Turban Snail

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Top Snail; False Trochus Snail; Pyramid Snail; Tectus Snail; Windowed Top Snail

Synonyms

Trochus fenestratus

Environment

Saltwater

Native to

Indo-Pacific Ocean

Habitat

Coral reef slopes, rubble zones, rocky shores, and intertidal flats with abundant film algae and diatoms

Sourcing

Wild-caught

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

0.8 – 2.5 in (1.9 – 6.4 cm)

Lifespan

2 – 3 yrs

Min tank

10 gal (38 L)

Growth rate

Slow

Placement

Rock & glass

Water

Temperature

72 – 78 °F (22 – 26 °C)

pH

8.1 – 8.4

dKH

8 – 12 dKH

Salinity

1.023 – 1.025 SG

Flow

Moderate

Behavior & compatibility

Social

Solitary

Aggression to own kind

Low

Active

Night

Reef safe

Yes

Invert safe

Yes

Shrimp safe

Yes

Clean-up role

Algae, Biofilm

Population boom risk

Low

Feeding & breeding

Diet

Herbivore

Foods

Algae, Biofilm

Breeding type

Broadcast spawner

Breeding difficulty

Not bred in captivity

Sexing

No reliable external sexing characteristics; sexes are separate but visually indistinguishable

Target feeding

Beneficial

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Care guide

Overview

Suited to established reef tanks with mature live rock rather than freshly cycled setups, this snail earns its keep grazing film algae and diatoms off glass and rockwork. Its conical, bumpy shell in mottled earth tones sits atop a pale foot flecked with fine black dots. Nocturnal and slow-growing, it needs stable calcium and alkalinity and must never be exposed to copper.

Care

This snail does best in a biologically mature tank with established live rock and glass already coated in film algae and diatoms, since it will starve in a sterile, newly cycled setup. It is a steady, methodical grazer that spends daylight hours tucked under rock ledges and becomes active at night, working its way up the glass and across rockwork. Stable calcium, alkalinity, and low nitrate levels help it maintain its conical shell, and copper-based medications must be avoided entirely since they are lethal to this species.

Feeding

Grazing on green film algae, diatoms, and light cyanobacteria makes up the bulk of its diet, and it largely ignores tougher hair algae that other snails might tackle. In tanks that are kept very clean, supplement with dried seaweed or a small amount of algae wafer so the population does not go hungry. Overfeeding is rarely a concern since this snail feeds continuously on surface films rather than prepared foods.

Tank mates

Peaceful toward fish, corals, and other invertebrates, making it a low-risk addition to most reef cleanup crews. Avoid housing it with wrasses, triggers, puffers, or large crabs known to prey on snails. Because it is a fairly large, active grazer, secure loose frags and rockwork so it does not accidentally topple anything while foraging.

Breeding

Spawning can occur spontaneously in mature reef aquariums, with adults releasing gametes into the water column and briefly clouding it. Survival of resulting larvae to visible juvenile snails is uncommon in home aquaria but has been reported, with tiny snails sometimes appearing on the glass or substrate months later. There is no established method for deliberately breeding this species in captivity.

Health

Like many turbo-shaped snails, this species can struggle to right itself if knocked onto its back, so periodic checks and manual flipping help prevent it from starving in that position. Sudden copper exposure or crashed water parameters are the most common causes of unexplained deaths. A shell that appears eroded or thin usually signals inadequate calcium or alkalinity.

Sources

1. Turban Snail – LiveAquaria
2. Tectus Snails: Nighttime Algae Eaters With Easy Care
3. Windowed top snail (Tectus fenestratus) Aquarium Care | Atlarium
4. Turban Snail (Tectus fenestratus) – Little Shop of Coral

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