Cypraea caputserpentis, reef cowrie

[DoctaQ]

the little bit of info i could find on these guys tell me they are primarily herbivores but then i found one post in a forum that said they will eat sponges and soft corals when they get older, is there any truth to this?

this is the cowrie often seen in jewelry, has anybody had any experience keeping one?

 

[Amphiprion]

The snakehead cowrie can and will eat all the things you mention. I'd stay away from it. If, on the other hand, you still want a cowry, I recommend the "money" or "ring" cowries--Cypraea moneta, C. annulus. These guys are established as strict herbivores. I had one for a good while. They are hardy little buggers as long as there is plenty of algae.