Shy Assassins....

[PrairieSunflower]

So... I have finally got my assassin snails and am eager for them to make lunch of the other little annoying snails... Problem is... one isn't doing much and the annoying snails have decided to pile on its shell! And the other one did more travelling... went to my ornament and has (I think) burrowed somewhere near there and now I can't find it...

Normal behavior? They will "come out" and do stuff... right?

 

[MegaZerino]

i only ever see mine when im up late and the light has been off a few hours, and yes if they can then they will burrow down deep during the day

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Aaaaaah! I have to wait for the night! Thanks! I didn't read anything about that bit!

 

[XFiSh_CichildX]

Aaaaaah! I have to wait for the night! Thanks! I didn't read anything about that bit!

when they burrow they are usually chasing all the pest snails up from under the gravel/sand and then they have a wee mucnh what size is your tank and how many assassins did you get ?

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I've just bought 2 for the moment to test them out and see if I will get more. They are in my 60 litre male guppy tank.

 

[Haveagojoe]

I got two today as well and they have vanished into the underworld as well

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I occasionally see one first thing in the morning... but since I put them in I've not seen both of them at the same time again.

 

[pablothebetta]

I have 3 which often don't seem to move too much either. I rarely see them out 'hunting' for anything to eat, even though there's food (bladder snails) in there for them. Most of the time they're burrowing (which I'm sure I've read is, fortunately, natural behaviour) or being still. However, I found eggs in my tank this evening from them, so I'm thinking they're fine

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I'm thinking to get a few more... I read I should be seeing evidence that they are eating my other snails which is supposed to be floating shells... yet to see anything.

 

[Llegmore]

I have two lovely little snails - Altair and Ezio - I very rarely see them but they do get rid of snails very efficiently. They just need time to hunt them all down.

 

[the_lock_man]

I'm thinking to get a few more... I read I should be seeing evidence that they are eating my other snails which is supposed to be floating shells... yet to see anything.

Patience, grasshoppa!!!

The shells sink, btw. In a 60l, with a sensible population of pests, then 3 should be fine. I went the other way and got 6 assassins, and then was overrun with baby assassins! THey take ages to grow, but when they do, they have a sale value (I swapped about 40 of them for a bag of black sand!)

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I wouldn't mind them breeding at all. I was so impressed on how they were packed when I got mine by mail, how simple it is to package them safely for posting. I do plan to put a couple in my other tank... though there are nearly no pests in there so I shall have to purposefully feed them.

 

[the_lock_man]

I shall have to purposefully feed them.

They'll happily feed off uneaten fish food.

 

[XAli1971]

I shall have to purposefully feed them.

They'll happily feed off uneaten fish food.

that they do, so uch so I realized my 5 assasins + young are now ignoring the pest snails that are running amok in my small 18l shrimp tank