Tiger cowrie

gprdypoo04 · 04/07/2020, 01:46 AM

Purchased a tiger cowrie(3 in) a few weeks back thinking it might consume some of my hair algae. It has done a decent job along with my other clean up crew but the other night I found him sitting on some xenia. Not that I care about the xenia cause I had it before and it was a pain. But it was interesting to see this cowrie plow this stuff down. I don't have many soft coral that i worry that will get eaten except for some zoanthids and my hammer. I don't think he will touch my torch. I just hope he hasn't gone from algae to more of a "meal" guy. I've read that when younger they consume more algae but he is a good size.
Oh well if he starts getting to mouthy for my coral i can probably return him for a few more ring cowries or something. They are quite the creatures though.

Myles · 04/08/2020, 08:44 PM

You should be ok. I have kept several over the years with almost no problem whatsoever and I have kept them after they had grown large which is supposed to be when risk increases.
Once I had a maxima clam melt down and die overnight-the cowrie was in the vicinity but I have no idea whether or not he was the culprit. They had coexisted for several years without incident and I decided to keep the cowrie and never had another problem so my best guess was that the cowrie was innocent.
They love dried seaweed.
Myles

gprdypoo04 · 04/08/2020, 09:14 PM

Thanks. Haven't tried the seaweed thing yet. My emerald crap might get upset if hand it out to the cowrie...lol. Need to get my hands on more xenia!!
What a life to be excited over a reef tank!

04/07/2020, 01:46 AM	#1
gprdypoo04 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 389	Tiger cowrie Purchased a tiger cowrie(3 in) a few weeks back thinking it might consume some of my hair algae. It has done a decent job along with my other clean up crew but the other night I found him sitting on some xenia. Not that I care about the xenia cause I had it before and it was a pain. But it was interesting to see this cowrie plow this stuff down. I don't have many soft coral that i worry that will get eaten except for some zoanthids and my hammer. I don't think he will touch my torch. I just hope he hasn't gone from algae to more of a "meal" guy. I've read that when younger they consume more algae but he is a good size. Oh well if he starts getting to mouthy for my coral i can probably return him for a few more ring cowries or something. They are quite the creatures though.

04/08/2020, 08:44 PM	#2
Myles Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 262	You should be ok. I have kept several over the years with almost no problem whatsoever and I have kept them after they had grown large which is supposed to be when risk increases. Once I had a maxima clam melt down and die overnight-the cowrie was in the vicinity but I have no idea whether or not he was the culprit. They had coexisted for several years without incident and I decided to keep the cowrie and never had another problem so my best guess was that the cowrie was innocent. They love dried seaweed. Myles __________________ Myles

04/08/2020, 09:14 PM	#3
gprdypoo04 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 389	Thanks. Haven't tried the seaweed thing yet. My emerald crap might get upset if hand it out to the cowrie...lol. Need to get my hands on more xenia!! What a life to be excited over a reef tank!