Description
The Armored Algae Bulldozer
Unleash a prehistoric powerhouse on your aquarium's nuisance algae with the Fuzzy Chiton. This unique and incredibly hardy mollusk is not a snail, but a living piece of ancient biology. Featuring a distinctive shell made of eight articulating armored plates, the Fuzzy Chiton looks like a miniature aquatic tank, a modern cousin to the trilobites of ages past. Its tough, leathery, and sometimes "fuzzy" girdle seals it to the rockwork, giving it immense gripping power.
While its appearance is fascinating, the Fuzzy Chiton's real value is in its unparalleled ability as an algae grazer. It is a relentless, 24/7 cleaning machine, specializing in removing tough film algae, diatoms, and other encrusting algaes from your glass and rockwork. Its powerful, rasping mouthpart (radula) can remove algae that most snails can't touch. For a truly unique, utterly reef-safe, and ruthlessly efficient member of your clean-up crew, the Fuzzy Chiton is an unbeatable choice.
Why the Fuzzy Chiton is a Superior Cleaner:
- Unmatched Algae Eater: A true algae bulldozer, it excels at removing stubborn film algae and diatoms from all surfaces.
- 100% Reef Safe: It is completely peaceful and will not bother any corals, fish, or other invertebrates. Its diet is strictly algae.
- Unique "Prehistoric" Look: With its eight armored plates, it adds a touch of ancient ocean life and biodiversity to your aquarium.
- Extremely Hardy: Chitons are famously tough and adaptable, making them an excellent choice for aquarists of all skill levels.
Care & Specifications
The Fuzzy Chiton is incredibly self-sufficient, but providing the right environment and handling it with care are key to its long-term health.
A Note on Handling: Never Forcibly Remove a Chiton This is the most important rule of chiton ownership. A chiton's muscular "foot" creates an incredibly powerful seal against surfaces. Once it is attached, DO NOT try to pull it off the rock or glass. Doing so can rip its internal organs and will likely be fatal. If you need to move it, gently slide a credit card or similar thin object underneath it to slowly break the seal, or simply wait for it to move on its own.
Tank Requirements:
- Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallons or larger.
- System Maturity: Best introduced into a mature aquarium with established surfaces for grazing. They need a steady supply of algae to thrive.
- Aquascape: Requires plenty of live rock or other hard surfaces to graze upon.
Water Parameters:
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Temperature: 72−82°F (22−28°C)
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Specific Gravity: 1.023−1.026
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pH: 8.1−8.4
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Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate: As close to 0 ppm as possible.
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Calcium & Alkalinity: Stable levels are required for shell health and development.
Feeding & Diet:
- Diet: Herbivore. It is a self-sufficient grazer that will sustain itself on the naturally occurring algae in your aquarium.
- Effectiveness: So effective, in fact, that in tanks with prized, thick coralline algae growth, they may graze upon it as well.
- Supplemental Feeding: In brand new or exceptionally clean tanks, their diet can be supplemented with algae wafers sunk near their location.
Compatibility: The Fuzzy Chiton is a peaceful and slow-moving tank inhabitant. It is compatible with all reef-safe fish and invertebrates. It should not be housed with known mollusk predators like certain large Wrasses, Triggerfish, or Pufferfish.
Acclimation: IMPORTANT: Like all marine invertebrates, the Fuzzy Chiton is sensitive to abrupt changes in water conditions. Slow drip acclimation over a period of at least 60 minutes is highly recommended.
