Ready To Hire An Assassin

[FishHobby99]

Can’t take any more of picking red ramhorns out of three tanks. An everyday ordeal. I understand assassin snails will whack them. Is this the most effective way of getting rid of them? Do the cannibals need to be fed once the other snails are gone?

 

[Colin_T]

Ready To Hire An Assassin​

Who do you need killed?

I take my payments in cats or kittens.

 

[Artur]

Snails usually bring parasites to fishtanks. More you get, the more probable you'll introduce some kind of them into your aquarium. Nematodes, flagellates, gill flukes etc.

I get rid of 100% of the snails with MLP - Morenicol Lernex Pro. It's intended for ponds, but you can use it in fishtanks. Very popular around discus community (at least here in Poland).
It gets rid of nomatodes, gill flukes, tapeworms, but also, as a side effect it kills 100% of snails. Big and small. Also - 99% of shrimps, so keep it in mind when using (if you have shrimp don't use it at all).

I don't know if you can get your hands on this.
If not, find something similar at your location. If something kills nomatodes, it's very probable it will also assasinate snails. They're pretty weak compared to fish.

Using assasins such as other snails is time consuming and not very efficent. Also you can introduce parasites. Getting loaches is not always an option.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

This title made me do a double take!

Blanched cucumber is the tried-and-true method for lots of people with snail problems, but I've found it wasn't entirely effective. Since I have fine sand substrate, I found that a sieve or mini-flour shaker worked well. Scoop it through the sand 10 minutes after feeding time and the population decreases pretty quickly. Though, that was with MTS and bladder snails. Never had ramshorns so don't know if it works the same!

My clown loach have been my little clean-up crew -- got them a couple months ago with over a thousand MTS in my tank, and now down to a few dozen. Though I assume it's probably not the most practical solution for everyone.

Snail killers can be very dangerous to shrimp and have been known to affect other fish - have heard of negative effects on plecos namely.

Assassin snails are a viable solution, though do like the taste of shrimp. Not sure if you have shrimp (particularly neocaridina) but the snails might choose to pick off some weaker or young ones if they feel so inclined. Other than that, go for it. I assume like most snails they're happy to feed on a blanched veggy or two, sinking pellets, e.c.t.

Hope this helps, might have word-dumped a little too much.

 

[FishHobby99]

I don’t add chemicals to my tanks, other than a conditioner, but always interesting to hear something new.
I‘ve seen assassin snails at the pet shop. The owner said they penetrate the snail’s shell or something like that & suck it dry.
I’m wondering what they do when the snails are gone. Like if they‘d behave as the nice nerites & eat waste.

 

[Artur]

I don’t add chemicals to my tanks, other than a conditioner, but always interesting to hear something new.
I‘ve seen assassin snails at the pet shop. The owner said they penetrate the snail’s shell or something like that & suck it dry.
I’m wondering what they do when the snails are gone. Like if they‘d behave as the nice nerites & eat waste.

Clea helena don't eat waste. They eat meat. If it's gone (other snails) - they eat shrimp, fish if they can. If they don't - they start eating each other. Later you'll end up with one, maybe two of those, and they eventually die off.

If you don't use chemicals how do you get rid of nomatodes, gill flukes etc.? Or maybe you don't know if you ever had those in your fish tank?

 

[FishHobby99]

Like the sifting suggestion.
I’ve tried Romain lettuce & they keep on acoming.

Did you think I was ready to Dateline my significant other? Do you guys see Dateline over there? True crime TV show. Always about couples whacking one another.

 

[FishHobby99]

I have never seen these creatures in my tanks. I suppose it’s possible I am unaware. Are the macroscopic? I don‘t know how common they are. I do frequent large water changes.

 

[Artur]

I have never seen these creatures in my tanks. I suppose it’s possible I am unaware. Are the macroscopic? I don‘t know how common they are. I do frequent large water changes.

Yes, they're pretty common, and you have to have microscope to see them.

 

[FishHobby99]

as a matter of fact, I am considering purchasing an inexpensive used microscope to get a better look at a mysterious algae that appeared on a small section of a tank’s front wall.

 

[Artur]

Algae isn't that interesting. But you can always check out your fish waste from the filter. For example (my old video).

Fish tank was cured, but even healthy fish tank has millions of microorganisms

I bought mine microscope used as well - biolux bresser nv

 

[FishNturt808]

Supposedly assassin snails never go after one another.
I have had them in a few of my tanks for the last few months, so far they have killed off a ramshorn issue in my shrimp tank. Now they are split (I have 7, maybe 6 , total) between 2 tanks. They don’t do as great of a job killing the ramshorn being split into two smaller groups. Although one pair has been mating, so once the eggs hatch (if they do) I’ll have that issue taken care of.

I personally think they are a great way to take care of a pest snail issue. And once they are finished killing off the snails (if they can keep up with the breeding) they do feed on other sources of protein. I have personally seen mine eating frozen bloodworms. And that was while there were still ramshorn in the tank.

 

[Artur]

Supposedly assassin snails never go after one another.
I have had them in a few of my tanks for the last few months, so far they have killed off a ramshorn issue in my shrimp tank. Now they are split (I have 7, maybe 6 , total) between 2 tanks. They don’t do as great of a job killing the ramshorn being split into two smaller groups. Although one pair has been mating, so once the eggs hatch (if they do) I’ll have that issue taken care of.

I personally think they are a great way to take care of a pest snail issue. And once they are finished killing off the snails (if they can keep up with the breeding) they do feed on other sources of protein. I have personally seen mine eating frozen bloodworms. And that was while there were still ramshorn in the tank.

Yes, if you feed your fish worms - that is meat then yes - killer snails will survive, because they'll have something to eat.
If you'd only use pellets/flake food - then Clea Helena would start killing off themselves. The only meat they can actually get (fish are usually too big or/and to quick).

 

[DoubleDutch]

They feed on all kinds of fishfood (protein) after the snails are gone.

There are rare repports of a Helena catching a (sleepy) shrimp and never of a fish (they definitely eat dead fish though)

I started with one assassin which appeared to be fertilized and I have had hundreds of them afterwards.

Started to appreciate Ramshorn again btw so some tanks are Helena free nowadays.

 

[itiwhetu]

Snails usually bring parasites to fishtanks. More you get, the more probable you'll introduce some kind of them into your aquarium. Nematodes, flagellates, gill flukes etc.

I get rid of 100% of the snails with MLP - Morenicol Lernex Pro. It's intended for ponds, but you can use it in fishtanks. Very popular around discus community (at least here in Poland).
It gets rid of nomatodes, gill flukes, tapeworms, but also, as a side effect it kills 100% of snails. Big and small. Also - 99% of shrimps, so keep it in mind when using (if you have shrimp don't use it at all).

I don't know if you can get your hands on this.
If not, find something similar at your location. If something kills nomatodes, it's very probable it will also assasinate snails. They're pretty weak compared to fish.

Using assasins such as other snails is time consuming and not very efficent. Also you can introduce parasites. Getting loaches is not always an option.

What does this stuff do to the fish?