Strombus alatus Our largest reef safe snail, the word "fighting" doesn't refer to its temperament, but rather competitive breeding behavior observed among males who will push rival males away from females. The conchs are not hurt during these matches, it is more like a spirited game of musical chairs. They reach a size of 4-5 inches long, and 3 inches high and can eat a large amount of algae. Because of their size we do not recommend them unless you have a tank 50 gallons or larger. However, you should know they live entirely in the sand. If your substrate is covered with rock you should consider if the conch will have room to move throughout the tank. They are an excellent cleaner, and substrate stirrer. You can also feed them fish flake and or spirulina. They are a hardy species, but do best within tanks that are at least a month removed form the end of the cycle. The Florida Fighting Conch feeds through a "trunk" like mouth, and eyes that are on long stalks and are individually movable- making them an interesting creature to watch. These Florida Fighting Conchs are adults, and are usually shipped around 3 inches.
