apistomaster

Assassin Snail is a popular name given to SE Asian aquatic snail beginning to show up in imports.
Antentome helena is the scientific name.
The snail has a wide range but is not common to any particular area. It's primary food is other snails although it will eat other foods except algae. They are an egg laying species and lay a few eggs per spawn.
Not much more than this is known about them except they are selling for about $7.00 each.
Reference: Aqualog News No. 78, 2007.

milalic

So pretty much they just kill other snails and eat. Are the eggs hard like the nerites one?

rich_one

will they kill shrimp, or do they just eat snails?

customdrumfinishes

sounds like a great solution to getting rid of the pond snails in a tank!

customdrumfinishes

heres the aquarium wiki i saw on them

http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Anentome_helena

rich_one

anyone know where these can be had, and if they have been known to eat smaller shrimp, like cherries?

Tedb

Someone is selling them on aquabid but you have to have them shipped from overseas. From what I have read they will not harm shrimp, fish, ect., only snails. Also from what I have read they are going to be more of a population control than an exterminator. They eat a snail, digest for a few days, eat a snail, digest for a week, ect. I thought about getting some as my trapping and smashing duties are getting out of hand.

customdrumfinishes

still sounds like a good snail to have! i wonder if they multiply like ramshorns.

what happens when they see another assasian snail?
do they eat each other? lol

Bjar1

NO they are clear you can see what happening insíde them.They look soft.
Never heard it mentioned ,but in a crowded thank ,if they are very hungry ,maybe
Yes ,they don´t eat that may ,but if you put them in new thanks before you get snail problems .
or remove all snails you can find in a established tank .I think can finish of the last ones.
They reproduce slowly one baby from each eggcase so they are very much slower rhan ramshornsnails
They are not canibalistic and mostly spends the day burried the sand.It is quite interesting to watch
the feed....

michu

I've only had mine a few weeks, but love them. I've read they don't come out during the day, but mine are always out eating the detritus from my sand. I wasn't infested with a ton of snails... just a few adults and the babies that had appeared.. prior to getting the AS. They are now gone... or gone into hiding. Regardless, I can't see them anymore, but do see the AS that seem to be thriving.