They are hermaphrodites, meaning that each individual contains both male and female reproductive organs. Yes, a single assassin snail can reproduce. They also consume algae buildup in your aquarium, helping to keep it clean and clear.Īssassin snails are efficient cleaners that don’t require much maintenance, but they will need some supplemental feedings to stay healthy since they can’t survive off of just scavenged material alone. They eat other snails and keep the tank free from their shells and debris, as well as scavenging for leftover food particles. Yes, assassin snails do a great job of cleaning tanks. As they grow, they need more oxygen and food than when they were first born, so make sure your aquarium is well-aerated and stocked with plenty of algae or other plant matter for them to munch on.Īssassin snails also reproduce quickly and prolifically if given the chance – meaning that populations can become quite large if left unchecked! Do Assassin Snails Clean Tanks? ![]() ![]() They usually reach their full size within about 6 months, depending on the right conditions and care. In addition to controlling pests, the Assassin Snail can also provide a valuable source of nutrition as they are edible themselves!Ĭredit: aquadiction.world How Fast Do Assassin Snails Grow?Īssassin snails are a type of small aquatic snail that can grow to be up to 2 cm in size. As a result, it is an ideal choice for aquariums suffering from algae-eating snail infestations. This species can live up to 3 years in captivity, and is known for its voracious appetite and efficient hunting skills. The Assassin Snail (Clea helena) is a species of freshwater snail that has become increasingly popular among aquarists due to its natural appetite for pest snails. Regular water changes should also be performed regularly so that the water parameters stay within optimal limits for healthy living conditions for your assassins. Some factors that affect their lifespan include water quality, temperature, diet, and overall health condition all these should be taken into consideration when keeping assassin snails in captivity. In the wild they tend to live up to two years but in captivity, their life expectancy can be extended by providing a suitable habitat and proper care. They feed on other smaller snails, making them useful in controlling the population of nuisance snails such as ramshorn or bladder snails. Assassin snails are a type of freshwater snail which have been bred for aquariums and natural ponds. It depends on what type of snail you are.The lifespan of an assassin snail is 3 to 5 years in captivity. So, it seems that if you are a snail that can survive long enough to get big then you might stand a good chance of getting even older – maybe 15 years old. The scientists thought this might be because as the snails got older and bigger, fewer birds and other predators could crack their thick shells, and so they felt safe enough not hide away all the time. The older snails had very thick shells and were often out and about. Some of the snails were at least six years old and probably more like eight or nine. That’s because, as they get older, you can count growth rings at the edge of their shell. There is a snail very like the garden snail that is called the Roman or Apple snail – it is the one that some people like to eat.Ī study of a population of these snails in England was able to work out how old these snails are. I wonder how old this little guy is? Flickr/TJ Gehling, CC BYĬurious Kids: why do we have fingernails and toenails? ![]() Many of these Californian garden snails, which were studied for almost five years, were therefore over six years old at least – older than you, Alice! It seems that rats and small mammals were the main predators of these snails. However, it might be longer than we might at first think – studies showed that snails in gardens in California needed to be between two and four years old before they were old enough to have babies. Very few people have ever had the patience to study how long garden snails live in the wild. His name was George and he lived in Hawaii, in the United States. That’s a really good question! There have been reports of at least one snail living as many as 14 years in captivity. ![]() I would like to know how long garden snails would live if they were not eaten by birds (or other predators)? – Alice, age 6, Canberra. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to You might also like the podcast Imagine This, a co-production between ABC KIDS listen and The Conversation, based on Curious Kids.
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