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Margarita snails are commonly sold for reef cleanup but they are actually cold-water snails from the Pacific Northwest - they live 2-3 years in 65-70°F coldwater tanks but typically die within 6 months in warm tropical reef setups. Often mis-sold by LFS unaware of the temperature mismatch. Verify temperature compatibility before purchase.
Native range: Eastern Pacific (cold-water). Most US trade specimens come through marine wholesale suppliers in Indonesia, the Philippines, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. Wild collection remains the primary sourcing method for the majority of marine inverts - few are captive-bred at commercial scale. Quality of acclimation at the wholesale/retail stage is the biggest single predictor of long-term survival in home aquaria.
Tank size: 20 gallons. Parameters: temperature 60-72°F (TEMPERATE - not for tropical reefs), salinity 1.022-1.026, plus the standard reef tank requirements - stable calcium 420-440 ppm, alkalinity 8-10 dKH, magnesium 1300-1400 ppm, nitrate under 25 ppm, phosphate under 0.05 ppm. The species requires conditions consistent with a healthy reef tank rather than nutrient-stripped sterile water - well-established systems with diverse microfauna and biofilm typically support these inverts better than newly-cycled tanks.
Lighting: depends on species. Photosynthetic inverts (clams, anemone-symbiotic species) require high-PAR reef LED lighting. Filter-feeders (worms, scallops) prefer moderate lighting and benefit from particulate-rich water. Flow: moderate, indirect flow works for most inverts - direct high-velocity flow stresses or damages soft-bodied species.
Acclimation: drip acclimate over 2-4 hours for hardy species, 4-8 hours for sensitive species (Linckia stars, sea hares, demanding nudibranchs). Never expose inverts to air during transfer - capture in a bowl underwater and transfer wet.
Margarita Snail diet: Hair algae, diatoms, biofilm. Feeding strategy depends on dietary type. Algae eaters require established tanks with biofilm and microalgae growth - new tanks lack the algal base they need. Carnivore inverts (starfish, some snails) need targeted meaty feedings 2-3x weekly. Filter feeders (clams, worms, scallops) need phytoplankton in the water column. Photosynthetic species need adequate lighting plus supplemental amino acid or coral food dosing.
Safe: Cool-water tank inhabitants.
Avoid: Tropical reef setups (will die within months).
Not captive bred.
Temperature-driven mortality (most common); misrepresentation at point of sale.
Temperature. Margarita snails are cold-water species that cannot tolerate sustained tropical temperatures.
No - choose Astraea, Cerith, or Trochus snails instead. They tolerate tropical reef temperatures.
2-3 years in 65-70°F coldwater systems. 4-8 months in tropical reefs.
No - Trochus snails (Trochus sp.) are warm-water and tolerate tropical reef temperatures.
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