Assassin Snail care guide
Assassin Snail (Anentome helena) — minimum tank 20 L, temperature 22-28 °C, pH 7-8.
Overview
The Assassin Snail (Anentome helena) is a small predatory freshwater snail from Southeast Asia. The conical shell is patterned with bright yellow and dark brown spiral bands. The species is commonly used in planted tanks to control populations of pest snails.
Taxonomy
- Family: Nassariidae
- Genus: Anentome
- Scientific name: Anentome helena
- Common synonyms: Helena Snail, Bumblebee Snail
Habitat
Native to rivers, canals and rice paddies of Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and parts of Indonesia and the Malay Peninsula. The species prefers a soft sandy substrate where it can burrow to ambush prey.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 20 L (5.3 US gal)
- Adult size: 1-3 cm
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (72-82 °F)
- pH: 7-8
- GH: 8-18 °dGH
- KH: 4-12 °dKH
- Lifespan: 2-3 years
Diet
A carnivore. Anentome helena hunts and consumes other freshwater snails (Physa, Melanoides, smaller ramshorns) and scavenges meaty foods such as bloodworms and sinking carnivore pellets. It does not eat aquarium plants.
Compatibility
Peaceful toward fish and adult shrimp but will eat other snails and may take freshly hatched shrimplets. Suitable for community tanks where pest snail control is desired. Avoid keeping with prized ornamental snails (Mystery Snail, Nerite, Tylomelania).
Breeding
Sexual reproduction: females lay single eggs in transparent rectangular capsules attached to hardscape. Hatching takes weeks; juveniles spend the early phase buried in substrate. Reproduction is slow and rarely overruns a tank.