Assassin snails and shrimp?

[Jynn]

Are assassin snails safe for shrimp and shrimplets?

 

My fully carpeted planted tank has suddenly developed a terrible pond snail infestation (no idea how, ive added no new plants in months)

There are tons of them, and I dont want them eating my carpet... they are so numerous and there are so many plants in there that finding and picking them out isnt really an option.   I have 5 puffer fish and I pull out probably 25 a day and feed them t o the puffers and its not even making a dent. 

Could I add a single assassin snail (so I dont just switch to having an assassin snail infestation) without risk to my shrimp?

I know ONE isnt going to be able to take them all out, but itd be nice to have a helper in the battle who can track down the ones I cant see or reach.

 

[SOTG402]

I'm sure this is rare, once during feeding in one of my tanks  an assassin snail latched on to a shrimp and would not let go so i had to save the shrimp. 

[jem_xxiii]

They say that assassins will eat shrimplets, but I am guessing the shrimplets has to be super slow for that to happen.

 

Also, cut back on feeding and you will see less snails.

[Jynn]

36 minutes ago, jem_xxiii said:

They say that assassins will eat shrimplets, but I am guessing the shrimplets has to be super slow for that to happen.

 

Also, cut back on feeding and you will see less snails.

I only feed them maybe once every week and a half.  Its an old well established tank

[fishface]

I have lots of assassins in 2 tanks with shrimp and plecos.  Haven't seen a snail attack yet but I do feed the plecos 6 x week.  Despite being carnivorous the assassins eat pleco food so are quite well fed.  

[phreeflow]

I've also heard that assassins can eat shrimp but I'm not certain this is fact. Shrimplets are pretty quick and even if an assassin was able to get one, it would be a rare case. This is like the question: "what came first, the chicken or the egg?" Meaning, do the assassin actually hunt down a shrimp and eat them or do they find a dead shrimp and scavenge it?

I've kept assassins and shrimp together and have witnessed them eating a shrimp but I personally believe they found a dead shrimp. I only witnessed it once and I had a ton of assassins. Btw: assassins don't overpopulate since you need a male/female to sexually reproduce as opposed to pond snails that reproduce asexually.

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[Soothing Shrimp]

I remember reading that assassins leave a slime trail that is like a drug and slows creatures down. (?)

They are also ambush predators. They hide underground.  Shrimp can be totally focused on feeding.

[jem_xxiii]

2 hours ago, Soothing Shrimp said:

I remember reading that assassins leave a slime trail that is like a drug and slows creatures down. (?)

so assassin snails have rufilin slime?!?

[Soothing Shrimp]

From what I read they do, but lots of stuff in aquaria is conjecture.

[Soothing Shrimp]

This just posted on fb from Ams Brown.  Shrimp now dead.

[sarah]

There are a bunch of videos on youtube of assassins attacking live full-grown shrimp.

[Shrimp lover]

I had 2 assassin snails and I never encountered a problem with my shrimp.

[Dluxeshrimps]

I have a 2 gallon tank with shrimplets and about 5 assassin snails. all shrimps are good. no death from assassin snails. the key is to feed your assassins regularly. I feed then blood worms and the shrimp and assassins fight for the little red worms all the time

[phreeflow]

Hmmm...interesting info about toxic slime

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[Dhruva]

I have been doing a lot of research on assassin snails killing shrimp and these are my conclusions -

Yes , assassin snails will kill and eat shrimp. Despite being well fed and also having a pest snail infestation, assassin snails are hunters by nature and if they think a shrimp looks tasty they tag it and mark it for death. Then the tagged shrimp is chased and hunted down by a group of assassins.

 

Here is how they do it-

(People say only small/ stupid /slow / sick shrimp can be killed by assassins,this is not true)

Assassins release some sort of aroma(or something of that nature) making them irresistable to shrimp and other victims. The shrimp will feel compelled to explore this and come close to the assassin. When the shrimp is close enough the assassin releases a toxin (or stings it,heard both ways) that paralysis the shrimp. The assassin snails then individually or in a group go on to suck out the flesh of the still live but paralyzed shrimp leaving only a dead shell behind.

[Cleeon]

a freshwater clea helena have poison or sting ? We must have some scientific or at least research to prove this.

I never have problem with clea helena, even have them with my true breed red bee shrimps and all going fine. Is i ever see a shrimp eaten by them ? yes i see

an old or shrimplet ? no, a juvenile young shrimp and it sick since its birth,  have some defect and while grown to juvenile that shrimp going weaker from week to week.

 

I even see some shrimps routinely cleaning their shells and body and the assasin/clea helena let them do the jobs.

from what i observe, this sbails, clea helena in nature is not predator, they look like a vulture, prefer the death and the sick, I can't explain yet, but clea helena insist to wandering for hours just look for the sick/death.