Phrontis vibex

Acclimation: like all invertebrates it copes poorly with sudden changes; none of the sources consulted gives a duration for this species. Introduce it slowly and never use copper-based treatments in its tank.

Setup: a deep sand bed is essential. It spends the day buried and needs a soft substrate (sand or mud) to hide in; it is not suited to a bare-bottom tank. LiveAquaria recommends an established aquarium with live rock and a deep sand bed.

Tankmates: peaceful and harmless to corals and other invertebrates. Avoid hermit crabs, which may attack small snails to take their shells.

Sensitivities: it does not tolerate high nitrate or copper-based medications (LiveAquaria). A tank that is too clean starves it: without enough leftovers it can waste away.

Good health: a healthy snail comes out of the sand quickly when you feed your fish and rights itself if it lands on its back. It is not venomous.

It is a carnivorous scavenger: it feeds on carcasses, detritus, fish waste and leftover meaty foods (mysis, brine shrimp). It eats neither algae nor diatoms, and does not attack living snails.

It finds food by smell and emerges from the sand at feeding time. If your tank produces few leftovers, now and then give it some meaty food that sinks to the sand; Quality Marine also lists flake, live and frozen foods. No source gives a feeding frequency.