People Weren't Kidding About Snail Bombs

[willowstwin]

Well, one of my snails died last week (I don't think there is anything sinister, I think the woman who sold them to me sold me old ones). I checked my water, all fine apart from a slightly higher than usual nitrAte (still nothing toxic) but I did a huge water change anyway.

The other snail was doing the hiding for a day, then coming out. She was still responsive when I checked her early hours momnday morning. I stayed at my friends mon and tues night and when I got home from work yesterday one of my neon rainbows was dead, the tetras look pale and all the fish have red gills. I scooped out the dead fish and in doing so I knocked the snail over and it was hanging out of the shell. I checked the water while emptying the tank and ammonia and nitrites showing. just short of 48 hours and its chaos in my tank :'( I did a massive water change last night, and I intend to do another one tomorrow evening just to make sure. The gills on the remaining fish didn't seem too bad this morning, still a little pinker than usual but no gasping and no ammonia/nitrites showing on the test.

I'm beginning to think fish keeping isn't for me

 

[big_sw2000]

One of the worst thing to cause ammonia. Is a rotting snail.

With a couple of big water changes, and as long as your filer is cycled. Things should return to normal.

Dont loose hart, i hate snails for that very reason.

Steve

 

[Akasha72]

I check my apple snail is alive several times a day for this reason. I've read the trouble they can cause if they die unnoticed. I wouldn't be without him though. I like all my snails (except the pesky plant eating types that is)

 

[willowstwin]

I loved my snails but I think next time I will only get one and it will be a young one I get

 

[Akasha72]

I have no idea how old mine is. He's quite big so he's no baby. Is there a way of determining their age from their shells?

 

[This Old Spouse]

If you keep snails on purpose, some room should be left at the top 1 or 2 inches of water so the snails can go up and get some air, which is necessary for their survival. Found out the hard way.

 

[Man of fish]

Assassins too?

 

[This Old Spouse]

As far as I know. But they don't need a lot of room. Mine go all the way to the top occasionally, so I can only assume they need the same thing.

 

[Man of fish]

I usually always have at least 1/2 an inch at the top. Would that suffice?

 

[FishBlast]

My tank also has some space with air, but it's mostly for the hoplo. Snails do surface every now and then to breathe, but rarely. They mostly are on the sand or the log.

 

[willowstwin]

I left a 2 inch gap because I was hoping to get them to breed (although it turns out I had 2 females), and I always leave a gap anyway and they never had problems taking the odd gulp at the top.

I'm thinking of getting a pink apple next time. My main reason for getting apples is the lack of self breeding (I only have 48litres... not enough room for a million snails).

 

[Akasha72]

my tank has a min/max water level marker on it but it still leaves some space between the water level and the lid. I didn't know snails needed space at the top for air until I read this.

I've just watched my apple snail go to the surface and this long tongue-like thing came out of his shell and he stuck it out of the water. I've seen him do this a couple of times now and I'm now wondering if he is getting some air. Is that what he's doing?

 

[FishBlast]

my tank has a min/max water level marker on it but it still leaves some space between the water level and the lid. I didn't know snails needed space at the top for air until I read this.

I've just watched my apple snail go to the surface and this long tongue-like thing came out of his shell and he stuck it out of the water. I've seen him do this a couple of times now and I'm now wondering if he is getting some air. Is that what he's doing?

It looks more like a tube, and mine act like some kind of pumps when they go to the top, they suck the air in and move their head up and down. They're so cute when they do that.

 

[Akasha72]

yeah, that's what it looked like. I've never taken much notice before. Now I know they go take air I took more notice of what it was doing and it was as you describe. It did move it's head up and down and curl up it's antenna's.

I've learned something again today - thank you

 

[FishBlast]

yeah, that's what it looked like. I've never taken much notice before. Now I know they go take air I took more notice of what it was doing and it was as you describe. It did move it's head up and down and curl up it's antenna's.

I've learned something again today - thank you

Someone around this forum described it before I could see it for myself. He said his snails were headbanging. LOL then a few days later I noticed just what he meant when I saw one of mine doing that.
Now that I have a lyretail swordtail in there, I can see headbanging and the \,,/ sign in the fish tank, for the lulz!