Floating Apple Snail - Aquarium Advice

HOLLIEO · 09-09-2003, 11:34 AM

I have two apple snails in my freswater 20 gallon. I am not sure if this is normal, since I have never owned this type of animal, but one of them is just floating on the surface of the water. Is it dead? How do I know if one of these guys is dead or not?

Punkymom · 09-09-2003, 11:36 AM

Er....Poke poke poke...I guess you could smell it...hee hee...if you wanna risk getting a nose full of stinkiness...[acronym:0b7d8389db="Laughing out loud"]LOL[/acronym:0b7d8389db] I don't know any other way of knowing.

HOLLIEO · 09-09-2003, 11:43 AM

ha, ha... Yeah. I tried poking it a little and I think it moved a bit?!?!?
Not much. I am afraid to take him out of the water if he really isn't dead. How do I really know????

William · 09-09-2003, 11:53 AM

Reach inside and touch the fleshy part?

if it twitches hes alive..

HOLLIEO · 09-09-2003, 12:00 PM

Okay, thanks William. I will poke him a little when I get home. I will keep my fingers crossed.

Allivymar · 09-09-2003, 05:04 PM

If the fleshy part at the opening is firm, its alive. He may have managed to get an airbubble in there (and I have NO idea how to get it out [acronym:b03db6ae1d="Laughing out loud"]LOL[/acronym:b03db6ae1d]).

If its mooshy? Like, nasty gooey mooshy? Its most likely dead.

HOLLIEO · 09-09-2003, 05:15 PM

I was hoping you would answer allivymar!! You always seem to know the answers!! ha, ha
When you say fleshy part, do you mean the part like when he comes out of his shell? or more like that flat door thing that will allow him to completely close?

Allivymar · 09-09-2003, 06:11 PM

Heh, scary isn't it

The flat bit of muscle he uses when he shuts his "door"; it should be firm. It means his "foot" muscle is working, and consequently he's alive *grin*

HOLLIEO · 09-09-2003, 06:17 PM

Ahhhh. I got ya now. Well, when I touched it yesterday (to see if he would move) it was firm. Hopefully he has stopped floating around on the surface and is alive when I get home. I will do the touch test again... if he is still floating around.

Allivymar · 09-09-2003, 06:26 PM

Aha! Came across this line in my research: "Mystery snails may "play dead" for days or even weeks by floating on the surface or laying still on the bottom"

You can read the rest here (just scroll down to Mystery Snails): http://userpages.umbc.edu/~rrhudy1/snail2.htm#apple

09-09-2003, 11:34 AM	#1
HOLLIEO Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA Posts: 358 Images: 1	Floating Apple Snail I have two apple snails in my freswater 20 gallon. I am not sure if this is normal, since I have never owned this type of animal, but one of them is just floating on the surface of the water. Is it dead? How do I know if one of these guys is dead or not? __________________ Aquarium Advice.Com ROCKS!!!!

09-09-2003, 11:36 AM	#2
Punkymom Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Newnan GA Posts: 426 Images: 8	Er....Poke poke poke...I guess you could smell it...hee hee...if you wanna risk getting a nose full of stinkiness...[acronym:0b7d8389db="Laughing out loud"]LOL[/acronym:0b7d8389db] I don't know any other way of knowing. __________________ Out of the mouth of my 15 month old: "Ah da fiswa doo na say." Roughly translated: Silly fish swims up.

09-09-2003, 11:43 AM	#3
HOLLIEO Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA Posts: 358 Images: 1	ha, ha... Yeah. I tried poking it a little and I think it moved a bit?!?!? Not much. I am afraid to take him out of the water if he really isn't dead. How do I really know???? __________________ Aquarium Advice.Com ROCKS!!!!

09-09-2003, 11:53 AM	#4
William Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 2,553 Images: 5	Reach inside and touch the fleshy part? if it twitches hes alive.. __________________ 30gal; Bala Shark, Pl*co

09-09-2003, 12:00 PM	#5
HOLLIEO Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA Posts: 358 Images: 1	Okay, thanks William. I will poke him a little when I get home. I will keep my fingers crossed. __________________ Aquarium Advice.Com ROCKS!!!!

09-09-2003, 05:04 PM	#6
Allivymar Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2003 Location: NY Posts: 4,355 Images: 15	If the fleshy part at the opening is firm, its alive. He may have managed to get an airbubble in there (and I have NO idea how to get it out [acronym:b03db6ae1d="Laughing out loud"]LOL[/acronym:b03db6ae1d]). If its mooshy? Like, nasty gooey mooshy? Its most likely dead. __________________ aka Cycling Guru and the Ich Slayer glares at Terry and QTOFFER Card carrying member of FTAS & GCAS.

09-09-2003, 05:15 PM	#7
HOLLIEO Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA Posts: 358 Images: 1	I was hoping you would answer allivymar!! You always seem to know the answers!! ha, ha When you say fleshy part, do you mean the part like when he comes out of his shell? or more like that flat door thing that will allow him to completely close? __________________ Aquarium Advice.Com ROCKS!!!!

09-09-2003, 06:11 PM	#8
Allivymar Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2003 Location: NY Posts: 4,355 Images: 15	Heh, scary isn't it The flat bit of muscle he uses when he shuts his "door"; it should be firm. It means his "foot" muscle is working, and consequently he's alive grin __________________ aka Cycling Guru and the Ich Slayer glares at Terry and QTOFFER Card carrying member of FTAS & GCAS.

09-09-2003, 06:17 PM	#9
HOLLIEO Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA Posts: 358 Images: 1	Ahhhh. I got ya now. Well, when I touched it yesterday (to see if he would move) it was firm. Hopefully he has stopped floating around on the surface and is alive when I get home. I will do the touch test again... if he is still floating around. __________________ Aquarium Advice.Com ROCKS!!!!

09-09-2003, 06:26 PM	#10
Allivymar Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2003 Location: NY Posts: 4,355 Images: 15	Aha! Came across this line in my research: "Mystery snails may "play dead" for days or even weeks by floating on the surface or laying still on the bottom" You can read the rest here (just scroll down to Mystery Snails): http://userpages.umbc.edu/~rrhudy1/snail2.htm#apple __________________ aka Cycling Guru and the Ich Slayer glares at Terry and QTOFFER Card carrying member of FTAS & GCAS.

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