Margarita Snail - Margarites pupillus - Stomatella Limpet Snail

Margarita Snail - Margarites pupillus Taxonomy:
Margarita Snail belongs to the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Mollusca, Class Gastropoda, Family Trochacea, Genus Margarites and Species pupillus. Scientific names:
The scientific name of Margarita Snail is Margarites pupillus. Other common names:
Margarita Snail is also known as Pearl Snail, Stomatella Limpet Snail, Little Margarita and Pearly Topped Snail. Origin or natural range:
Margarites pupillus originates from the temperate marine waters of Eastern Pacific region, the Caribbean Sea including Alaska and Baja California. Size:
Margarita Snail grows up to a size of around one inch to two inches. Color:
Margarites pupillus occurs in grey and brown colors. Aggression:
Margarita Snail is non-aggressive towards the marine aquarium members. Compatibility:
Margarites pupillus is reef compatible. Venom status:
Margarita Snail is non-poisonous in nature. Habit & Habitat:

• Margarites pupillus occurs deep in the temperate marine water bodies where the temperature is as low as thirty-nine degrees Centigrade.
• In its natural habitat, Margarita Snail is found on rocks or on sand.
• Margarites pupillus is Nocturnal in habit and hides during the day time, while it is active at night.
• Hardiness:
  Margarita Snail is very hardy. Life expectancy:
  Margarites pupillus has a short life. Morphology:
• The body of Margarita Snail is shaped like a turban.
• The mantle of Margarites pupillus is fleshy and secretes the shell.
• The shell of Margarita Snail is smooth.
• Breeding:
  Margarites pupillus reproduces sexually in which the male and female gametes are released in the water and fertilization occurs therein only. Growth enabling environment in your marine aquarium: Aquarium habit & habitat:
• Tank type: To host Margarita Snail, you should have an established reef type marine aquarium.
• Aquarium set-up:
• Keep ample rocks, rock caves, sand, corals and Live Rocks in your marine aquarium for Margarites pupillus to hide in and search its food on.
• Keep Margarita Snail with cold water marine invertebrates such as, Sand Dollars, Catalina Gobies and Red Foot Snails to name some.
• The water and snail ratio should be one Margarites pupillus per two gallons of aquarium water.
• Temperature of water: Fifty to sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit or ten to twenty degrees Centigrade.
• Specific gravity of water: 1.023 to 1.025.
• pH of water: 8.00 to 8.40.
• Illumination: Margarita Snail requires lighting in the marine aquarium it inhabits.
• Acclimation: Slowly acclimate Margarites pupillus to your marine aquariumÍs environment using Slow Drip Acclimation Method. The slow acclimation process generally takes a minimum time period of two hours. Feeding & Nutrition:
• Diet: Margarita Snail is herbivorous in feeding habit.
• Food content: Margarites pupillus eats phytoplankton, especially Hair Algae or Filamentous Algae, Cyanobacteria and diatoms.
• Supplements:
• Add Calcium as dietary supplement for the shell growth of Margarita Snail. Maintain the Calcium level between three hundred and fifty ppm and four hundred and fifty ppm.
• You may supplement the food of Margarites pupillus with dried seaweeds as well.
• Breeding: Margarita Snail does not generally breed in a marine aquarium.
• Benefits: Margarites pupillus is an algae eater and therefore, keeps your reef tank free of algae.
• Care:
• Margarites pupillus is easy to maintain.
• An increase in the temperature of the aquarium water may reduce the life of Margarita Snail therein.
• Fluctuations in pH and temperature may give pH shock and temperature shock, respectively, to Margarites pupillus in your reef tank.
• Nitrates and Copper in any form in your marine aquarium may prove lethal for Margarita Snail therein.
• AquaristÍs level:
  Even beginner aquarists can venture for Margarites pupillus.