Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
.jpg "Astraea phoebia (Star Snail, Spiny Star Astraea Snail)")
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
The family Turbinidae probably contains the most useful of all snail species. And must say I was probably the first hobbyist to utilize the Turbo species in aquaria, as I started bringing them back from trips to Mexico in the early 1980's. When I found them doing such a good job in controlling unwanted algae, mentioned this to a person who owned a local aquarium shop. He began collecting them himself in Mexico and began selling them as Turbo-Grazers, with that name thought up by a child in my family!
From there the use of snails in aquaria blossomed, and now includes many other useful species.
