West Indian Top Shell (Cittarium pica) Care Guide
Cittarium pica is a large Caribbean top shell with bold black-and-white markings, a voracious algae grazer suited to larger reef systems.
Overview
Cittarium pica, the West Indian top shell or magpie shell, is a large marine gastropod with a bold black-and-white shell that can reach up to 137 mm in maximum dimension. It is one of the most economically important invertebrates in the Caribbean and is a heavy algae grazer suited to larger reef aquariums.
Taxonomy
- Family: Tegulidae
- Genus: Cittarium
- Scientific name: Cittarium pica
- Order: Trochida; Superfamily: Trochoidea
Habitat
It occurs through the Caribbean, from the Florida Keys and the Caribbean coasts of Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Venezuela to the Bahamas, the Greater and Lesser Antilles (south to Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago), and has been reintroduced to Bermuda. It lives on or under rocks on exposed and moderately sheltered shores, in intertidal and shallow subtidal zones at depths of 0 to 7 m.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 200 L
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Carbonate hardness (dKH): 8-12
- Specific gravity: 1.024-1.026
- Adult shell size: 6-10 cm (up to 137 mm recorded)
- Lifespan: 3-7 years
Diet
Cittarium pica is herbivorous, feeding on a large variety of algae and sometimes on detritus. Its large size and appetite let it process more algae than most reef snails, but it also requires a tank with substantial algal growth to sustain it.
Compatibility
It is a peaceful, reef-safe grazer best matched with larger reef fish given its size. Predatory fish such as triggerfish and pufferfish should be avoided.
Conservation status
The species is heavily harvested for food and is the third most economically important invertebrate in the Caribbean. It has become locally extinct in some areas due to overfishing; it is legally protected in Bermuda, and harvest is regulated in the US Virgin Islands. Wild-collected specimens should be sourced responsibly.