My snail is acting weird....

[SarahCdnNanny]

So my snails are acting funny....

My yellow one seems to be asleep... just lying in one spot.. usually she's very active... so thats fine, but the black one (they are both about an inch big) is floating around the tank, not sure why, but when I put him down to the bottom, he won't stay, just floats up. I put him inside this ceramic circle thingy I have in the tank and he stayed inside there, turned around and hung on for a while, but didn't creep around or anything, just let go and started floating some more. He's not in his shell either, but sort of hanging out.

Whats the deal?

Its a 10 gallon tank and they had been doing fine with a pl*co, an oranda and 3 feeder fish. The temp is a little warm.... 80 though, with no heater or anything.

Am i not feeding them enough? Are they too hot? Are they dying? They are usually very active. HELP

ps, while watching the snail go nuts... I did move the goldies all into a bigger tank, which had fishlessly been cycling, and added in two new swords and two ADF's which I had brought home... couldn't leave them in the bag, so in they went. I hope everything will settle down.

Any advice? TIA

Sarah

Ps... an update.. the black floaty guy looks to be much more active than the yellow one, which is sort of on his side, with no movement whatsoever... The light is about to go off (timer) which signals my bedtime, so wish my babies luck overnight


Its morning, no advice guys? The snails are both clung to the side, not moving, but still latched on.

 

[twoluvcats]

My yellow one seems to be asleep... just lying in one spot

normal

is floating around the tank, not sure why, but when I put him down to the bottom, he won't stay, just floats up.

normal

that's about all snails really do. They cruise at night when you are asleep. Are you feeding them any food for them, or are they just scavaging?

 

[FishGeek]

Snails may "play dead" for days or even weeks by floating on the surface or laying still on the bottom (see here for more information). The reason for this dormancy is unknown.
(This is in the click here link)
I have been asked a number of times about how to tell if a snail is dead. People buy new snails, and they do not come out of the shell. Sometimes a snail was active and then appears to be holed up in the shell. If a snail is scared due to its new home or has undergone some stress like something trying to eat it, it may hole up in its shell. Water quality problems and temperature extremes may cause the snail to stay holed up as well. Sometimes, it will not come out for a few days. Beyond a few days, it must come out or risk starving. Often, it may hole up during the day and come out to feed at night. If a snail shell is in the same position for more than three days and the snail's body is not visible, the snail is most likely dead. I give a snail about a week to move before throwing it out in my ponds. In tanks, it is important to remove a dead snail larger than 1/4 inch as it can pollute the tank quickly. You can put the snail in a bucket of water and set it aside with some food and see if it moves over a few more days. Taking the snail out and smelling it will help to decide. A dead snail smells REALLY bad, like a rotten egg! If the snail is in a different place each day but you never see it out moving, it is coming out at night. Surprise it after the it is dark with a flashlight or room lights to see what it is doing. Some snails only come out at night. Mystery snails are known to sometimes go somewhat dormant and float or lay on the bottom for days or even weeks. The reason is not known. Snails in ponds will go somewhat dormant when the temperature goes below about 50 degrees F and may stay in one place for a long time.

I read this on a website after doing research cause of the weird behavior of my snail. I hope it helps.
guppy_newbe

 

[SarahCdnNanny]

Thanks I guess I'll try not to worry... but I really like these little guys

What is the best food for a snail???

Sarah

 

[SarahCdnNanny]

Eggs???

Oh man... so I get home tonight, and the black snail was attached to the glass, one inch below the surface of the water, with a string of black stuff coming out his/her bottom.... not sure if that was poo or eggs! AHHHH I don't want a 10 gallon tank of snails! LOL So needless to say, I got out my gravel vacuum and started after any traces of it I could find... some were on the plant nearest to where the snail was... and I'm sure I didn't get it all... do you think that it was eggs?

The yellow snail is just floating around, the way the black one did yesturday... sigh... I just don't know about these guys... they were fine for over 3 months!

Sarah

 

[twoluvcats]

and I'm sure I didn't get it all... do you think that it was eggs?

that would be snail slime, with debris stuck in it...i'm surprised you haven't seen it before.

Eggs won't 'just happen' with apple snails...they lay BIG clutches above the waterline...they look kinda like a hunk of styrafoam...you'll have plenty of time to scrape it off and throw it away before they hatch. Apple snails do not breed with reckless abandon like smaller snail species do.

What is the best food for a snail???

They'll eat pretty much anything...but the more calcium it has in it, the better. I buy handmade snail food off the internet...but mine also like any of the bottom feeder pellets.

You should check out AppleSnail.net, they have more info than you could ever want on Apple Snails.