How many assassin snails needed?

dmxsoulja3 · 03-07-2011, 01:23 PM

So how much work do these guys do? I have alot of Pond Snails and MTS in my Ten gallon, and a good bit of MTS in my 40 gallon, and this morning I noticed a pond snail and knew that I didn't want to deal with this in two tanks..so was wondering how many I should order to split between the tanks, I hate that they will kill all my MTS, but the pond snails have to go.

boringname · 03-07-2011, 01:37 PM

Haven't had my assassin snail long enough to be sure but I don't think they will completely eliminate MTS. I'm hopeful the one I got will get rid of the pond snails but that hasn't happened yet.

Just one in my 10g was enough to keep the pest snails low enough that I don't care that they haven't gone extinct.

j0onahra3 · 03-08-2011, 02:42 PM

I have about 2 assassin snails in my tank and they're lazy. LOL!
I dont know why, but I feel like I have the SAME amount of pond snails every time I check.
I do see about one empty shell each day.
So I'm guessing they eat one pond snail each day.. or so.
I was really disappointed cuz I heard they were great... you should probably get about 5 or more for each tank.
My assassin snails do not even touch my MTS.. so i dont know.
If you get some diligent assassin snails, i'm pretty sure you'd only need one.

Hadley · 03-08-2011, 02:46 PM

My assassin snails won't touch any snail larger than them. I have two in a 3 gallon and they are cleaning the small snails right up while leaving my Nerite alone.

msjinkzd · 03-08-2011, 02:52 PM

With assassin snails, my preference is to set them up in their own small tank and then pick out your adults from the display tanks. Its very very easy to "share" assassin snail eggs with other hobbyists should you share plant clippings and alot of planted enthusiasts like ornamental snails and shrimp in their tanks. As you remove the adults, eggs are not laid in your display which essentially stems the reproduction.

As far as how many, typically an adult assassin will eat a snail or two of its comparable body size in a day. Often if you have a group, they will "gang up" on larger snails to take it down.

I usually recommend starting with 3-5. Remember that you will have to supplement their diet or rehome them once they have taken care of your pest problem. They wille at bloodworms and meaty pellets, so keep that in mind depending on what you feed your tank. They are going to eat what is easiest (another good reason to keep them on their own).

H2OLOVER · 03-09-2011, 04:26 PM

i have maybe 20-30 in my 10 gallon and they barely touch the adult mts once in a while ill see them wrestling around on the substrate but rarely. they will go after pond snails first IME because pond snails are easier to catch, kill, and eat

my assassins will also eat bloood worms and the pellets that i feed my cherry shrimp and zebra plecos that share the tank. just like msjinkzd said
i even saw the assassin snail "sleeping" on a piece of driftwood next to a mts

Plantedshrimptank · 03-09-2011, 06:43 PM

Will they eat limplets or is there something that will?

Loligo · 03-09-2011, 07:02 PM

I have two in my 5.5g (along with a TON of pond snails, all sizes), and they were eating algae wafers last night! I think I bought the only vegetarian assassin snails.

Dave-H · 03-09-2011, 07:04 PM

My MTS are totally out of control! I think I'll try just 2 Assassins in my 54g just to see how it goes. But, where to get them? It would be great if they were available in the Denver area!

H2OLOVER · 03-09-2011, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plantedshrimptank

Will they eat limplets or is there something that will?

i think limpets are too close to the glass and too strong

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loligo

I have two in my 5.5g (along with a TON of pond snails, all sizes), and they were eating algae wafers last night! I think I bought the only vegetarian assassin snails.

LOL thats crazy

larryl · 03-09-2011, 10:57 PM

I have a newb question: What's an MTS?

**toofazt** · 03-10-2011, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larryl

I have a newb question: What's an MTS?

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/pl...ks-search.html

H2OLOVER · 03-10-2011, 06:06 AM

Malaysian trumpet snail
helpful in small numbers...pests in large ones

larryl · 03-10-2011, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toofazt

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/pl...ks-search.html

Cool, thanks for the link!

veryzer · 03-11-2011, 12:52 AM

I had 5 in a 54 gallon to deal with what I'd consider a pretty significant infestation (a large piece of driftwood covered in them every morning). It took a couple months, but the pests disappeared.

03-07-2011, 01:23 PM	#1
dmxsoulja3 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FL Posts: 247	How many assassin snails needed? So how much work do these guys do? I have alot of Pond Snails and MTS in my Ten gallon, and a good bit of MTS in my 40 gallon, and this morning I noticed a pond snail and knew that I didn't want to deal with this in two tanks..so was wondering how many I should order to split between the tanks, I hate that they will kill all my MTS, but the pond snails have to go.

03-08-2011, 02:52 PM	#5
msjinkzd Invert junkie (View User Tanks) PTrader: (192/100%) Join Date: May 2007 Location: mount wolf, pa Posts: 3,627	With assassin snails, my preference is to set them up in their own small tank and then pick out your adults from the display tanks. Its very very easy to "share" assassin snail eggs with other hobbyists should you share plant clippings and alot of planted enthusiasts like ornamental snails and shrimp in their tanks. As you remove the adults, eggs are not laid in your display which essentially stems the reproduction. As far as how many, typically an adult assassin will eat a snail or two of its comparable body size in a day. Often if you have a group, they will "gang up" on larger snails to take it down. I usually recommend starting with 3-5. Remember that you will have to supplement their diet or rehome them once they have taken care of your pest problem. They wille at bloodworms and meaty pellets, so keep that in mind depending on what you feed your tank. They are going to eat what is easiest (another good reason to keep them on their own). __________________ What's for sale, you ask, Click here! Visit me on Facebook! Check out the website for current stocklist, species profiles, and images of livestock.

03-09-2011, 07:04 PM	#9
Dave-H Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (8/100%) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Denver, CO & Phang-Nga, Thailand Posts: 2,346	My MTS are totally out of control! I think I'll try just 2 Assassins in my 54g just to see how it goes. But, where to get them? It would be great if they were available in the Denver area! __________________ "The fewer our wants, the nearer we resemble the gods." — Socrates

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03-07-2011, 01:37 PM	#2
boringname Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: los angeles Posts: 540	Haven't had my assassin snail long enough to be sure but I don't think they will completely eliminate MTS. I'm hopeful the one I got will get rid of the pond snails but that hasn't happened yet. Just one in my 10g was enough to keep the pest snails low enough that I don't care that they haven't gone extinct.

03-08-2011, 02:42 PM	#3
j0onahra3 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Columbia, Missouri Posts: 90	I have about 2 assassin snails in my tank and they're lazy. LOL! I dont know why, but I feel like I have the SAME amount of pond snails every time I check. I do see about one empty shell each day. So I'm guessing they eat one pond snail each day.. or so. I was really disappointed cuz I heard they were great... you should probably get about 5 or more for each tank. My assassin snails do not even touch my MTS.. so i dont know. If you get some diligent assassin snails, i'm pretty sure you'd only need one.

03-08-2011, 02:46 PM	#4
Hadley Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: California Posts: 166	My assassin snails won't touch any snail larger than them. I have two in a 3 gallon and they are cleaning the small snails right up while leaving my Nerite alone.

03-09-2011, 04:26 PM	#6
H2OLOVER Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Anaheim, California Posts: 649	i have maybe 20-30 in my 10 gallon and they barely touch the adult mts once in a while ill see them wrestling around on the substrate but rarely. they will go after pond snails first IME because pond snails are easier to catch, kill, and eat my assassins will also eat bloood worms and the pellets that i feed my cherry shrimp and zebra plecos that share the tank. just like msjinkzd said i even saw the assassin snail "sleeping" on a piece of driftwood next to a mts

03-09-2011, 06:43 PM	#7
Plantedshrimptank Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (23/100%) Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: East San Jose, CA Posts: 131	Will they eat limplets or is there something that will?

03-09-2011, 07:02 PM	#8
Loligo Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Ohio Posts: 92	I have two in my 5.5g (along with a TON of pond snails, all sizes), and they were eating algae wafers last night! I think I bought the only vegetarian assassin snails.

03-09-2011, 10:57 PM	#11
larryl Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 32	I have a newb question: What's an MTS?

03-10-2011, 06:06 AM	#13
H2OLOVER Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Anaheim, California Posts: 649	Malaysian trumpet snail helpful in small numbers...pests in large ones

03-11-2011, 12:52 AM	#15
veryzer Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: IL Posts: 298	I had 5 in a 54 gallon to deal with what I'd consider a pretty significant infestation (a large piece of driftwood covered in them every morning). It took a couple months, but the pests disappeared.