Monetaria annulus – Goldring Cowrie

Small, shiny, beautiful – a jewel for the reef!

The Gold-ringed cowrie (Monetaria annulus) is a small, attractively patterned cowrie with a smooth, shiny shell and a characteristic golden-yellow ring on its back. These peaceful snails are not only decorative but also useful – they help clean up the aquarium by ingesting algae deposits and leftover food.

Species profile:

• Origin: Indo-Pacific

• Size: Up to approx. 2–3 cm

• Coloration: Cream to beige with bright yellow ring on the back

• Behavior: Nocturnal, quiet, mostly close to the ground or on rocks

• Lifestyle: Crawls over substrate, stones and technical surfaces – ideal for supporting cleaning

Keeping conditions:

• Aquarium: From 50 liters

• Socialization: Peaceful, compatible with other snails, shrimps and fish

• Nutrition: Algae, biofilm, detritus – no additional feeding necessary

• Special features: Very robust, easy to hold – ideal for beginners

Special features

• Due to its shell shape, it is also known as a collector's item outside of the aquarium hobby

• Can reproduce in aquariums with sufficient microfauna

• Be careful when keeping them with snail-eating animals (e.g. certain wrasse or crabs)