Do snails just die off and disapear?

[jandc805]

I have had 2 snails just die and be gone this last week, The shells are still there but they are not. Do they leave the shell and look for another and get attacked and eaten in the process? 1 is an Astrea and the other is a Turbo. I found the astrea upside down one day at the bottom of the tank and had a HC on top of it but when I pulled it out the snail was not there. The Turbo I found upside down this morning before I left for work and 2 HC nearby it but didn't see the snail in it either. I will remove it when I get home. Any ideas or somebody have this same issue before?
Thanks!

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Food for HC, and then new home for HC. Cheers.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I would leave the shells in there for the crabs. Why are your snails dying though? Water testing ok?

 

[jandc805]

Yes, I just tested over the weekend and all readings are tits excepet for a slight Nitrate spike that has been creeping up the past few weeks and is up to 10. This was not the first small spike so I don't think this caused it this time

 

[Sniperhank]

Snails come and go all the time. Though, nitrates can be a cause of death for them...just 10 would be kinda low for that yet.

 

[Ingy]

I had 3 asteria snails and they were forever falling off the glass and landing upside down. I would flip then over but they'd do it again. I rescued a couple from being lunch for hermits but in the end all 3 were eaten. I won't get them again.