Assassin Snails
Species Profile
Assassin Snails (Clea helena) originate from flowing, soft-bottomed river systems across Southeast Asia. Sporting a sharp, bumblebee-striped spiral shell and an extendable hunting siphon, they are the hobby's undisputed biological control for nuisance snail infestations. Instead of rasping on glass or grazing diatoms, these specialized carnivores bury themselves down into the substrate like mini trapdoor predators, waiting to ambush pest snails like Pond snails, Bladder snails, and Malaysian Trumpet Snails. They have zero interest in healthy foliage or delicate stems, meaning your aquascape and carpet plants remain pristine and completely undisturbed. Once their target prey is cleared out, they seamlessly transition to cleaning up high-protein fish flakes, sunken pellets, and frozen foods, keeping your layout balanced without ever turning into pests themselves.
**Note: All livestock orders will come carefully packaged with solid wall Styrofoam insulation and shipped via 1-day shipping only. No extra insulation needs to be added to your cart for your livestock.
Key Features & Notes
- Bold yellow and dark brown spiral bands provide striking aesthetic contrast across the substrate line.
- Specialized carnivorous predator that actively hunts down nuisance snails.
- 100% plant-safe habits ensure no chewing on live stem foliage or uprooting delicate foreground carpets.
Acclimation & Care Instructions
- Float the sealed transport bag for 15 to 20 minutes to equalize water temperatures before opening.
- Drip acclimate over 30 to 45 minutes using airline tubing to ease them into your tank's GH, KH, and pH levels.
- Provide fine sand or rounded, loose substrate so they can burrow naturally to hunt and rest.
- Maintain stable water parameters with a pH between 6.5 and 8.0 and sufficient mineral hardness to support healthy shell structure.
- Target-feed with bloodworms, carnivore sinking pellets, or protein flakes once pest snail populations dwindle.
- Exercise caution when keeping with other ornamental mollusks; hungry Assassins may gang up on larger snails like Nerites or Mystery Snails.
- Shell striping and adult sizing vary naturally between specimens; photos represent healthy stock in mature tanks.
Quick Facts
Listed information should be treated as general guidelines only. Team Buce Plant encourages you to do thorough research to ensure healthy livestock!
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Clea helena |
| Common Name(s) | Assassin Snail, Bumblebee Snail |
| Family | Nassariidae |
| Care Difficulty | Easy |
| Diet | Carnivore (Pest snails, bloodworms, sinking carnivore pellets, detritus) |
| Plant Safe | Yes |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive predator towards other snails; peaceful with fish |
| Adult Size | 1.0"–1.2" (2.5–3.0 cm) |
| Minimum Tank Size | 10+ Gallons |
| Water Parameters | pH 6.5–8.0 | GH 6–20 | KH 2–15 | 75°F–80°F (24°C–27°C) |
| Freshwater Breeding | Yes (Slow egg layer; distinct male and female sexes) |
| Origin | Southeast Asia (Tank-raised) |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Will Assassin Snails attack dwarf shrimp or baby shrimplets?
Healthy, active adult shrimp are far too fast for an Assassin Snail to catch. While an Assassin Snail will gladly scavenge a dead, sick, or dying shrimp, they rarely bother healthy dwarf shrimp like Neocaridina or Caridina. However, we do not recommend keeping them together if you are actively breeding shrimplets.
2. Can Assassin Snails reproduce out of control and become a pest themselves?
No. Unlike hermaphroditic pest snails that can reproduce solo and flood your tank with egg clutches, Assassin Snails have distinct sexes and breed at a very slow pace. Females lay single, square-shaped egg capsules on plants or hardscape that take 3 to 8 weeks to hatch. The juvenile snails spend their first several months buried deep in the substrate, meaning you will never see sudden explosive population blooms.
3. What should I feed my Assassin Snails once all the pest snails are gone?
Because they are obligate carnivores, they will not graze on algae or green biofilm when prey runs out. Offer them sinking carnivore wafers, protein-rich bottom dweller pellets, and frozen treats like bloodworms or brine shrimp.
4. Are my larger ornamental snails safe with Assassin Snails?
It is generally best not to risk keeping prized Nerite, Mystery, or Rabbit Snails in the same aquarium. While a single Assassin may hesitate around a full-sized adult snail, multiple Assassins will readily team up to overwhelm larger snails, especially if their preferred small prey runs low. Keep them alongside peaceful community fish like tetras, Corydoras, and Otocinclus, while avoiding dedicated mollusk predators like loaches or puffers.