# How hardy assassin snails ?



## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Hi Guys

I have a few assassin snails in my tank and they are multiplying as I can see a few small to medium size ones. But sometimes I find empty shells of some small assassin snails. I can figure out why they are empty and usually cracked. But most of them doing well. I fund just couple so far. But I want to know hwy and should I worry about all of them or not ?


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

I'm curios as well. I'm assuming if they are fed well they won't cannabilize each other if they run out of food?


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## arc (Mar 11, 2010)

Like most snails, they are really hardy. They will eat most anything and can survive water conditions that would kill most fish. I had to clear out a few hundred assassins a while back and left them in a half filled 5g with no filter and they survived. The water smells foul and after 2 months, they were starting to to pill up on the waterline so I just installed a sponge filter. 

If the shell is cracked, your fish or something else is eating them. Assassins will "suck" out their prey rather than crack the shell so I don't think they are eating each other.


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## Viki (Aug 1, 2011)

they can even live without water for more than a couple of days, that thing i learn from Mike (the owner of finatics) and did that experiment on my assassin's as well.


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## BoiBJ (Aug 10, 2011)

well the bad thing about the hardiness of snails is if your invaded by MTS or pond snails tough luck destroying them


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

AquaNekoMobile said:


> I'm curios as well. I'm assuming if they are fed well they won't cannabilize each other if they run out of food?


I did not get your comment. I think it's out of place as usual !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Kooka (Feb 8, 2011)

I've had 2 of them for a year in my 20 gallon so far. Used to have a nice population of MTS in there but I haven't seen any IN ABOUT A YEAR... In all seriousness, they are really good at destroying other snails, even heard of them taking down smaller apple snails, and they do seem to be very hardy.


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## ThaChingster (Feb 25, 2011)

ppaskova said:


> I did not get your comment. I think it's out of place as usual !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


The comment was perfectly coherent, I do not apprehend your statement.


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## BoiBJ (Aug 10, 2011)

haha ! LOL touche!


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## J-P (Feb 27, 2011)

when starved for food many think that they will kill each other... I don't know if this is or is not the case, but I do know they go into a dormant state.

Not much is really truly known... you can look up Neale Monks, who is an authority on the subject, and ask him. He is currently on the WWM crew or research his name.


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## fishclubgirl (Mar 4, 2010)

You might want to check water conditions as cracked shells may mean not enough calcium. I've kept assassin snails for years and never found an empty shell(which I can't figure??) but I also have "rock" hard water which is awesome for snail shells.


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

> ppaskova
> Quote:
> Originally Posted by AquaNekoMobile View Post
> I'm curios as well. I'm assuming if they are fed well they won't cannabilize each other if they run out of food?
> I did not get your comment. I think it's out of place as usual !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





> ThaChingster
> Quote:
> Originally Posted by ppaskova View Post
> I did not get your comment. I think it's out of place as usual !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> The comment was perfectly coherent, I do not apprehend your statement.





J-P said:


> when starved for food many think that they will kill each other... I don't know if this is or is not the case, but I do know they go into a dormant state.
> 
> Not much is really truly known... you can look up Neale Monks, who is an authority on the subject, and ask him. He is currently on the WWM crew or research his name.


Sorry I should have said more in my original posting. I did a little research checking around on other forums and as the last quote said little is known about them and could not find any info on them being cannibals as pretty much all my search results were about them eating other snails or supplimented meaty food. I only thought that because they are carnivoires if you started seeing empty shells that perhaps if they are out of food (or some other fish snatching up thier food ie. meat, meat pellets, etc) that they would hunt down thier own population for food. Never owned them before but interesting creatures but just don't have the space to house them. Looks like they go dorment if they are lacking food from the feedback I am reading here.


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## Lee_D (Jun 11, 2010)

I've tried running a couple of tanks that are RO water. I found the shells on my pond snails turned white. No cracks, but they crushed really easy.

Lee


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Well my water is very hard 180KH hard and it is not RO water. Unfortunately I discovered dead assassin snail, this time adult (may be even two). The shell is not broken and looks like snail is inside. But shell is turned snail exit up (which I never seen before) and snail sitting in one spot like that for over two days now. Also if I move it to other spot it also does not move. I don't understand why this is happening.


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## J-P (Feb 27, 2011)

does it stink?

If there was a dead snail still inside the shell you'll KNOW it. It just reeks.


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

J-P said:


> does it stink?
> 
> If there was a dead snail still inside the shell you'll KNOW it. It just reeks.


No it does not stink or smell bad


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## J-P (Feb 27, 2011)

could it just have been over turned by another critter or fish in the tank?


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

J-P said:


> could it just have been over turned by another critter or fish in the tank?


Not relay. I flipped back and still not moving and eventually turns back up. And sits in same please for days


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## J-P (Feb 27, 2011)

awww sorry to hear about that. is it still a sand substrate or gravel?


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

J-P said:


> awww sorry to hear about that. is it still a sand substrate or gravel?


It's a Gravel


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

haven't read the entire thread, but as long as it doesnt stink, its not dead.

assassins will go dormant for a while from time to time. Sometimes after it has a full meal.


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## J-P (Feb 27, 2011)

That may be a reason for some difficulty. They are burrowers and live in the substrate most of the time. They only come out to feed (ambush).


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