My Amano Eats Snails?

[Caprichoso]

Just witnessed my Amano shrimp digging a snail out of it's shell bit by bit and eating it! It was just a plain old pond snail, not sure what kind.

Another Amano became interested in what he was carrying and chased him around the tank for it but he didn't relent it. He was digging at it furiously and emptied it out!

I didn't know they did this? Has anyone else had the same experience?

[Ron]

I believe most shrimp will eat snails, I've read on some forums that people just squish pond snails on the glass and let their shrimp clean it up. I've seen my RCS crawl into Ramshorns shells, after my puffers have taken out all they can reach, and clean them out.

[gBOYsc2]

Was the snail still alive or was it dead? I think the Amano's will eat almost anything. I have found mine eating dead fish and trying to eat other dead shrimp as well, but never snails so far.

[Caprichoso]

Was the snail still alive or was it dead? I think the Amano's will eat almost anything. I have found mine eating dead fish and trying to eat other dead shrimp as well, but never snails so far.

I don't know if it was alive or dead. I only saw him pick it apart until the shell was empty. Strange though, I've never seen mine do this before.

[Vallisneria]

I've seen my cherry shrimp eat dead snails or if I see too many pond snails in my tank, I sometimes squish them and the shrimp go crazy for it. I've never seen them eat a live snail though. Same goes for my amanos, they eat dead ones but I've never seen them eat a live one.

But I wouldn't put anything past them.