Description

Money Cowrie

The Money Cowrie (Monetaria moneta) is a small, peaceful marine snail with a beautifully smooth, glossy shell. An excellent addition to a marine clean-up crew, it spends much of its time grazing over rockwork in search of algae, biofilm and other organic material.

Unlike the much larger cowrie species sometimes offered for marine aquariums, the Money Cowrie remains relatively small and is generally considered reef safe. It is particularly useful as a nocturnal grazer, often becoming much more active after the aquarium lights have gone out.

Its unusual polished shell also makes it one of the more attractive members of a clean-up crew — although when active, the living animal may extend its mantle partially or completely over the shell.

Money Cowrie Set Up

Money Cowries are best introduced to a mature, stable marine aquarium containing established rockwork.

Live rock provides both grazing surfaces and sheltered areas where the cowrie can hide during daylight hours. In the wild they are commonly associated with shallow reef flats, coral rubble and rocky areas, often sheltering beneath rocks during the day.

Stable water quality is important, and they should be acclimatised carefully when first introduced to the aquarium.

Money Cowrie Behaviour

The Money Cowrie is peaceful and generally spends its time slowly grazing across rocks and other surfaces.

They are predominantly nocturnal, so it’s perfectly normal for a cowrie to remain hidden for much of the day before emerging once the lights begin to dim.

One of the most interesting features of a living cowrie is its mantle. The animal can extend this soft tissue around the outside of its shell, sometimes covering much of the familiar glossy surface.

Money Cowrie Tank Mates

Money Cowries are suitable for peaceful marine community and reef aquariums.

They can be kept alongside suitable reef fish, shrimps, snails and other peaceful clean-up crew inhabitants.

Avoid keeping them with animals that deliberately prey upon molluscs, such as certain puffers, triggers and larger predatory wrasses.

Care should also be taken with larger hermit crabs, which may attack snails for food or investigate their shells.

Feeding Money Cowries

Money Cowries spend much of their active period grazing naturally occurring food from aquarium surfaces.

Their diet can include:

• Film and microalgae
• Biofilm
• Diatoms
• Detritus
• Small amounts of leftover food
• Other organic material growing on rockwork

A mature aquarium will normally provide plenty of opportunities for natural grazing.

In exceptionally clean aquariums, supplementary algae-based marine foods or dried seaweed can be offered. Don’t overcrowd the aquarium with clean-up crew simply because they’re useful — there must be enough food available to support them.

Money Cowrie Water Parameters

Temperature: 23–27°C
pH: 8.1–8.4
Specific gravity: 1.023–1.026
Alkalinity: Approximately 8–12 dKH

As with other marine snails, stability is more important than constantly chasing a particular number.

Money Cowries can be sensitive to rapid changes in salinity and water chemistry, so careful acclimatisation is recommended.

Do not use copper-based medications in an aquarium containing Money Cowries or other marine invertebrates.

Money Cowrie Care Level

Easy

Once established in a mature marine aquarium, Money Cowries are relatively straightforward to keep.

Good water quality, stable salinity, suitable hiding places and a reliable supply of natural grazing material are their main requirements.

Because they are often more active after dark, don’t immediately assume your Money Cowrie has disappeared if you haven’t seen it for a few days. There’s a good chance it’s wedged itself somewhere inconvenient and is waiting for you to stop looking.

Is the Money Cowrie Reef Safe?

Yes. The small Money Cowrie is generally considered reef safe and is widely kept as part of a marine clean-up crew.

This is worth distinguishing from some of the larger cowrie species, which can be considerably less dependable around corals and other sessile invertebrates.

As with any grazing animal, make sure the aquarium contains sufficient natural food and supplement its diet when necessary.

Why Add Money Cowries to Your Clean-Up Crew?

Money Cowries provide something slightly different from the more familiar Turbo, Trochus and Cerith snails.

Their small size allows them to explore rockwork while their nocturnal habits mean they’re often busy grazing while many of the aquarium’s daytime inhabitants are resting.

They’re peaceful, attractive, useful algae grazers and remain relatively small — making them an excellent addition to a mixed marine clean-up crew rather than relying on a single snail species to do everything.

This mollusc is intended for marine (salt water) aquariums only. These critters cannot be kept in fresh water or on land and will not survive in either. If you have any questions about this product and whether it’s the right product for your aquarium, please contact us and a member of our friendly store team will be more than happy to advise on all your needs.

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