🐌 General Overview of Assassin Snails

• Scientific Name: Clea helena

• Common Names: Assassin Snail, Snail-eating Snail

• Family: Buccinidae

• Origin: Southeast Asia (especially Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia)

• Habitat: Freshwater environments, slow-moving streams, ponds, and rice paddies

• Lifespan: 1 to 3 years (varies with conditions)

✅ Physical Characteristics

• Size: 2.5 – 4 cm (1 – 1.5 inches) in length

• Shell: Conical, usually brown or tan with darker brown stripes

• Body Color: Usually beige to brown

• Eye Placement: At the base of two stalks

• Foot: Strong, used for movement and burrowing

• Operculum: Present (hard plate to close the shell opening)

🍽️ Diet and Feeding Behavior

• Primary Diet: Other snails (pest snails like bladder snails, pond snails)

• Secondary Diet: Dead animal matter and some prepared foods (fish pellets)

• Hunting Method: Carnivorous; they use a proboscis to burrow and attack other snails, drilling through their shells to feed on soft tissues.

• Feeding Frequency: Opportunistic hunters; may feed every few days depending on prey availability.

🌿 Tank Requirements

• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons recommended

• Water Parameters:

  • Temperature: 22°C – 28°C (72°F – 82°F)

  • pH: 6.5 – 8.0

  • Hardness: Moderate (5 – 15 dGH)

• Substrate: Sand or fine gravel preferred (allows burrowing)

• Decor: Rocks, driftwood, live plants (provides hiding spots and enhances water quality)

• Water Movement: Low to moderate; avoid strong currents

⚡ Behavior and Compatibility

• Activity: Mostly nocturnal and shy

• Social Behavior: Generally solitary hunters but can live in small groups

• Compatibility:

  • ✅ Good with community fish (non-aggressive species)

  • ✅ Ideal in tanks with pest snail problems

  • ❌ Avoid aggressive fish that may harm them

  • ❌ Not suitable with fast-moving, large predatory fish

⚠️ Breeding Information

• Reproduction: Sexual species (not hermaphroditic like many snails)

• Sex Ratio: Difficult to determine visually (males are smaller than females)

• Breeding Process: Mating occurs when a male finds a female; eggs are laid in substrate.

• Hatching Time: Eggs hatch in about 2–4 weeks

• Baby Size: Tiny snails (~1–2 mm) that are carnivorous from birth

• Challenges: Breeding in captivity is rare and difficult due to the need to maintain optimal conditions and feeding for hatchlings

🌡️ Health and Care Tips

• Common Issues:

  • Low population of pest snails → May starve if no prey is available

  • Water quality is crucial – keep parameters stable

  • Avoid copper-based medications (highly toxic to snails)

• Supplemental Feeding: Can be fed blanched vegetables or sinking carnivore pellets if prey is insufficient

• Tank Cleanliness: Avoid over-cleaning; some detritus helps maintain microfauna that can supplement their diet

✅ Benefits in the Aquarium

• Natural pest control for unwanted snail populations

• Interesting behavior to observe

• Low maintenance if prey is abundant

• Helps maintain ecological balance in the tank

❌ Cautions

• May not be suitable if no pest snails are present – risk of starvation

• Slow breeders → Population control should be monitored

• Can prey on useful snails (e.g., nerite snails) if hungry

🏆 Summary

Assassin snails are excellent for aquarists dealing with pest snail infestations who want a natural, low-maintenance solution. They are fascinating creatures due to their carnivorous habits but require careful attention to tank mates, feeding, and water conditions.