.

Diet

Cerith snails are omnivores, feeding mainly off algae on the glass and rockwork and scavenging for detritus, leftover food, and other decaying organic matter. This makes them a well-rounded clean up crew member for your saltwater aquarium. Supplemental feeding is usually not necessary.

Compatibility

When it comes to tank mates, the Cerith snail can be kept with any peaceful fish and won’t bother corals. Predators such as pufferfish should be avoided. In some instances, hermit crabs may attack snails in an effort to steal their shell, so keep that in mind when planning out your cleanup crew.

Common Tank Mates

Here are some ideal tank mates:

• Fish:Clownfish, Cardinalfish, most Wrasse, Firefish, Tangs, Dwarf Angelfish, and other peaceful fish. Avoid predators like pufferfish
• Invertebrates:Cerith snails won’t bother other invertebrates, but can fall victim to hermit crabs looking to steal their shells.
• Coral:Cerith snails are considered Reef Safe and can be kept with Soft, LPS, or SPS coral.