Tiger Cowry

Tiger Cowries shells are highly polished and are white, brown, gray and black with spots, and the animal often extends its large mantle (which has numerous papillae) up over so as completely covering the shell. They are nocturnal and perfer to spend the day hidden

Common Name(s): Tiger Cowry / Tiger Cowrie
Scientific/Other Name(s) : Cypraea tigris
Care Level : Easy
Maximum Size: 5"
Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons
Reef Safe: With caution
Feeding Requirements: Carnivore To ensure optimal nutrition, supplement naturally occurring prey animals with meaty bits of fish and seafood.
Temperament / Behavior: Peaceful
Other Comments:
All cowries have an ovoid shell,that is similar in its shape to an rugby ball that has been flattened on the bottom, with an elongated slit running down the middle of the flattened bottom surface.

Tiger Cowries shells are highly polished and are white, brown, gray and black with spots, and the animal often extends its large mantle (which has numerous papillae) up over so as completely covering the shell

They are nocturnal and perfer to spend the day hidden

The Tiger cowrie is non-aggressive and non-venomous and can be kept with peaceful fish and invertebrates. Avoid housing it with aggressive and rough surfaced creatures since they may injure the soft mantle. As it becomes larger, it may topple or damage corals as it moves around in the aquarium. This species is also fond of eating soft corals, anemones, sponges, sea stars and sea urchins.

The aquarium should ideally contain both sand and live rock, and you must provide your Tiger cowrie with suitable hiding spots where it can seek shelter during the day, e.g. caves and crevices.

Juvenile specimens have different feeding habits than the adults and feed chiefly on algae and detritus

They cannot tolerate copper or high nitrates.