Head to head
Ramshorn Snail vs Assassin Snail
The ramshorn snail and the assassin snail often end up in the same aquarium for opposite reasons, one for breeding so readily it can become a nuisance, the other specifically because it hunts and controls snails like the ramshorn.
| Ramshorn Snail | Assassin Snail | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Planorbella and relatives | Clea helena |
| Diet | Omnivore, algae and biofilm | Carnivore, hunts other snails |
| Role in an aquarium | Can become a fast-breeding pest | Deliberately used for snail pest control |
| Breeding rate | Breeds very readily | Breeds more slowly |
| Shell shape | Flattened, coiled, ram's-horn shape | Elongated, cone-like shape |
| Breathing | A simple lung | Not a defining trait |
| Native range | Fresh water worldwide | Southeast Asia |
| Conservation status | Not Evaluated | Not Evaluated |
Ramshorn Snail vs Assassin Snail: common questions
Does the assassin snail eat the ramshorn snail?
Yes, the assassin snail is a predator that hunts other, smaller snail species, including ramshorn snails, which is exactly why it is often deliberately added to tanks struggling with a ramshorn population explosion.
Which snail reproduces faster, the ramshorn or the assassin snail?
The ramshorn snail, which breeds very readily and can quickly overrun a tank, compared to the assassin snail, which reproduces more slowly.
Why would someone add assassin snails to a tank that already has ramshorn snails?
To bring an out-of-control ramshorn snail population back under control, since the assassin snail will hunt and reduce their numbers over time without multiplying as explosively itself.