Is my snail dead?

[gaya]

I think i may have unintentionally killed one of my new snails. I'm pretty sure it's an apple snail. I saw him on the intake hose to my filter and i thought maybe he was stuck. Now i'm thinking he may have been just rummaging for algae or something. I pulled him off harder then i meant to and he curled up inside his shell and hasn't come out since yesterday. Is he dead?
thanks

 

[gaya]

ok i just saw him move around. did i just scare him?

 

[smithrc]

probubly not

It'll be sulking. We have one that is not right... he hasnt come out properly in weeks (like 6 or so) I think it burnt its foot on the heater, But it's still with us.

and now we have Loads of little ones too


Does it look like this? (different colouring possible)

If so its an apple snail

 

[jflowers]

ok i just saw him move around. did i just scare him?

Probably. When an apple snail dies, its muscles relax and the 'door' opens wide and they will obviously not move. If they have been in the same position for 24 hours with the door wide open then they probably are dead. If this happens remove them from the tank and gently pull on the door, if they are dead the body will simply slide out of the shell.

Jon

 

[gaya]

yes that is what he looks like. and do they poo!

 

[gaya]

Probably. When an apple snail dies, its muscles relax and the 'door' opens wide and they will obviously not move. If they have been in the same position for 24 hours with the door wide open then they probably are dead. If this happens remove them from the tank and gently pull on the door, if they are dead the body will simply slide out of the shell.

Jon

so I'm assuming the door is the opening? He was laying on his side with the door facing out but then it turned so the door was facing the gravel and then he stayed like that until just a minute ago. All of a sudden he's moving around. I'm pretty green when it comes to snails. )

 

[jflowers]

The door i was reffering to is the seperate piece of shell they use to close thier opening when they retreat into thier shell.

Good news that its ok!

Jon

p.s. http/www.applesnail.net is great with more info than you will ever need.

 

[gaya]

The door i was reffering to is the seperate piece of shell they use to close thier opening when they retreat into thier shell.

Good news that its ok!

Jon

p.s. http/www.applesnail.net is great with more info than you will ever need.

thanks jon!!

 

[gaya]

now my snail is definately dead. he got latched on to the uptake tube on my filter just like the other day! now another snail is eating him. and that snail's shell is not looking to good. boo. should i add calcium to the water? if so how do i do that?

 

[Tempestuousfury]

If the shell is disintegrating, the snail is dead, without a doubt.

Try moving it to a bowl. If it doesn't move and isn't alive, it won't pollute your tank and you will be able to make sure that it is dead.