My Assassin Has Finally Been Assassinated....i Think?!

[thrujenseyes]

Hi guys!!  It's been quite a long while!  I'm coming to you after some really sad news...
 
I drove out to the fish store (Aquarium Center in Clementon NJ) which had been in business for 20 years and was simply amazing...  To find it had been shut down do to such a sad catastrophe.
Someone had poisoned one of their hundreds of tanks with mercury and since it wasn't known at first, it was cleaned out and spread all thru the store.  It had to be shut down and quarantined and all the poor surviving fish have been left in there alone to die!!  All of the employees have gone thru some pretty scary dealings with the CDC as well.  
 
I sure hope they find who did this to them and I hope they are all ok...
 
Anyway....I'm here because I went there to ask a question about my assassin snail that came to me as a stowaway in some plants I'd purchased for my original set up a bit over a year ago.
 
He hadn't moved in about a week (which he's done before) but I did pick him up only to find his shell empty?!  What happens to them when they die?!  I've tried googling it but can't quite find the answer.  
 
My tank is a little Fluval Edge 6 gallon with live plants, driftwood, endlers and an amano shrimp (and an empty assassin shell...which I put back because he's proven to be a houdini in the past).
 
Any ideas!?
 
Also I'd love another one but I have no fish store anymore...and the "pet smarts" of the planet don't even know what an assassin is (not the ones around here anyway).
 
Thanks guys and it's nice to be back!!!
 
Jen

 

[Munroco]

He has probably died and the shrimps will have picked the shell clean.

 

[thrujenseyes]

ah ha.... I was wondering if the shrimp would do that.  he IS quite the busy little critter!  Thanks munroco

 

[StevenF]

Even if you didn't have shrimp the dead  snail would rot and decay until all that is left is the empty shell.  That process will release ammonia into the tank.  However if your plants are doing well you might not notice that or detect it with your water test kit.  I would leave the shell in the tank.  It is a mixture of calcium and magnesium carbonate.  Over time it will dissolve and help keep the KH and PH stable.  The plants will also absorb the minerals and use them to grow.   The shrimp thank you for the feast!

 

[thrujenseyes]

that's great info steven, thank you!  I will leave the shell in there then!  
 
And yes I did realize it must have released ammonia into the tank as I did lose a poor little endler.  I quickly did a water change and (knock wood) all seems well.  I do have a fair amount of plants and even added some cardinal plants yesterday.
 
I'm super bummed to have lost my assassin as no-one in the area (or anywhere near) sell them.  I'd acquired him as a plant hitchhiker.  He/she had had a bunch of babies over time but I'm assuming he ate them all as I never saw them again?!

 

[NickAu]

Assassin babies can hide in the substrate for months after being born.

 

[StevenF]

if you currently have no snails in your aquarium you might want to look at getting a Nerite snail.  One will do a good job of keeping the glass of the tank clean, and won't lay eggs.  However if you just added plants you might have some added some pond snails.  If that is the case you might want to order one replacement assassin snail.  You can get them through Aquatic arts:
https/aquaticarts.com/collections/all-invertebrates/products/assassin-snails
 
Aquatic arts is a mail order company.  I have ordered shrimp and fish from them and all orders arrived on time and all appeared healthy on arrival.

 

[thrujenseyes]

Hi Nick and yes I have noticed that but I have scoured the substrate and haven't seen one in many months.  Do they stop laying eggs and or having babies at a certain age?  I figured maybe mine had just gotten old and crusty.  ha
 
Again thanks for the awesome info Steven!  I think I will go get myself a Nerite!  I didn't know that about it not laying eggs and repopulating?!?!  That's exactly why I've never purposefully put a snail in the tank before (like I said my assassin was a hitch hiker).  
As for the new plants I'd gotten they were all container air tight and supposedly disease and snail free (or so they say) I did also rinse really well...but I know it's always a crap shoot.
 
I'm pretty Darn excited about a nerite now...especially if it will help clean the glass (that's sooooo Darn hard to get to in this tricky little tank)!!
 
Ok...I think I'm going to get one today!  Yay!
 
And awesome info about the aquatic arts...I'm putting them in my contacts now!
 
Thanks again!!!
 
****** I just did some reading and found they lay eggs all over everything which are hard to clean up.  I have a hard enough time trying to clean this tricky little tank.  I may have to forgo this pretty little snail.  darn it.
I get that the eggs won't hatch but do the eggs stick around for long?!

 

[StevenF]

 
 
Hi Nick and yes I have noticed that but I have scoured the substrate and haven't seen one in many months.

IF you still have assassin snails I would not get a Nerite.  The assassin will kill Nerites.  Also note that snails need sex to reproduce.  If you only have one they will eventually stop laying eggs.  It may tank a while egg laying should slowly stop if you have only one.  However if you just found one you might have another hidding somewhere.

 

[thrujenseyes]

Hi again Steven.  I have not seen a baby assassin in at least 7 months and I did go thru the substrate the other day really well when I added some new plants.
 
So I thought it was safe to add that Nerite....which I just did!  It's a cutie, it resembles my old assassin as it's the same colors and stripey.  
 
I was put off by hearing about the egg laying everywhere but when you said that if I only have one that it will eventually stop laying eggs.  
 
So I hopped in the car and got a new friend!  
 
I'll post pics when he comes out of his shell.
 
Thanks a million for the great info!  I really appreciate it.
 
.....oh and just a side note....
 
I have a really hard time trying to clean the glass in this tank due to it's design (which looks amazing but is a bear for other stuff) and I know I don't have enough room for a pleco and apparently the Oto catfish like to be in groups (therefore I don't have room for them either).  
 
I did ask the girl at the shop today and she said that I could do just one oto but she actually said that she thinks the Nerite does a better job and creates less waste.  
 
Not sure if that is correct but I was too worried that I'd have a sad little fish if I only got one and they like being in groups.  Plus I really wanted to have a snail again

 

[thrujenseyes]

I managed to upload a video to you tube, my new little Nerite is in it if you want to see.  (there is a quick clip that the old assassin in in also but no worries, he's gone-sadly)
 
https/youtu.be/bli4uL1rrww

 

[StevenF]

You appear to have a zebra Nerite.  If one is not enough get one tiger Nerite or a horned (bee) Nerite.  

 

[thrujenseyes]

You appear to have a zebra Nerite.  If one is not enough get one tiger Nerite or a horned (bee) Nerite.  

I think this one will be plenty for my tiny tank.  He does a great job, I'm really happy about his addition to the edge.  Plus I have the Amano shrimp ...I think together they make a nice little clean up crew

 

[Mark Z.]

Hi,
 
I just found this post. I also go to the Aquarium Center in Clementon. Every few months. I did not know about the mercury poisoning!
 
I know they moved down the road because they had a disagreement with the previous landlord over the parking lot lighting. The move had been in the works since the beginning of the year.
 
That is lousy about the mercury poisoning. 
 
How do you like the new store? I like it, except for the tanks that are on the floor!
 
Mark

Your tank is soooo cool!
 
I just watched the video. (Yeah, I am a bit technologically challenged and didn't see it earlier)
 
I like the bird sounds in the background.
 
Mark

 

[thrujenseyes]

Hi,
 
I just found this post. I also go to the Aquarium Center in Clementon. Every few months. I did not know about the mercury poisoning!
 
I know they moved down the road because they had a disagreement with the previous landlord over the parking lot lighting. The move had been in the works since the beginning of the year.
 
That is lousy about the mercury poisoning. 
 
How do you like the new store? I like it, except for the tanks that are on the floor!
 
Mark

Your tank is soooo cool!
 
I just watched the video. (Yeah, I am a bit technologically challenged and didn't see it earlier)
 
I like the bird sounds in the background.
 
Mark

Hi Mark!  
 
Yes, it was a horrible accident (or well not...looked like someone did it to them).  Really tragic!  I can't even fathom all the lost lives....poor fish!
 
I absolutely love the new store.  I agree with the tanks on the floor but I really love how all the tanks are set up the same with the cool backgrounds and floors.  The fish all look so happy and healthy!
 
I was just there yesterday as I'm having quite the issues with my tap water.
 
Nice to meet you!