Cowries- good or not?

reefWW96 · 01/09/2011, 07:33 AM

I have kept a small (1inch) ovum cowrie in my 75 for a while. I only kept it because i assumed it ate algae, and i like the look of them. Im just starting to hear about them, and i think i should probably take it out, right?
I have zoas, lps, and sps. Do they eat any of those?

The Escaped Ape · 01/09/2011, 07:40 AM

Some cowries eat algae (I have Cypraea annulus and Cypraea moneta in my tank, which are good grazers), but yours will apparently eat soft coral and won't do well without it. I'd say remove it.

chimmike · 01/09/2011, 07:41 AM

I never had problems with cowries eating corals. Even harvested a few locally and they were model citizens

The Escaped Ape · 01/09/2011, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chimmike

I never had problems with cowries eating corals. Even harvested a few locally and they were model citizens

There are cowries and there are cowries. Some are obligate corallivores.

reefWW96 · 01/09/2011, 08:31 AM

Yeah, i wonder if the one i have has taken to eating sps corals too. I find random pieces of sps skin missing sometimes. I will make sure i take him out.

01/09/2011, 07:33 AM	#1
reefWW96 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 300	Cowries- good or not? I have kept a small (1inch) ovum cowrie in my 75 for a while. I only kept it because i assumed it ate algae, and i like the look of them. Im just starting to hear about them, and i think i should probably take it out, right? I have zoas, lps, and sps. Do they eat any of those? __________________ Will 75 gallon Pacific island reef, 40 breeder reef Current Tank Info: 75g reef and 40 breeder reef

01/09/2011, 07:40 AM	#2
The Escaped Ape In The Canopy Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Taiwan Posts: 1,098	Some cowries eat algae (I have Cypraea annulus and Cypraea moneta in my tank, which are good grazers), but yours will apparently eat soft coral and won't do well without it. I'd say remove it. __________________ Tom Victoria Concordia Crescit Current Tank Info: Currently tankless

01/09/2011, 07:41 AM	#3
chimmike oxygen abuser Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Parrish, FL Posts: 5,089 Blog Entries: 2	I never had problems with cowries eating corals. Even harvested a few locally and they were model citizens __________________ -Mike Tankless wonder Geaux Noles!

01/09/2011, 08:31 AM	#5
reefWW96 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 300	Yeah, i wonder if the one i have has taken to eating sps corals too. I find random pieces of sps skin missing sometimes. I will make sure i take him out. __________________ Will 75 gallon Pacific island reef, 40 breeder reef Current Tank Info: 75g reef and 40 breeder reef

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