u/Edwards_angelfish

Hey guys. I’ve had my 60gal for just over 11 months (end of may/ very beginning of June 2025)and my first inhabitants of the tank (assassin snails) for about 10 (mid to late June 2025). Which means, yes, I got assassin snails without anything for them to assassinate, mostly because I knew getting new plants, fish, mystery snails, and shrimp that they would carry snail eggs. Just incase, I added 10-15ish ramshorns from my sister’s tank. I saw two assassin snails CONSTANTLY on one another but no babies, even in August though there were TONS of ramshorns. Eventually on the last day of July 2025 when leaving for a two week trip, I see hundreds or maybe thousands of baby ramshorns the morning we’re leaving. When I came back, they had basically disappeared, cool, assassins are doing their job. By maybe around early September, there isn’t a single ramshorn I can find. Late September, I come down one night to find baby assassin snails. Around 4 inches deep into the tank on two sides, I think I remember counting either 12,18 or 20 assassin snails, only within the first 4 inches of 2 sides of a cubed 60 gal. I was pretty happy about that, as everything was going great in the tank, only downside was that all my angels ate all of my orange cherry shrimp (which was planned, but I tried to add enough hiding spaces for them to breed, but clearly not enough), the assassin snails left my 3 big mystery snails alone as they were massive and the assassin snails only numbered at 4 for a while. I come down stairs one day to find an empty mystery snail shell, and think something had infected, poisoned, or hurt the snail, no murder had crossed my mind. A few days later, I come down to dozens of assassin snails inside the shell of my mystery snail, and I hoped that I could save it but it was half eaten by than point so I disappointedly put the snail back (disappointed at myself mostly). Now, I could say there’s at least a hundred assassin snails in my tank. I feel like I could try capturing them but a few could survive and breed. I could also try killing one at a time as they breed slowly too. I feel like there’s no nuclear option with them as they ARE the nuclear option against pest snails (which is what they’ve become).
Anyone been in a similar situation or can give advice? Anything is appreciated, thank you!