Assassin Snail
Anentome helena
Nassariidae
InvertsDifficulty: ●●○○○Data: verified
About
The assassin snail is a small predatory freshwater snail with an attractive yellow-and-brown banded, conical shell, kept mainly as a natural control for nuisance snail populations. It ambushes and consumes bladder, ramshorn and Malaysian trumpet snails, and will also scavenge carrion and eat high-protein foods. Slow to reproduce — it lays single eggs rather than clutches — so it rarely becomes a pest itself, and it generally ignores healthy plants and fish, though it may take very small or weakened shrimp and shrimplets.
Care
Provide a soft sand substrate it can burrow into and hard, alkaline freshwater. Predatory on other snails and can pick off baby or weakened shrimp, but peaceful toward fish; breeds slowly. Copper-sensitive; feed protein foods once pest snails are depleted.
Diet
Carnivorous snail-hunter eating pest snails and carrion; supplement with bloodworms and other high-protein foods once the pest snail supply runs low to prevent starvation.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (41)
Bladder SnailBlood Parrot CichlidBloodfin TetraBumblebee GobyChinese Algae EaterDoctor FishDwarf Neon RainbowfishDwarf Orange CrayfishEmerald CoryEndler's LivebearerForktail RainbowfishFreshwater ClamGlowlight DanioGold BarbGuppyJapanese Trapdoor SnailLeast KillifishLeopard DanioMystery SnailNerite SnailOdessa BarbParaguay EartheaterPearl DanioPenguin TetraPlatyRainbow SharkRed-Tail SharkRubber Lip PlecoScarlet BadisScissortail RasboraSiamese Algae EaterSilver Tip TetraSwordtailTiger BarbTurquoise RainbowfishUpside-down CatfishVenezuelan CoryWrestling HalfbeakX-ray TetraYoyo LoachZebra Danio
Possible with care (154)
Acei CichlidAfrican Butterfly CichlidAgassiz's CoryAgassiz's Dwarf CichlidAmano ShrimpAuratus CichlidBamboo ShrimpBanjo CatfishBetta (Siamese Fighting Fish)Black Neon TetraBlack Phantom TetraBlack Ruby BarbBlack Skirt TetraBlackline RasboraBleeding Heart TetraBlue AcaraBlue Dolphin CichlidBlue Tiger ShrimpBlue Velvet ShrimpBoesemani RainbowfishBolivian RamBorleyi (Redfin Hap)Borneo SuckerBrevis Shell DwellerBrichard's TeleogrammaBrichardi (Fairy Cichlid)Bristlenose PlecoBronze CorydorasBuenos Aires TetraBuffalohead CichlidBumblebee CichlidButterfly Hillstream LoachCelebes RainbowfishCelestial Pearl DanioCheckered BarbCherry BarbCherry ShrimpChocolate CichlidClown PlecoCobalt Blue ZebraCochu's Blue TetraCockatoo Dwarf CichlidColombian Ramshorn SnailCongo Dwarf CichlidCongo TetraConvict CichlidCylindricus CichlidCyprichromisDemasoni CichlidDenison BarbDiscusDogtooth CichlidDojo (Weather) LoachDwarf Chain LoachDwarf Flag CichlidDwarf GouramiDwarf Petricola CatfishElectric Yellow LabElephantnose FishEllioti CichlidElongate MbunaEmperor TetraEven-spotted SynodontisFestivum (Flag Cichlid)Firemouth CichlidFive-bar CichlidFlame TetraGhost ShrimpGlass CatfishGlowlight TetraGolden Dwarf CichlidGolden JulieGolden PencilfishGolden TetraGreen DiscusGreen Neon TetraHarlequin RasboraHead-and-Tail-Light TetraHoney GouramiHongi CichlidJohanni CichlidJulii CoryKenyi CichlidKeyhole CichlidKissing GouramiKribensisLambchop RasboraLemon CichlidLemon TetraLittle CorydorasMacmasteri Dwarf CichlidMaingano