Bumble Bee Snail

Bumble Bee Snail – Pusiostoma mendicaria

The Bumble Bee Snail is a tiny yet powerful carnivorous scavenger known for its striking black shell wrapped in elegant white to yellow bands. Its small size allows it to navigate deep crevices and tight rockwork, where it removes uneaten meaty foods, nuisance Vermetid Snails, and decomposing organic matter. This snail also burrows through sand beds, consuming small worms and naturally aerating the substrate. Peaceful but opportunistic, it brings both beauty and practicality to reef aquariums.

Bumble Bee Snails thrive in established marine systems with ample hiding places, mature live rock, and deeper sand beds where they can forage undisturbed. Add them once the tank has stabilized and developed a healthy microfauna population—typically a few months after cycling. As with most invertebrates, they require stable water parameters and should never be exposed to copper-based treatments.

Bumble Bee Snails are best known for wrangling invasions of vermetid snails.  While they often find enough food in a well-established aquarium even without the presence of nuisance snails, Bumble Bee Snails may require supplemental feeding in cleaner systems. Offer finely chopped meaty foods or frozen preparations such as brine and mysis shrimp, ideally from trusted brands like San Francisco Bay, Hikari, or PE.

Approximate Purchase Size: 1/4" to 1/2"