# Assassin Snail care?



## NiceCrocs (May 14, 2016)

I have a 10 gallon tank that I'm currently cycling. It's in that lovely part of cycle start-up where ammonia is rising and falling faster than I can change the water. Yaaay. /sarcasm/

Currently, the tank houses my only betta, Ruby, two moss balls, and two anubias plants.

BUT, once the cycle stabilizes, I was considering getting a couple of assassin snails. I was thinking of assassins because I've heard they have a relatively low bio-load, and I'd like to avoid anything that will dirty the water too quickly or upset the cycle.

So, if I get snails, how do I take care of them? Most of the info I can find on google relates to them in a breeding, or pest-control environment, neither of which is what I intend to use them for.

One thread I read said that they will happily eat leftover betta food, but I am meticulous about not leaving leftover food in my tank.


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> So, if I get snails, how do I take care of them?


Nothing special, They will take fish flakes, pellets and algae chips, as well as graze on algae and biofilm, Also throw in a few " pest snails " every now and then to give them something to hunt.


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## NiceCrocs (May 14, 2016)

NickAu said:


> Nothing special, They will take fish flakes, pellets and algae chips, as well as graze on algae and biofilm, Also throw in a few " pest snails " every now and then to give them something to hunt.


That's awesome, I didn't know they ate algae and such. To feed them pellets, do I need to leave a couple in the water for them to find, or try to drop them close to the snails?

Sorry if these are silly questions, I've never had snails lol. My betta makes feeding easy; he comes to the surface when beckoned and eats from my fingers. I can only guess that snails won't be as helpful xD


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> Sorry if these are silly questions, I've never had snails lol.


Not silly at all.



> To feed them pellets, do I need to leave a couple in the water for them to find, or try to drop them close to the snails?


As I have Red Cherry Shrimp in the tank I just drop 1 pellet in the tank every 3 days, The snails seem to find it easy enough. I just dropped a few pond snails in the tank for them yesterday.


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## NiceCrocs (May 14, 2016)

NickAu said:


> As I have Red Cherry Shrimp in the tank I just drop 1 pellet in the tank every 3 days, The snails seem to find it easy enough. I just dropped a few pond snails in the tank for them yesterday.


Sounds easy enough  the pest snails don't dirty the water up too badly?


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

No only put in 3 or 4, your assassins will quickly take care of them.


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## NiceCrocs (May 14, 2016)

That's great  thanks for the advice! Can't wait for my cycle to stabilize now!


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