Assassin Snail

Clea helena

Clea helena (Assassin Snail) is the perfect hitman of the aquarium. Introduced almost exclusively to exterminate pest snail infestations, it uses a paralyzing proboscis to devour prey, leaving only empty shells. It is a safe, biological alternative to dangerous chemical snail killers. It does not touch plants and ignores giant snails, but will attack any snail of equal or smaller size. Once the live prey is gone, it accepts high-protein bottom-feeder pellets.

Family: Nassariidae
Origin: Sud-est asiatico (Indonesia, Thailandia, Malesia). Vive su fondali sabbiosi in fiumi e torrenti a corso lento.
Tank use: Used in 0 tanks

Temperature

20 °C - 27 °C

6.8 - 8

Water type

Freshwater

Ecological role

Controllore biologico delle popolazioni di lumache infestanti

Copper

Alta (Mortalità fulminea, ma più tollerante rispetto ai gamberetti)

Description

The Chemical Solution That Kills Everyone (The Risk of Snail Killers Futile Deaf Mute):

When you have an infestation, the temptation to use a liquid poison (copper-based snail killer) is strong. DOING SO IS BIOLOGICAL SUICIDE. Killing 500 snails simultaneously means leaving 500 corpses to rot hidden in the filter and in the substrate. The resulting ammonia spike will wipe out all the fish in 24 hours. Assassin snails kill slowly and CONSUME the prey's biomass, eliminating the problem at the root without polluting.

Care and observations

The Biological Slaughter and the Shrimp Myth (The Patient Assassin Futile Blind):

A common mistake is to think that 2 assassin snails can wipe out an infestation of 300 Ramshorns in a week. They digest slowly, consuming 1-2 prey per day. It is a war of attrition that takes months, but they will win unfailingly. CAUTION WITH SHRIMP: Shops often say they are 100% safe for Neocaridina. FALSE. If a shrimp is molting (therefore immobile and exhausted), the assassin snail will sense it with its siphon and devour it alive. Do not use them in dedicated shrimp breeding tanks.

Invertebrate profile

Type: Lumaca Carnivora (Controllo Infestanti)
Diet: Carnivoro puro. Lumache vive, chironomus, mangimi proteici da fondo.
Ecological role: Controllore biologico delle popolazioni di lumache infestanti
Minimum group: 1
Adult size: 2.5 cm
GH: 8 dGH - 15 dGH
KH: 4 dKH - 10 dKH
TDS: 150 ppm - 300 ppm
Copper: Alta (Mortalità fulminea, ma più tollerante rispetto ai gamberetti)
Shock sensitivity: Bassa (Molto resistente agli sbalzi termici)
Calcium and minerals: Medio (pH acido o GH basso corroderà il guscio conico, causando fori)
Molting: Cresce costantemente aggiungendo strati al guscio. Se la punta del cono appare sbiancata, c'è carenza di calcio o l'acqua è troppo acida.
Reproduction: Non sono ermafrodite (servono maschio e femmina). Depongono singole capsule trasparenti quadrate su legni o rocce. Riproduzione lenta, non diventano mai infestanti.
Compatibility: Pericolosa per lumache di taglia uguale o inferiore (Ramshorn, Bladder, MTS, giovani Neritine). Rischiosa per cuccioli di Caridina in muta.

Image gallery

Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.

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