# OMG!!! They WILL Attack Shrimp!!!



## rich_one (Oct 31, 2007)

okay... let me try to start this out right. I cannot remember which one of you started the... well... sort of documentation thread, on assassin snails. It was started on another forum, but some of it spilled on to here, when someone else reported seeing something similar to what I wtinessed tonight. to that person, I apologize. I think it is arrakis maybe... but not sure. whoever it is, I hope you are at least familiar enough with me to know I do know what I am talking about. and I apologize to the othe person here that reported this, and for not being completely convinced. I AM NOW!!!

now... step two. I am very sorry. I am sorry because, I do not have my friggin' digital camera. a couple of monts ago... whenever it was Dallas played Pittsburgh in the NFL, I left it over some friends house that week, and never went and got it yet. so what I am about to say, I sadly have no photo of, to support the claim. because of this, I understand that from a scientific standpoint, it will only be counted, once again, as mere speculation. so be it.

one of the things I hold a lot of value to in this hobby is passing on information so others may learn, and also build on discoveries and move forward.

okay. I think I have the "disclaimers" covered. now, for the shocking development.

I came home tonight, and was standing in front of my 33 gallon tank, in which, I have assassin snails. I do not see them terribly often, so as I am standing there talking to my son and my oldest daughter, I happen to notice an assassin on the glass. as I take a closer look, I come to a cool realization... it is attacking a pond snail! COOL! excited by FINALLY getting a chance to witness this, I creep in for a closer look, along with the kids. sure enough, the assassin was at work, taking down it's prey.

and then the astonishing happened.

I am watching in amusement, as I notice a dark green shrimp... an ADULT dark green shrimp... approach the assassin snail, as it is in the midst of it's pond snail kill. soon, my amusement turned to horror and shock, as suddenly, out of nowhere... somehow... the assassin managed to quickly snag the shrimp! HOLY COW... OMG... WTF!!!???

the snail struggled, but could not free itself. then, the assassin let go of the glass, and fell to the floor of the aquarium, with the snagged shrimp in tow. fascinated, I could not stop watching this struggle. the shrimp struggled more to try to escaped, but it was firmly in the grasp of the snail, and finally gave away it's final death throes. MY ASSASSIN SNAIL TOOK DOWN AN ADULT DARK GREEN SHRIMP!!!

once the shrimp ceased it's struggle, the snail began consuming it.

I want to make something very clear right now. to me, it seemed obvious that the snail did not hunt, or attempt to hunt, the shrimp. however, the shrimp got too close, and the snail seemed to recognize another meal opportunity. I mean, it literally ignored the pond snail, and suddenly attacked the shrimp. I could not believe it.

this issue has been of great debate on other forums. I know I am not a senior member here, and no one really knows aobut me. I am not confused with what I saw. I was in awe. I was shocked, because I was on the othe side of the debate that the snails simply will not bother shrimp.

I was wrong. that snail took down a healthy, adult, dark green shrimp. it did not literally hunt it... but when the opportunity presented itself, it struck with blinding speed, and took it down.

I just had to make this known. I know there will still be those of you who do not believe this, and I respect that. I am just fulfilling my obligation of spreading information that I have observed about a species... especially a new species... in this hobby. take it for what you will. I know I will not doubt another person who says they have witnessed this again.

-Rich


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

So now what are you going to do?... Get your shrimp out?... Get the snails out?...


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## Akaizhar (Jul 5, 2008)

Tex Gal said:


> So now what are you going to do?... Get your shrimp out?... Get the snails out?...


I would also like to know. I have a pond snail problem too, and was thinking about getting these snails to take care of them.


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## hooha (Apr 21, 2005)

I dropped some snails into my assassin tank today and actually had time to watch them. Once the assassins caught their prey you could see the Ramshorn juice start flowing out of them - it was pretty instantaneous from when they got on the snail. I can see how once they get a hold of something they start chowing and won't let go.

Now I dare someone to put their hand in the tank to see if the snail starts chomping on their skin


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## Asgard (Mar 19, 2008)

Well, IMO it's an exceptional occasion. I have Assassins and RCS together for over a year now and have never witnessed anything like it. The RCS are horseback riding the A. helena's on a daily basis while cleaning the snails shells of algae. I 've kept even kept assassins and RCS in a tank without any other snails and fed the snails/shrimps on OSI shrimp pellets. The snails dug themselves in for a long time but when hungry fed solely on the pellets. When there was only a few pellets and/or the snail(s) got one first the shrimp would still try to get their share, but I've never seen them being attacked (not even shrimplets). I've 3 tanks (20L,20L,54L), all of them have A. helena (about 40 total), and RCS & Bee shrimp (a few hundred in total)
I wouldn't worry too much about what you saw, it's not 'common practice' for assassin snails to prey on shrimps.


