Assassin snails (anentome helena)

[emeraldking]

Just like to post something for I've read a topic about these snails overhere. But the topic is over 197 days old and therefore I'm not able to give a response on that topic according to this forum. That's why I've made a new topic.

Experiences can differ a lot with these snails. Especially after I've read the former topic about these snails...

I've been breeding these assassin snails for many years now. Most of my anentome helenas lay their eggs in the gravel and in some tanks in soil (specifically, my swamp tanks). Overhere, they breed like hell...

And yes, overhere they also eat algae. And to answer the question wether they're brackish or not → They're actually freshwater species but they tend to do well in brackish water as well. I have a couple of brackish water tanks where I keep colonies of these snails as well. There's no difference in their behaviour or lifespan in brackish water.

Will they eat bigger snails? They can but hardly do it! Even shaped snails (so, not just their own species) will mostly (so, not always) be left alone by them.

Like I've already mentioned: experiences with these snails do differ!

Grtz, "S"

 

[Brookster123]

They eat bigger snails.. it's not debatable, if you have one assassin and one big snail? You'll probably continue to have one of each, if you have many assassins? No more big snail. i have not witnessed them actively grazing on algae. If your entire tank is covered in it? May be hard to distinguish between traveling vs. eating.. I've seen them stick the eggs to driftwood and anubias roots especially, can't tell if they stick em in the gravel as I do not own a microscope. I suppose the dirt may make it easier. What exactly is the point here? Your info us radical at best..
They'll also actively hunt fry! Ever seen that one? They're lean mean killing machines, if it's slow moving and they're hungry? Game on.. if you bombard your tank with food than they may leave the living alone. That's not always the best plan though as it can trash water quality l.

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[emeraldking]

Hi,

Thanks for the feedback.
Like I've mentioned: Experiences differ a lot!

Overhere they really eat algae as well. And yes, sometimes overhere they'll hunt for fry as well. And yes, also I've mentioned that they'll eat bigger snails for I've read in the other topic about these snails overhere that they won't eat bigger snails.

And I was triggered to write this topic for I have been breeding these snails for about 10 years now and read some different experiences overhere. So, I wanted to share my experiences as well. Which is good. This enables other aquarists to rethink that there's more to this kind of snail...

Well, I've combined them from time to time with larger apple snails and man.... those assassin snails will hunt them! It's not that they catch them that easy but there's no doubt that they won't hunt them...