Someones Eaten My Apple Snail!

[Neon_Momma]

I've had an apple snail in my tank for a while now, and he was doing really well.

I'd noticed over the last few days he hasn't moved much, on closer inspection his shell looked quite light, so i've checked him out - and it's empty!

I've look all over the tank but there is no snail (i'd assume he'd kinda look like a slug?) he was pretty big compared to my fish, could one of them had him for tea?

 

[Qays]

Wow! Weird...

Maybe it died and the remains have vanished somehow...

 

[riverman444]

Is he floating around on top, maybe behind the filter?

What kind of fish?

 

[jayjay]

the plec may have got him if he was in the tank that you have in your sig. i've heard of them taking things from shells but he may of died and been eaten.

 

[Qays]

Sorry bout your snail

 

[Neon_Momma]

There is nothing floating about or near the filter, it's a pretty clear tank so i'd see it.

The plec is the main suspect, as he's coming out of his hidy hole alot more recently and is about 6 inches long now.

I have some beautiful fish, but I really enjoyed watching the snail making his little trips about the tank

No point getting another if the same will happen again.

 

[oneponygirl]

It's possible that it simply died and decomposed. It doesn't take long with snails. Sorry about losing him though, I always love having snails. Got two "bonus" snails with the last batch of live plants that I bought.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

i had that, put one in my big chiclid tank to clear up the algae, he got eaten oops! won't be doing that again

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

The plec wouldn't have eaten the snail though, a lot of people just assume apple snails can live off by scavenging the tank alone, but they actually need quite a lot of sinking foods to survive and they somtimes starve in tanks where there's too much competeticion for leftovers or algae.
They can also suffer from malnutrition, many apple snails have rough shells, ones with cracks or holes in from their shells not developing properly- many apple snails and other large ornemental snail types sold at petshops suffer from poor shell growth or formation.

 

[joey]

i think your pleco sucked it in then digested it: