Astraea Snail

Astraea tecta is a popular reef-cleaning snail with a distinctively ridged cone-shaped shell that excels at grazing coralline algae, film algae, and cyanobacteria from rock and glass surfaces. One limitation is its inability to right itself when knocked over — regular checks are recommended.

Acclimate slowly using drip method to marine salinity. Stock 1–2 snails per 40 L as part of a cleanup crew. Check regularly for upturned snails and right them promptly — they cannot self-right and will die if left inverted. Feed with algae sheets if natural algae supply is insufficient. Sensitive to copper.