Wykoff's assassin snail (Anentome wykoffi) care guide

Group

Snails

Other names

Assassin snail, Clea wykoffi, Clea (Anentome) wykoffi, Wykoff's snail-eating snail

Family

Nassariidae

Origin

Northern Thailand (Tak Province)

Water

freshwater

Maximum size

2.5 cm

Temperature

22–28°C

pH

7–8

Hardness

8–15 dGH, 4–10 dKH

Minimum tank

20 litres

Care level

beginner

Lifespan

2–3 years

Care

Anentome wykoffi is a freshwater assassin snail from northern Thailand, a close relative of the familiar Anentome helena. It was described in 1974 as Clea wykoffi. Most assassin snails sold in Europe are A. helena, but other species are sometimes imported, and this page covers A. wykoffi where sellers can identify it. Our sources give no size or care figures; as general guidance, adults are about 2–2.5 cm and need the same care as A. helena. Set-up: a tank of 20 litres or more with a soft sand or fine gravel substrate, because it buries itself and waits in ambush. Moderately hard water helps its shell. Role in the tank: a predator of other snails, used to control pest snails such as bladder, ramshorn and Malaysian trumpet snails. It ambushes prey, often snails larger than itself, and will also eat worms. It will not tell pest snails from wanted ones, so it will also eat nerites, mystery snails and rabbit snails, and can take small or moulting shrimp. Copper: copper-based medicines and some plant fertilisers are toxic to shrimp, snails and most other invertebrates. Never treat a tank holding them with copper, check the label of any fertiliser or medicine, and keep nets and buckets used for copper-treated tanks separate. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anentomewykoffi). Checked October 2026.

Diet

A carnivore. It eats other snails and worms, burying itself and ambushing prey. Once pest snails are gone, feed sinking meaty foods such as bloodworm, carnivore pellets and pieces of shrimp. It also scavenges leftover food.

Breeding

Sexes are separate, but males and females look alike, so buy a group to get a pair. Mating pairs lock together for 8–12 hours. In the genus Anentome, females lay single eggs in small capsules on hard surfaces, and the young develop directly into small snails that stay buried for months. Breeding is slow, so they rarely overrun a tank.

Compatibility and tank mates

Safe with fish and plants. It eats other snails, including ones you want, and may take small or moulting dwarf shrimp, so avoid it in shrimp breeding tanks. Snail-eating fish such as puffers and some loaches will eat it.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.