Astraea Snail

Class: Gastropoda.

Subclass: Orthogastropoda.

Superorder: Vetigastropoda.

Superfamily: Trochoidea.

Family: Turbinidae .

“Astraea” means star. When viewed from above the shell has a star shape to it.

Astrea snails have been a commonly used snail in the reef hobby for years. I’m not very impressed with these snails as they seem to be short lived and not very aggressive at eating algae.

Astraea snails do not have the ability to right themselves if they fall off the rocks onto the sand. They do not come from sandy areas.

If you do not turn them over, they will either be eaten or starve to death and then die if something does upright them.

Astraea snails can move across sand pretty easily as pictured here as long as nothing knocks them over.

A view of the animal from its underside. You can clearly see its eye right above the mouth.