How to tell the difference between MTS and assassin babies?

[BeefyG]

I have a RCS and tetra tank that used to have a lot of snails in it. I had added a pea puffer at one point and ended up with a lot of empty snail shells but also possibly missing shrimp babies as well. I took him out and put in two assassin snails. I used to see MTS on the glass in the morning but that hasn't happened in a long time.

The assassin's are always stuck to each other and there are hundreds of little cone shaped baby snails in the tank. Any chance those are baby assassins or do I have a MTS boom impending?

[jhenry]

here is what you need to do get rid of those cheap fishes and get alot more Tropheus

[Mzungu]

I've never seen baby assassins in 'real life,' but I would think they'd be just as bright and colorful as their parents, but miniature in size. So, if you can't see the clear distinction between their yellow and black stripes, I think you're looking at a baby boom of MTS. :(

Plus, I don't think assassins will breed that profusely.

[armthehomeless]

If you have a bunch of them, they are MTS.

...and, as mgungu stated, the stripes are distinctive as babies.

[BeefyG]

here is what you need to do get rid of those cheap fishes and get alot more Tropheus

I like my cheap fishes and aside from fry I can't fit trophs in a 10g unless you know of a variant I dont )

Thanks MB and Tim. Thats exactly what I was afraid of... I was just trying to be really optimistic!

[jhenry]

i've got a eight footer over here that would fit alot of adult Tropheus you can take. so what's your excuse now? huh just trying to help a brotha out

[BeefyG]

You need to fill that thing with kribensis... want mine?

[magicfishy]

I have a bunch of baby assassins and they look different than the baby MTS. The assassin babies are short and chubby. Whereas the MTS babies are long and slender. The stripes on my assassin babies are not really that clearly defined. You really can't recognize the stripes until they are a bit bigger. The shells of the assassin babies look much thicker whereas the MTS shells look very thin and fragil. One other difference.....the assassin babies will usualy hide (mostly in the gravel/sand) and come out to eat in the evenings. The MTS will be all over the tank. They love to go up and down the glass and also float upside down on the surface of the water hoping to catch bits of food.....

[jhenry]

no i don't keep cheap fishes remember?

[nacra99]

Baby assassins have stripes that look just like adults .... see pic...

[BeefyG]

If the dang filter weren't too noisy I would've had the new troph tank running tonight!

Slightly back on subject, do assassin snails do OK with trophs? If I'm going to have snails might as well be cool ones...

[BeefyG]

Baby assassins have stripes that look just like adults .... see pic...

Yeah I definitely got MTS babies... I even caught one of my assassins taking out a MTS adult when I came home lol

[armthehomeless]

If the dang filter weren't too noisy I would've had the new troph tank running tonight!

Slightly back on subject, do assassin snails do OK with trophs? If I'm going to have snails might as well be cool ones...

Yes.

[eklikewhoa]

I've kept them with trophs in the past with no real problems.