Strawberry Trochus Snail (Trochus histrio) Care Guide
Trochus histrio is a pyramid-shelled top snail with maroon banding, kept in reef tanks as a hardy grazer of film algae, diatoms and cyanobacteria.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Trochus histrio, sold as the Strawberry or Banded Trochus Snail, is a top snail of the family Trochidae. It has a pale grey, pyramid- or top-shaped shell marked with maroon bands and a dark foot that is paler on the underside. Like other Trochus, it is one of the few reef snails able to right itself if knocked over.
Taxonomy
- Family: Trochidae
- Genus: Trochus
- Scientific name: Trochus histrio
Habitat
The species inhabits shallow intertidal and subtidal areas, predominantly reef flats rich in turf algae, cyanobacteria, diatoms and detritus.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 60 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: 2-4 cm
- Lifespan: 2-5 years
- Live rock and glass surfaces for grazing
Diet
It is a herbivorous grazer that consumes film algae, diatoms and cyanobacteria from rock and glass. In sparse tanks the diet should be supplemented with dried algae.
Compatibility
A peaceful, reef-safe snail that does not harm corals or tankmates. It is reported to reproduce readily in well-maintained reef aquariums. Predatory fish such as triggerfish and pufferfish should be avoided.
Strawberry Trochus Snail (Trochus histrio): Breeding Notes
Overview
Trochus histrio is a top snail of the family Trochidae with a red-and-pink mottled shell. It is an algae grazer kept in reef tanks for nuisance-algae control, sharing the biology of other trochids.
Sexing
Trochus snails are gonochoristic with no reliable external sex differences; sex becomes apparent only when gametes are released during spawning.
Conditioning
Commercial trochus mature and spawn readily on a monthly lunar cycle, with large adults releasing on the order of 0.5–1 million eggs and no specialised equipment needed to trigger spawning.
Spawning & Eggs/Larvae
Fertilization is external. Eggs hatch into trochophore larvae that develop into non-feeding (lecithotrophic) veligers, with hatchery settlement reached within roughly three to five days. No trochoidean veligers are known to feed.
Common Challenges
Despite the short larval phase, filtration, water movement and predation eliminate planktonic veligers in standard reef systems, making self-sustaining populations unrealistic for hobbyists.