Astrea Snail; Atl – Lithopoma tectum

About this invertebrate

Astrea Snail; Atl – Lithopoma tectum is a saltwater grazing snail commonly sold for helping keep algae and biofilm under control in reef and fish-only aquariums. With its strong home in live rock and other hard surfaces, it can work continuously as it feeds on natural films that build up on glass, rock, and decorations. In practice, it’s a good choice when you want an aquarium cleanup helper that spends much of its time browsing rather than requiring special feeding routines beyond maintaining a stable, well-established tank.

Features:

• Grazes algae and biofilm on aquarium surfaces to support a cleaner-looking tank
• Reef-friendly as a general cleanup snail option for many community setups
• Often benefits from being added to mature systems with established natural growth (biofilm/microalgae)
• Uses hard surfaces like live rock and reef structure for feeding and foraging
• Helps complement manual cleaning by reducing how quickly surfaces get covered

Specifications:

• Scientific name: Lithopoma tectum (as listed: Astrea Snail; Atl – Lithopoma tectum)
• Care level (general): Moderate (best in stable, established saltwater systems)
• Compatibility (general): Typically considered a reef-safe algae grazer in community aquariums
• Water type: Saltwater aquarium
• Temperature (typical reef range): About 72–78°F (22–26°C)
• Salinity (typical reef range): About 1.020–1.025 specific gravity
• pH (typical reef range): About 8.1–8.4
• Placement: Add to rock/sand areas where it can find biofilm and grazing surfaces