# assasin snails any disadvantages?



## mike b (17 Feb 2015)

Hi there. Just wondering if anyone has had any problems with assasin snails in their planted tank? I know they do a good job wiping out pest snails, they won't eat your plants and they don't breed so prolifically. So everything seems to be great. I've read that they can kill shrimps which I just can't believe but has anyone had any disadvantages from keeping assasin snails?


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## pepedopolous (17 Feb 2015)

I think killing shrimps is rare. However, I've had problems with both Assasins and Nerites...They can go walkabout outside the aquarium if you don't have a lid and especially if you have high levels of CO2. Also their shells become weak if you have low KH/GH, so they can become damaged if they fall from the glass onto rocks. They can also be killed if they get stuck on a filter inlet (especially the lily pipe slits) - they get sucked out of their shells!

P


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## mike b (17 Feb 2015)

Thanks for the reply. Didn't think about kh/gh. Did you have any problems with assasin snails reproducing out of control like trumpet snails can?


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## Mark Livermore (17 Feb 2015)

They do reproduce but not nearly as quick as Ramshorn or any of the other pest snails. I started with 4 in a Fluval 19l tank and have about 15-20 after a year...


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## mike b (17 Feb 2015)

Did you find assasin snails spend most of the day under the gravel like trumpet snails or are they out and about during daylight?


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## Mark Livermore (17 Feb 2015)

Definitely a mixture of the two, some are bold and slide around all day looking for mischief, some hide and you only notice when you see the substrate moving etc.. As a rule though, they are much more outgoing in daylight than Trumpets.


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## mike b (17 Feb 2015)

Cheers. Thanks for the replies. I have literally hundreds of trumpet snails that I only see at night. I'm sure they keep uprooting new carpet plants before they can root properly (hc, gloss) as everything else seems fine (co2, light, distribution etc) all other plants stay rooted. How many assasin snails would you recommend for a 180 litre tank?


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## Mark Livermore (17 Feb 2015)

That many Trumpets will keep reproducing ahead of the rate of being eaten I would imagine...Basically anywhere between 5-10 assassin's is probably fine as they will reproduce slowly and gradually inhibit and then reduce the Trumpet population.

I can probably send you that many if you want?


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## mike b (19 Feb 2015)

Yea that would be great. What's the cost for 5 or 10 assasin snails?


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## mantis147 (19 Feb 2015)

I have been reading up on these as i have a problem with Tadpole snails, not 100% that's what they are called but they look very similar to the pictures on google. They breed like mad, i had one on a java fern from the fish shop now i have about 100! I have Crystal Red shrimp though so a little weary of putting assassins in incase the shrimp end up as lunch!


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## Mark Livermore (19 Feb 2015)

Mike, let me box them up and see what the postage is, no charge for the snails! Pm me your address.


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## mike b (19 Feb 2015)

The only shrimps I have in are amano's shrimps and I can't see assasins taking them out as the amanos are much bigger. Thanks Mark for your generous offer. I don't know how I can send you the money for postage. Do I send you a cheque or are there more technical ways?


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## Mark Livermore (19 Feb 2015)

Mike, It usually involves PayPal but to be honest don't worry, happy to post out on Monday, last time I posted snails it cost me less than £1 so I think I can manage it. PM me your address for Monday.


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## Mark Livermore (19 Feb 2015)

Mantis, there are some people who claim assassins eat shrimp or shrimplets, I have even seen a video of one eating a blue bolt! However no one ever has a video of the shrimp being caught by the snail so one assumes mostly the shrimp is dead or dying and the assassin takes advantage. I do appreciate the idea of not wanting to risk higher value shrimp though...


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## Colinlp (20 Feb 2015)

I kept assassins with CRS for a few years with no problems, to be honest I think they are both essential CUC . I certainly never saw one hunt  shrimp


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## mantis147 (20 Feb 2015)

Colinlp said:


> I kept assassins with CRS for a few years with no problems, to be honest I think they are both essential CUC . I certainly never saw one hunt  shrimp



Think i will try and get a couple as could do with stopping the outbreak! but keep a close eye on them.


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## Dan-CR4 (20 Feb 2015)

I got infected with pest snails and they over run my tank. got 8 assassin snails and within 2 months I have hardly any snails except the assassin snails.


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## mantis147 (20 Feb 2015)

Dan-CR4 said:


> I got infected with pest snails and they over run my tank. got 8 assassin snails and within 2 months I have hardly any snails except the assassin snails.



Thats the result im after!


