Black turban snail (Tegula funebralis) care guide
- Group
- Snails
- Other names
- Black tegula, Chlorostoma funebralis, Chlorostoma funebrale, Trochus funebralis, Black top snail
- Family
- Tegulidae
- Origin
- Rocky intertidal shores of the eastern Pacific coast of North America, from British Columbia to Baja California
- Water
- saltwater
- Maximum size
- 5 cm
- Temperature
- 12–22°C
- pH
- 8–8.4
- Hardness
- dKH 8–12, SG 1.023–1.026
- Minimum tank
- 75 litres
- Care level
- intermediate
- Reef safe
- yes
- Lifespan
- 7–30 (wild) years
Care
The black turban snail, or black tegula, is a dark purple-black top snail from the rocky shores of the Pacific coast of North America, where it is one of the most abundant snails, sometimes more than 1,000 per square metre. Shells are typically 2–5 cm across. It was formerly called Chlorostoma funebralis. It is long-lived: wild snails live 7 to 30 years, northern populations growing larger and living longer. Temperate species: this is a cool-water snail from the intertidal zone, not a tropical reef animal. It is sold in the US as a reef clean-up snail, but it is best in a temperate or cool marine tank; in a warm tropical reef it is likely to be stressed and live much shorter. The temperatures given are general guidance for a temperate set-up, not from a source. Tank set-up: a cool, well-oxygenated marine tank with plenty of rock to graze. Juveniles hide under rocks and in coarse sand. Clean-up crew: an herbivore that grazes encrusting algae, macroalgae and detritus; in the wild it prefers drifting kelp. It eats film algae and soft algae from rock and glass, but like other grazers it can starve once algae is gone, so supplement with dried seaweed. Hermit crabs often take empty shells of this species and may kill snails for them. Behaviour: when it senses a predator such as a sea star, it speeds up from 2–3 cm to about 8 cm a minute, twists away, or lets go and rolls downhill. Copper: copper-based medicines are toxic to shrimp, snails and most invertebrates, and some plant fertilisers carry copper too. Never treat a display tank holding this animal with copper; treat fish in a separate hospital tank, and drip-acclimatise new arrivals slowly. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tegulafunebralis). Checked October 2026.
Diet
Herbivore and detritivore: encrusting and film algae, macroalgae and detritus. Offer dried seaweed (nori), kelp and algae wafers when algae is scarce.
Breeding
Sexes are separate and it spawns into the water; the larvae are planktonic and it is not normally bred in aquariums.
Compatibility and tank mates
Reef safe; it does not harm corals or fish. Eaten by sea stars, crabs, octopus, triggers and puffers; hermit crabs may kill it for its shell. Suits coldwater and temperate marine tanks rather than warm tropical reefs.
Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.