A popular small sand-cleaning conch from the Indo-Pacific, named for its tan-and-brown 'tiger' shell and the vivid red, orange or pink interior that also earns it 'strawberry' and 'blood-mouth' conch. It plows fine sand for algae and detritus, hops on a clawed foot, and has unusually well-developed, stalked eyes for a snail — eyes it can even regenerate if lost.
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Educational only. KinStation content is reviewed by licensed veterinarians but cannot replace an in-person exam. Always consult a licensed veterinarian or board-certified specialist for diagnosis, treatment, or any decision affecting your pet's health.
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Shell typically about 5 cm (2 in), up to 8 cm (3 in); a small-to-medium conch.
Lifespan
3–5 years
Social needs
solo
Native region
Tropical Indo-Pacific (including the Great Barrier Reef and southern Papua New Guinea)
Origin
Old World
Climate
🌴 Tropical
Water type
🌊 Marine
Family
Strombidae
Genus
Conomurex
Part of the Conchs
Large marine gastropods that plow and sift sand beds as living detritus and algae clean-up crew. Distinctive for their 'hopping' leaping foot, stalked eyes and heavy flared shells, most are peaceful sand-bed specialists — though a few relatives are predatory and not reef-safe.
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Photo coming soon
Larva
Most marine invertebrates hatch into microscopic planktonic larvae (such as the zoea of crustaceans or the bipinnaria/veliger of echinoderms and mollusks) that drift and feed in the water column. The larva looks nothing like the adult and undergoes major reorganization.
Photo coming soon
Juvenile
After settling out of the plankton, the juvenile takes on a recognizable miniature of the adult body plan — a tiny shell, a small star, or a translucent shrimp. Crustaceans grow by molting, shedding the exoskeleton to enlarge.
Photo coming soon
Adult
Adults reach full size and reproductive maturity with the species' mature shell, shape, or coloration. Many continue to molt or grow throughout life, and some show sex differences in size or claw/appendage shape.
Color & pattern variants
Natural variants occur in the wild; selectively bred (man-made) variants were developed in captivity.
Natural
Tiger / Strawberry (typical)
The usual form, with a tan-to-brown blotched 'tiger' shell exterior and a strong red, orange or pink interior aperture — the 'strawberry'/'blood-mouth' look. Coloration varies by individual; not a bred strain.
Habitat & enclosure
Keep one in an established reef or FOWLR tank of at least 20 gallons (75 L) centred on an open, fine sand bed it can sift and burrow into. Maintain stable tropical reef parameters: temperature 72-80F (22-27C), pH 8.1-8.4, salinity SG 1.024-1.026, alkalinity 8-11 dKH, and low nitrate with zero ammonia/nitrite.
It ranges across the tropical Indo-Pacific, including the Great Barrier Reef and southern Papua New Guinea, on shallow sandy reef flats and lagoon floors. Any reef lighting and gentle-to-moderate flow are fine; prioritize sand surface area over tank height.
Substrate
A fine sand bed of at least 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) is essential — it plows and partly burrows in sand to feed, so bare-bottom or coarse-gravel tanks are unsuitable. Live sand best supplies the detritus and microfauna it grazes.
Equipment & setup
Standard marine equipment suffices: live-rock biofiltration, a heater, a protein skimmer and gentle-to-moderate flow. No special lighting is required; an adequate open sand footprint matters more than any gear.
Diet
A herbivore and detritivore that grazes film and hair algae, diatoms and detritus from the sand and rock surface. In a clean, well-maintained tank its natural food runs short, so supplement with dried seaweed (nori) on a clip, algae wafers or sinking pellets a few times a week to keep it from starving — a common, avoidable cause of decline in conchs.
Behavior & temperament
Peaceful and reef-safe toward fish, corals and other inverts; it simply works the sand and rockwork. It moves in the characteristic strombid 'leap,' vaulting forward on a strong clawed foot rather than gliding, and uses its long-stalked eyes to watch its surroundings. Generally kept one per small tank as a sand cleaner; multiple can be housed only in larger tanks with ample sand to share.
Health
Sensitive to copper, salinity swings and rapid acclimation like all marine snails — never use copper meds and drip-acclimate slowly. Starvation in over-clean tanks is the main risk, so feed it; a conch left stranded upside-down on bare glass or rock may fail to right itself, though on sand it self-rights easily. Remove any dead snail promptly to avoid fouling. (Educational only, not veterinary advice.)
Tips, DIY & hacks
Drip-acclimate over 1-2 hours and never lift it into the air. Provide a real sand bed and feed nori or sinking food in clean tanks so it doesn't starve. One per small-to-medium tank is plenty; enjoy the leaping gait and the bright red aperture that gives it the strawberry-conch name.
Reviewed and signed off by: KinStation Editorial — pre-launch draft (pending DVM review) on 2026-06-09