Assassin Snails

[Angeltold]

Is there any other type of shell? Assassins are cool, you see them and they’re fast! You want to get one, and the young sales girl says they are safe with other snails, and so you buy two and bring them home.
Shortly after bringing them home, you notice small details about them and start researching and realize they are predatory type lil’ guys to the quite literal.
So you quickly remove your nerite and place him someplace safe, and then how can you return the little guys now? They’re already comfortable. If you disturb them, they become depressed and “asleep”.
So then you become left wondering.. is there any other type of shell to make the tank interesting? doesn’t seem like it. They do look good on this white sand though.

 

[Playsander]

Assasin snails are great. Especially if you have a planted tank which you may introduce pest snails with new plants.
I have a large colony I my 40 gallon tank. I never have an issue with pest snails as my army disposes of them fast.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

I guess the salesperson could do with a bit more training....the biggest clue is the name Assassin

Unfortunately when you have Assassins in the aquarium, any other snail living there will probably end up being breakfast, lunch and dinner. You'll know that the Assassin is enjoying hearty meals as it grows quite quickly....and apart from prowling the aquarium looking for their next meal, they frequently lurk just under the surface of the substrate, sometimes for days on end.

Although a snail eating snail sounds gruesome, they are actually fascinating to watch as they go about their "business".

 

[DoubleDutch]

 

[sharkweek178]

Some people say that larger snails like mystery snails or nerite snails are safe from assassins. That's kind of like saying an extra large pizza is safe from me.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Some people say that larger snails like mystery snails or nerite snails are safe from assassins. That's kind of like saying an extra large pizza is safe from me.

For you alone?

Or do other pizza assassins gang up with you?

 

[sharkweek178]

I just got a couple of assassin snails yesterday. Is it normal for them to hide for a long time? They were somewhat active when I first added them. Now I haven't seen them all day. I guess they've burrowed into the sand.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

About 10 years back about 12 years ago I got about 15 assassins. I had a pond snail problem in all tanks save the loaches. Since then I have sold or given away a few 100 and I must have that many more. When they reproduce the babies go into the substrate to escape predation. The bigger ones will also bury themselves as well. But if you a=want to find out how many you might have, drop a couple of Hikari Algae Wafers into the tank.

I breed plecos and I feed fry a lot. This encourages pest snails. I do not put assassins into breeding tanks, so I get lots of pest snails. I take them from the plecos tanks and drop them into the tanks with assassins to eat.

edited for a typo

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Decent algae eaters and tank cleaner uppers, too, once they've devoured all the competition.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I just got a couple of assassin snails yesterday. Is it normal for them to hide for a long time? They were somewhat active when I first added them. Now I haven't seen them all day. I guess they've burrowed into the sand.

Perfectly normal...they'll bury themselves just under the sand surface, waiting for a meal to pass by, then pounce

 

[biofish]

Ugh. I also thought assassin snails would be okay with large snails if the assassin snails were few in numbers.

I put one (1) assassin snail in my 55g and it took five dead nerites later for me to finally see the assassin again. Hadn’t seen hide nor hair (shell?) since I first put him in but I saw his body count.

Especially because he ate the snails while they were still alive??? And I was pulling still alive but extremely wounded snails. None survived.

I put him in cause I retired the tank he’d been in previously…. I have regrets….

He’s with my betta fish now by himself. Good luck sir

 

[sharkweek178]

Decent algae eaters and tank cleaner uppers, too, once they've devoured all the competition.

I didn't know they were algae eaters too.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I didn't know they were algae eaters too.

It isn't their preferred diet, but they'll eat it if there's nothing else. Kind of how I feel about salad.

 

[sharkweek178]

It isn't their preferred diet, but they'll eat it if there's nothing else. Kind of how I feel about salad.

Do they eat fish eggs?

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Do they eat fish eggs?

No idea! Probably.