CichlidMalaysian Trumpet SnailMarlieri CichlidMasked JulieMedaka RicefishMollyMoonlight GouramiMultifasciatus Shell DwellerNeon TetraOcellatus Shell DwellerOtocinclusPanda CorydorasPeaceful BettaPeacock CichlidPearl GouramiPeppered CorydorasPolka Dot LoachPort CichlidPowder Blue CichlidPurple Emperor TetraPygmy CorydorasRabbit SnailRainbow CichlidRamshorn SnailRed EmpressRed RainbowfishRed Whiptail CatfishRed Zebra CichlidRedhead CichlidRegan's JulieReticulated Hillstream LoachRosy BarbRosy TetraRummynose TetraRusty CichlidSailfin MollySalt and Pepper CorySand-sifting XenotilapiaSaulosi CichlidSerpae TetraSeverumSimilis Shell DwellerSkunk CorySparkling GouramiStar SapphireSterbai CorydorasStriped KribensisSulawesi Cardinal ShrimpSunshine PeacockSveni EartheaterT-Bar CichlidTaiwan Reef CichlidThai Micro CrabThick-lipped GouramiThreadfin AcaraThreadfin PetrochromisThreadfin RainbowfishThree-spot GouramiUmbrella Dwarf CichlidVampire ShrimpWhite Cloud Mountain MinnowZebra MbunaZebra Pleco
Avoid (76)
Adonis PlecoAfrican ButterflyfishAltum AngelfishAngelfishBala SharkBlack Moor GoldfishCalvus CichlidCardinal TetraCheckerboard CichlidChili RasboraChocolate GouramiClown KillifishClown LoachComet GoldfishCommon GoldfishCommon PlecoCompressiceps CichlidCrystal Red ShrimpCuckoo CatfishDemon EartheaterDiamond TetraDuboisi TropheusDwarf Pea PufferDwarf RasboraElectric Blue AhliEmber TetraEndlicheri BichirFantail GoldfishFeatherfin SqueakerFigure-8 PufferFrontosaGerman Blue RamGoby CichlidGolden Wonder KillifishGreen Spotted PufferfishGreen TerrorHeckel DiscusIridescent SharkJack DempseyJaguar CichlidJewel CichlidKoiKuhli LoachLivingstoniMalawi EyebiterMalawi HawkMarble HatchetfishOranda GoldfishOrnate BichirOscarParadise FishPeacock BassPictus CatfishPike CichlidRanchu GoldfishRed DevilRed TerrorReticulated Flying FoxRostratusRosy Red MinnowRoyal PlecoRyukin GoldfishSailfin PlecoSalvini CichlidShubunkin GoldfishSilver ArowanaSilver MoonySpotted HoploStrawberry RasboraStriped Raphael CatfishTelescope GoldfishTexas CichlidTropheusUaru (Triangle Cichlid)Venustus (Giraffe Cichlid)Wolf Cichlid
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
There is no reliable way to sex this species by eye. That is the honest answer, not a gap in our data.
All the methods, with diagramsAlso in these lists
Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Assassin Snail need?
- A Assassin Snail needs an aquarium of at least 38 litres (10 US gallons) with a footprint at least 45 cm (17.7 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Assassin Snail need?
- Assassin Snail does best at 20–28 °C (68–82.4 °F), pH 7–8 and a general hardness of 6–18 °dGH.
- What group size does a Assassin Snail need?
- Assassin Snail is a social species — keep a group of at least 2 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Assassin Snail suitable for beginners?
- Yes — Assassin Snail is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.
Sources
Water & tank
Temperature20–28°C
Optimal temp.22–26°C
pH7–8
Hardness (GH)6–18°d
Carbonate (KH)3–12°d
Adult size2.5 cm
Min. volume≥ 38 L
Min. tank length≥ 45 cm
Group size≥ 2
Swimming zoneBottom
TemperamentPeaceful
Water typeFreshwater
FlowLow
Lifespan~2 yrs
Try in the calculator