- Clear Algae From Tank
- These snails are known by Reef Aquarists for their super-sized appetites. They are great for clearing algal film off of tank walls and consuming diatoms.
- Low Maintenance
- Trochus Snails, unlike many other aquarium snails, are able to right themselves if they fall, which minimizes the risk of attack by other animals - this trait also reduces the need to manually turn over fallen snails.
- Clean Up Crew
- Our Trochus Snails are Captive-Bred and Sustainable omivores that eat a variety of foods ranging form detritus to hair algae. They burrow and turn over the substrate which promotes a clean, oxygenated sand bed.
Banded Black Foot Trochus Snail (Trochus niloticus) Captive Bred ORA™
Tired of always replacing dead snails? The Captive Bred ORA Trochus Snail makes a hardy and sustainable alternative to wild-caught snails. This mid-sized reef-safe snail is well known by reef aquarists for its super-sized appetite. Most notably, it has the welcomed habit of clearing algal films from tank walls. It is an attractive animal with purple bands running over its shell. Unlike so many other snails available, this species is truly tropical and won't overheat in conventional reef tanks. Moreover, unlike certain other snail types, Trochus snails can right themselves if they fall from the glass or rock surface. These are tank-bred specimens, which have an overall better survivability in captivity than their wild-caught counterparts. We also offer Captive Bred Cerith Snails to further complete your clean up crew.Size and Care Requirements:
Approx. size: 0.5"-1" Max Size: 1" Reef Safe? Yes Water Temp: 72-78FMore About the Banded Black Foot Trochus Snail
"The shell of the Trochus Snail is very attractive with long purple or reddish bands, making them prized by marine aquarists for their ornamental qualities as well as their algae-eating tendencies. Its shape is that of a cone with a sharply pointed spire and flattened bottom, usually with eight to ten whorls. In addition to making these snails look great, the shape and durability of the shell helps to protect the animal from its predators. Trochus snails, unlike many other aquarium snail types, are able to right themselves if they fall, which also minimizes the risk of attacks by other animals (this good trait also reduces the amount of time the keeper must take to turn over fallen snails). Its foot is black with a white or off-white underside. A smallish, thin operculum covers the opening when the snail is hiding within its shell..." Read the full article on Trochus Snails in the reef aquarium at the AlgaeBarn Blog.100% Alive On Arrival (AOA) Guarantee for Captive Bred Snails
We guarantee that every snail we sell will be Alive On Arrival and in good health. Should they arrive in any other state, we will either replace them free of charge (including shipping). If the total livestock loss is less than $20, we will issue store credit. For more information, please also visit our 100% Alive On Arrival Guarantee page. Ocean, Reefs, and Aquariums™ (ORA™) is a world leader in marine aquaculture. In addition to captive bred fish, they also produce many species of captive bred marine invertebrates. If you would like more information about how captive bred snails are bred and raised in captivity, please visit their website.

Whether scouting for your first aquarium, or “graduating” from a freshwater aquarium, there is something about a saltwater aquarium that is mesmerizing. For many lifelong aquarists, that feeling of captivating awe never goes away. Thankfully, the intimidating task of learning how to actually build and maintain a saltwater aquarium system does go away. In fact, …

Copepods (pods) are essentially required for any reef aquarium. They perform three important ecological tasks: (1) Graze on benthic microalgae, (2) scavenge detritus, and (3) serve as food for diverse zooplanktivores. They are so ubiquitous in nature, and even in captivity, that they commonly invade new tanks as hitchhikers on live rock, corals, etc. While …
Why Larval Pods are Better for Seeding (Even If You Can’t See Them) Read More »

In the Age of the Reef Tank, many cool (but not reef-safe) saltwater fish families that were once extremely population are now relative rarities. One such group, for sure, is the filefishes. This is too bad, as filefish are intelligent and possess abundant character. They are also quite “marine” in appearance and behavior; even the …
Our Guarantee
We take the worry out of buying Live Copepods, Phytoplankton, Inverts, and Captive Bred Fish online by going above and beyond to take care of our customers. That’s why we guarantee every order we ship will be 100% Alive On Arrival or we will replace it free of charge. Booya. We’ll even cover the shipping on the replacement no matter which service you choose. Double Booya.
About our policy: When your order arrives, be sure and inspect the contents to ensure everything is looking alive and well before you add them to your tank or put them in the fridge. We’ll give you 12 hours after delivery to make sure you are completely satisfied.
“We will take care of you and make it right”
If for any reason you decide something isn’t quite ultra grade, simply snap a photo of the unopened item(s) you would like replaced. Be sure to get the expiration date on the back label in the photo. After that, visit www.algaebarn.com/claims and submit the form. We’ll review the photo and have a replacement out to you faster than a six-line wrasse at feeding time.
Captive Bred Fish: We guarantee every Live Fish we ship to be 100% Alive On Arrival and we also offer a 7-day health guarantee on all Live Captive Bred Fish. In the event that your fish arrives DOA (Dead On Arrival), simply take a photo of the fish in the unopened bag/jar within 2 hours after delivery and visit www.algaebarn.com/claims to submit the form. If the fish is DOA, we will offer you a choice of either a full refund or a free replacement, including the shipping cost. If the fish expires from natural causes (this does not include being killed by tank mates, jumping out of the aquarium, being acclimated to the wrong environment, not being fed the recommended foods) within 7 days after delivery, just provide a picture of the expired fish and we will offer you a free replacement, however, you must pay for shipping, or a refund, less the shipping cost. We can offer this industry leading guarantee on all of our live fish because Captive Bred fish are generally healthier and hardier than their wild-caught counterparts!
Invertebrates: We guarantee every invertebrate (Invert) we ship to be 100% Alive On Arrival. In the event that your inverts arrive DOA, simply take photos of the DOA items within 2 hours of delivery and visit www.algaebarn.com/claims to submit the form. We will review the photos and issue store credit for any DOA Inverts!
Once your replacement order is processed, we’ll send you a brand new tracking number automatically. Thats it, pretty simple right?
So start giving your tank the love it deserves and order with confidence knowing that AlgaeBarn has your back.

jjflounder1 (verified owner) –
Great addition to the cleanup crew… Cool addition to the MDT over all.
of the 5 Purchased back in December 2 are now well over 1-1/2 …. 1 in the Refugium is just over 2″.