Will Assassin Snails Kill Nerite Snails?

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rubyfire

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Messages
82
Location
Nebraska, USA
I have a 120 gallon tank that I put assassin snails in to get rid of out of control ramshorn snails. Now that all the ramshorn snails are gone, I think I want to add some nerite snails. I have read that if the assassins are fed, they shouldn’t go after bigger snails such as a nerite. Is this true?
 
I have had an assassin in with large nerite snails for months with no issues even once my tetras took out all the mini ramshorns. However I have read if multiple assassins are present they can hunt as a group to take out larger snails. So I think given the opportunity assasins don’t so much care which snails you would prefer to keep :p. If you keep large nerites and maybe rehome most of your larger assassins in might work out. But if you have lots of assassins and limited other prey it might not.
 
I agree with Liberty, if you don't mind taking a chance try the Nerites. I added Assasins to all my tanks to combat a MTS *invasion* due ro my overfeeding [emoji37] I now have no more MTS but an *invasion* of Assassins. I unthinkingly added them to my shrimp tank as well and did observe them *hunting* shrimp so the idea that they would pack hunt larger snails *seems* possible. I would think it would also depend on the number of snails and size of the tank.
 
So seems like what I was thinking... Well might try a couple nerites that I won’t mind if they get assassinated [emoji848]
Thanks!
PS: I did have an explosion of assassin snails from having that overpopulation of ramshorn snails but after deep cleaning the tank, there’s maybe 10 or so assassins in there now.
 
I have five adult Assassins in three tanks. Just found four small Assassins in one tank. I have growing pest snail populations in all my tanks. I like the pest snails to a point and am hoping to manage balance between my Assassins and pest snails.

I think I am a long way away from too many Assassins but if I get to the point that they are close to wiping out my pest snails, I am planning to either:

1) Concentrate them in one tank and feed them carnivore pellets so that I have an Assassin army that can be deployed to manage excess pests in any tank

2) Give excess Assassins to LFS.
 
All pretty much said above. I had a Bumble Bee Nerite which lived for ever with my Assassin. The Mystery snails died - they tend to do that around my house and couldn't pin point if the MS were killed - or died and eaten.

I wonder if Nerites are less tasty / have bad flavor to discourage predation. Lots of small snails are eaten as foods by people, don't recall Nerites being seen at stores or features on cooking demos...

My Assassins ate shrimp food an sinking wafers for the bottom feeders all the time!
 
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