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## rich_one (Oct 31, 2007)

I do not think it is common practice either... something I was hoping to make sure I implied in my post. but what is exciting about this is that the debate has been that they will not take a healthy shrimp at all. I know my word alone is not enough to shake up the community, but for me and those that know me, I can at least tell you, the debate is over. these snails will... IF the opportunity presents itself... take a healthy shrimp. that is all I mean to inform you all of. they do not actively hunt them, and I am not worried enough to have to relocate anything yet.

so thanks for pointing that out, asgard!

-Rich


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## Asgard (Mar 19, 2008)

rich_one said:


> but what is exciting about this is that the debate has been that they will not take a healthy shrimp at all. -Rich


 I wasn't aware there was a debate about it. 
IMO all hunters are opportunistic animals, I don't see assassins snails having shrimp for dinner as impossible, just rare. So I think from that point of view you're right, assassins snail will eat shrimp when given the opportunity. (You saw it happen...didn't take pictures....shame on you  ). I'm not that surprised, just never witnessed it. Having said that... having a lot of shrimps I notice that (in my tanks) dead shrimp are eaten by the other shrimp as well as by Malaysian Trumpet Snails and red Ramshorn Snails, but I've never seen an assassin snail eating a dead shrimp.


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## rich_one (Oct 31, 2007)

Asgard said:


> I wasn't aware there was a debate about it.
> IMO all hunters are opportunistic animals, I don't see assassins snails having shrimp for dinner as impossible, just rare. So I think from that point of view you're right, assassins snail will eat shrimp when given the opportunity. (You saw it happen...didn't take pictures....shame on you  ). I'm not that surprised, just never witnessed it. Having said that... having a lot of shrimps I notice that (in my tanks) dead shrimp are eaten by the other shrimp as well as by Malaysian Trumpet Snails and red Ramshorn Snails, but I've never seen an assassin snail eating a dead shrimp.


well, there was another thread I think here, and also on some other forums, there was a debate on whether or not assassin snails would even attempt to eat a healthy, live shrimp, period. so those who are aware of that debate know what I am referring to. based on that debate, some of us are quite surprised... present company included.


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## chaznsc (Sep 29, 2006)

thats horrible!


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## vancat (Nov 5, 2004)

I like shrimp better than snails, too.


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## starrystarstarr (Dec 18, 2008)

and to think i was thinking of getting some assassin snails.. im not going to any more.


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## waggy (Feb 28, 2009)

oh no..... that is not good!!


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## oO.Crim.Oo (May 7, 2008)

Wow! It's good to know that it's POSSIBLE for them to kill shrimp. I'll definitely reconsider dropping them into my shrimp tanks once I get my hands on some! Yikes!


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## Ebichua (Jun 3, 2008)

Welcome to the "Assassin Snails Can/Do Eat Shrimp" club
I think you were referring to my thread...? Everyone was like, "NO WAI SNAIL CAN BEAT SHRIMP!1! SHRIMP R FASTAR!!!11!11!"

It's just one of those, "You gotta see it to believe it," situations I guess.

Here's the link to my thread:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/shrimp-other-invertebrates/75916-assassins-do-eat-shrimp.html


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## choco (Feb 4, 2008)

I definitely believe and see how this is possible....and of course like you said, the snail doesn't have to chase the shrimp which is a lot faster, all they have to do is wait for it to get close and snatch it.

I think this is probably an acquired taste too since shrimp is probably not on their regular menu, some of them might never recognize them as food and wouldn't try hunt on them even when given the opportunities.

lol..maybe you could put that killer snail (who has acquired a taste for shrimp) and a shrimp in a container small enough that the shrimp will have no where to escape, and film the entire process :twisted: ...that way you can put all these debate to an end


btw...if I see a snail trying to eat my green shrimp, I am definitely sticking my hand in the tank to show them some divine intervention


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## Pinto (Mar 22, 2008)

It certainly is believable; They are predatory snails. Maybe were really hungry?


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