Red Cherry assasinated!

[RoryM]

I have a 20g that is in the laundry room above the washing machine, has about 20 red cherry shrimp and about 10 assasin snails. Whenever I turn the canopy lights on the shrimp know its feeding time and most times a few swim to the surface and wait upside down expecting food. Algae waffer falls to substrate near a snail, figured it would bugger off as soon as the aggressive shrimp swarm the waffer. What I saw next was crazy, the snail came from behind a shrimp tried to latch on twice but failed. The shrimp takes off but leaves his buddies at the waffer. Next closest shrimp is large female who is sitting on waffer with her back to snail. Snail comes from behind once again and latches on, shrimp doesnt mind thinking its another stupid snail trying to get to food. Next thing I know the shrimp is twitching crazy and trying to swim away. So instead of helping the shrimp, I watched nature take its course, the shrimp stopped moving about 3 minutes into it and the snail feasted for 10 minutes before taking off with his meal half eaten.

[MyShrimps]

Hi,
meanwhile there are several reports of assasin snails killing shrimps.
In German shrimp forum someone also showed a movie of a shrimp killed by an assasin snail. So in my opinion there is no doubt any more that this can happen. It doesn't happen very often, but it seems to happen from time to time, especially if the shrimp is weak for example because of molting.

[killer007]

@.@ ah...i didn't know that
i just put a assisin snail in my tank...
only 1 assisin snail won't breed right?

ah...if they are going to kill my CRS time to time, i have to find it and remove it...@.@

[acer]

hopefully you didn't get a pregnant snail. :/
also... good thing they aren't asexual like pond snails are. :)
so yeah...i think you're good if it's not female and pregnant.

[killer007]

ah...once i see it, i have to take it out...

[fanecchissimo]

oh my god... unbelievable.. it seemed so slow to me!:shocked:

[jbjack]

no way. RORY, i have about 50 of them in my snow ball tank, i have never had a loss.... your cherry was weak maybe? wierd!

[RoryM]

Had to have been old and weak as it was not molting and was a very bright large female. These assasins from you have massive appetites, I cant keep up with the snails so im reduced to breeding ramshorn and pond snails in a 10g.

[jbjack]

i know these guys are hungier then what i read about online it seems im also breeding snails to feed them lol

[mlgt]

It happens. Ive seen it happen if theres too many shrimps and not enough food.

Now I tend to feed my shrimps 2-3 times a day and a small amount each time.

What else do you feed them?

[RoryM]

I rely on breeding ramshorn since they are small enough for juvi assassins and pond snails for the adults.

[knuui]

Hi, can you show us the link of the video?