Mystery snails

[Jason6942]

Why would three of my snails die suddenly. I just did a water change and noticed that one was floating and the others are all sealed up and dead. Is that normal.

 

[Rivercats]

Could be any number of reasons. What size tank? Planted? How often do you do WC's and how much weekly do you change? What is you Ph, Kh, and Gh? If there isn't a high enough Kh especially snails suffer. What is your nitrate reading? There are just too many things that could be the cause. I wouldn't worry if it was just one but three dead is an indication something is going on in the tank. I suggest doing a 50% WC asap.

 

[wildroseofky]

They are probably not dead. A dead mystery snail falls out of its' shell. Mystery snails will often float. They suck in too much air and it makes them to buoyant. Mine float for two days at a time sometimes. You can take them out of the water and they will burp sometimes. I have had to tickle mine a few times to get them to burp. I finally just started letting them float. In a day or two they will burp and go back down. Mystery snails are known for going dormant too. They close up and do not move for several days sometimes. The older the snail, the more they do this. Do not just assume they are dead. You can be sure they are dead when they smell rotten, fall out of their shells, or are laying on the bottom with their body hanging out and other tank mates are eating them. Here is a great website for apple mystery snail info applesnail.net

 

[wraragon]

Mine float often. They are probably readjusting.

 

[Jev12]

I have only had one float before...but when they close up that doesn't mean they are dead...if they smell bad then they are dead

 

[wraragon]

And the smell is horrid!!!

 

[Autumnsky]

Water change in pH from your municipality. Here I frequently loose snails, when the town changes from their primary lake to their water storage reservoir, where there is more rock or the water sits there longer getting harder. There is just something about that water that they don't like.

You can call and find out when/if the water source changed and where they did get the water before vs. currently.

High nitrates can be damaging too.

 

[Coel]

And the smell is horrid!!!

Dead snails are probably my least favorite smell in all aquaria... worse than cycling with decaying shrimp as an ammonia source

 

[wraragon]

Dead snails are probably my least favorite smell in all aquaria... worse than cycling with decaying shrimp as an ammonia source

Agreed!!!!