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## Colinlp (20 Feb 2015)

Yes that's what happened to me too, the good thing was once the pest snails had gone the assassins reached a threshold population and just became good CUC and pretty ones too. The only downside I could see was if you kept ornamental snails because they would be gone too


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## sciencefiction (21 Feb 2015)

Cut out their food supply. The only reason there are so many is because there's either too much food the fish can handle, or the trumpets get to it undisturbed. I have cherry shrimp and bottom dwellers(corys, khuli loaches, plecos) and despite having 3 types of snails, their population is unnoticeable, including the prolific trumpets.
I had a trumpet snail explosion in the summer in a cherry shrimp only tank which I overfed. Eventually the trumpets became so many and so bold, they'd come out immediately at feeding time alongside the shrimp piling over fallen wafers, climbing on the zucchini, etc... I just stopped feeding that much and their population dwindled. But it's a lot easier in my fish tanks because the fish get to the food first.

If you want to get rid of the trumpets completely because they uproot plants(never happened to me), then assassin aren't any better because they'll dig in the substrate too and once they've munched on the other snails, they'll happily accept fish food so I just don't see the logic of replacing one snail with another. At least trumpets are more useful than assasins and mine are quite beautiful, light brown with black dots/stripes.

But assasins will get rid of them alright.

This video is disgusting but quite funny. Trumpets eating algae


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## mike b (21 Feb 2015)

Great video. Now that's a serious trumpet snail problem lol it's only my carpet plants they uproot and only when I replant them because they tend to grow over each other. Once rooted they don't uproot them. I have another tank without trumpets and my gloss stays rooted. I think it's just the sheer amount of trumpets but I think you may have solved my problem. I just don't have any bottom feeders at all. It's not that I can see any uneaten food but there must be small amounts for the trumpets to multiply so much. Maybe I should get a small group of Corys to help mop up any small amount of food left. Great tip cheers.


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## sciencefiction (22 Feb 2015)

Any sort of efficient bottom feeders outcompetes them.
I just snapped a short video of one of my tanks to show you.  I've got cherry shrimp, khuli loaches and ottos in there. I just fed them so the shrimp have piled up on the food. I introduced 3 types of snails about 3 years ago in there. There's none to be seen, not trumpets any way. There are a couple of ramshorns surviving. The trumpets got no chance with that crew, lol.
I've got another with corys and a pleco, same story, trumpets are not easily seen around. At least I've got to look around properly to see any coming out ever.


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## kirk (22 Feb 2015)

I wish that was the case for me. I've got no food whatsoever going into the tank other that for the plants. ( plant only tank at the moment) I've aquired  snails via plants a few weeks ago now I have hundreds of snails everywhere. I'm even finding snail eggs.


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## sciencefiction (22 Feb 2015)

Melting plants, maybe, lots of algae. What type of snails are they? Put some cherry shrimp if what you have are tadpole snails. They'll  eventually out compete them. There must something in there for them to eat. They don't survive on water only?


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## kirk (22 Feb 2015)

Must be melting plants and garenteed unvisible algae mate as you say, They are very tiny snails, as small as the fresh water mussels I have which I quite like. I've not decided what's going in the tank yet fish or shrimp it's only 60 ltr.


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## LondonDragon (7 Mar 2015)

Always have snails in all my tanks, specially trumpets, love my snails


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## humdingerx (11 Mar 2015)

I've trumpets and ramshorns in mine. If I wanted to have an assassin snail or two would that be ok, or would the assassins wipe out everything? I was just thinking to have something to keep the rest of the snails' numbers in check - or shouldn't I bother and the rest will reach some kind of equilibrium of their own?


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## Michael W (16 Mar 2015)

Hi,

Like LondonDragon, I like my snails in my tank. If you want Assassin snails solely for reducing the numbers of snails then I wouldn't bother with them. Not because they can't necessarily do the job, but you can do better. Firstly don't over feed, snails are scavengers so they will eat whatever left over food they can get the mouths on. You can try baiting them at night, especially for the Trumpet Snails. You can do this by placing some algae tablets or a slice of cucumber when the lights are off. The snails should crowd around that area and you can simply remove them by hand.


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## humdingerx (18 Mar 2015)

Well I don't think I have too many, it was more to ask if assasins will actually kill/eat all of them or will some kind of balance be achieved...


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## DoubleDutch (18 Mar 2015)

If they'd stayed with two it defo will take some time before they'd eaten them all / there would be a balance. When you've got two genders or a fertilized female there will be babies and then the other snail will be wiped out . I started with one which appeared to be a fertilized female. Think I have 100 now and sold about 200 now hahaha. Regards Aad


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## sciencefiction (18 Mar 2015)

humdingerx said:


> Well I don't think I have too many, it was more to ask if assasins will actually kill/eat all of them or will some kind of balance be achieved...



Yes, balance can be achieved once the snails don't get excessive food. If they keep multiplying out of proportion, it's time to think about how much and what you are feeding or where they get their food from. Excessive amount of snails is just a sign that something is not right in the balance of the tank.


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## humdingerx (19 Mar 2015)

Hmm have to really think about it. I like my snails and don't have over population, was thinking about getting an assassin or two just to add in and have them "live off" and in balance with the remainder but if there's a risk they'll end up eating everything not so sure anymore. Thinking about getting nerites instead


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