Moon Snail

Care Summary

The Moon Snail is a large, globose predatory snail known for drilling perfectly round holes through bivalve shells to consume the soft tissue inside, a feeding strategy that makes it both fascinating and problematic in a community reef tank. It needs a deep sandbed, calm water conditions, and a tank of at least 30 gallons, but it should only be kept in species or fish-only setups where there are no clams, scallops, or other bivalves it can prey on. In a mixed reef, it will seek out and methodically consume any clam or bivalve you have, including tridacnid clams, so consider carefully whether your system and livestock list are a match for this predator. Feed it by offering whole clams or mussels placed directly on the sandbed every few days, allowing its natural feeding behavior to play out in a controlled way that keeps it satisfied and less likely to target display animals.