#assassin snails

[hyperfixation-floodgate]

THAT'S FOR THE ASSASSIN SNAILS YOU HEATHENS

[quagmatastic]

Looks like my assassin snail eggs finally became babies! They got pretty big fast, I just noticed them this morning.

Really hope they don't end up becoming as big of pests as the snails they were intended to eat...

[idonthavealife-ihavefish]

I was finally able to get my hands on two more assassin snails. Problem is that so far the only thing they've managed to do is have a snorgy (snail orgy) with my other assassin while their prey sits on top and watches.

These sinful actions will hopefully lead to more baby assassins though, so I'll allow it.

[fishblr-blog]

Assassin Snails and Parasite Snails

If you’re unlucky enough to get a parasite snail in your tank and breeding out of control one of the possible options for keeping them in check is the assassin snail!

They are hard workers who will hunt down every snail they can find and eat it, however, they don’t go after snails larger than themselves (USUALLY) and I’ve had several in a tank with a nerite and no issues arose.

The other options to get rid of parasite snails are rather drastic, such as setting up a new tank and moving the fish into it and then cleaning the old tank and letting it sit dry for a time. Make sure to do the same with your filter and don’t move it to the new tank, it will need to remain dry for a while as well (I suggest a month).

The last option is copper sulfate. You can usually get it in dedicated aquarium stores, be VERY careful to follow the directions as it can become toxic to the fish if you use more than recommended. If you have live plants they can also ‘absorb’ it and you can’t use it in any tank with invertebrates (crabs, snails, shrimp) as it kills them mercilessly.

[betta-days]

Acclimating some new friends

[marvelousbettas]

Yay finally adding some fancy shrimp buddies to rivers 20g along with a couple assassins to take care of my pond snail problem! River is inspecting now. This is also my trial run for rivers compatibility with shrimp before I buy expensive blue shrimp lol

[parasiticbrainworm]

My incest snails have such wonderful shell color variations.

[pinkgoblinshark]

caught some gnarly footage of my assassin snails eating a dead shrimp

a content warning below the cut if youre sensitive to shrimp death

assassin snails are typically known for eating other snails above all else, but they're opportunistic and will eat other dead matter, such as this shrimp that passed away. assassin snails are kinda unique since they have 2 proboscis like appendage, one that can be waving around the majority of the time, and one that only comes out when its time to feed. in the video, you can actually see the second, hidden proboscis poking inside the shrimp's exoskeleton! the way in which it moves is almost like an elephant's trunk.

also yes, in the video there are two assassin snails trying to eat the same shrimp. i snapped a pic of the first assassin snail to get to the shrimp

kinda looks like the snail is gently cradling the shrimp, when in reality its using its muscular foot to hold it in place — which reminds me of something else

ive heard of assassin snails being able to eat through the shells of other snails and eating them that way, but the way my assassins typically eat is to just slip their feeding proboscis into the main Snail Hole and slurp up their prey that way. if this holds true for shrimp, this must mean that first assassin snail was eating the shrimp's inside stuff right through the shrimp's mouth o.o