Cowries

[discuspro]

Anyone have any cool cowries they know of that might be reef safe or something close? I'm looking to further diversify my tank a little bit and I haven't had any cowries before.

I've got sponge growing in various places and I've got some green algae growing a little as well, although I'm going to be getting a phosban reactor with Rowaphos in it so my algae may dissapear, (maybe). I would also like to keep my sponge from getting completely eaten up. I've got a bunch of sps, zoa's, and a Teardrop Maxima clam.

I wonder if any cowries would work but I figure someone might have an idea.

[FireWater]

My Wife loved them so we got about four. They seemed to be doing great after we put them in the tank. Then all of a sudden we lost one per day after about three days. Got a couple more and the same thing. All of my other snails are still doing fine. For some reason the cowries just don't live in my tank.

[MikeP]

Tiger cowries will graze on sessile invertebrates sometimes in addition to algae. They are neat but if you want a real algae eating large mollusc get a tropical abalone or a sea hare (though sea hares are relatively short lived and you need to make sure they don't get sucked into filter intakes etc - they are one of the only animals I ever found that would eat bryopsis)

[junkstang]

(though sea hares are relatively short lived

well said mine only lasted 4 days!!!

[discuspro]

I do have an abalone, which I've had for about a month now. He is very cool, but I do like the beauty of cowry shells. Are there any cowries that are not carnivorous? Is the money cowry one of them?

[caferacermike]

(though sea hares are relatively short lived

well said mine only lasted 4 days!!!

For the record. I always have a sea hare in my tank. Generally 6-8 months out of each one.