Help

[strangemouse]

I have three apple snails which I bought on Saturday, they are in a heater tank (no fish) which was set up for two weeks before introduction. The problem is one of the snails is bouyant and floats around the tank, before anyone asks he is definately still alive! Its bizarre, what can I do, the others are fine and they were all normal when I bought them. Please help.

 

[Teelie]

Snails will do that, it's sort of like hibernation while they wait for conditions to settle into an acceptable level. For that one, I guess it's not ready to settle in. Almost all of my snails have started out briefly floating or sitting clammed up on the bottom before popping out and moving around. I think that one might just be a lazy one.

 

[smithrc]

they also do it if they want to find another spot in the 'river' to live or breed.

it's a quick method of moving long distances

 

[strangemouse]

Thank goodness hes ok I was really worried, my first time with snails and I've wanted them for a long time.

What is the best filtrations for these fellas, the tank is a bit small (upgrading when I get space, they only small at mo) for a internal filter and I worry about them getting sucked in anyway, I have a sponge filter with a small air pump but it seems to create quite a bit of current do they mind this or it quiet water best? What do you guys use?

 

[Teelie]

Snails can tolerate fairly bad conditions except with ammonia and nitrite, or when copper is involved, otherwise any kind of filtration should be okay. Mine regularly move onto the filter intake of my HOB but they aren't stuck or injured doing it.

 

[sparklingcolorsafw]

In my personal experience with my snail it did not like the fast moving current and would get stuck in the current on the top. I changed filters to a calmer current and now my snail moves all over the tank. Thou it does like to clime on the filter intake and seems just fine.

 

[strangemouse]

Yep you were right he has stopped floating around now and they are all crawling around happy now, thanks guys.