Water Changes with snails?

[Doug01]

Quick question....

When i do a water change, should I remove the snails that will be above the water line before I do the change? All I had during the last water change I did was turbo snails that moved out of the way before I ever had to think about it. Now I have 50+ snails that lots of like to stay at the top of the water line.

Thanks!

 

[luckycat]

Quick question....

When i do a water change, should I remove the snails that will be above the water line before I do the change? All I had during the last water change I did was turbo snails that moved out of the way before I ever had to think about it. Now I have 50+ snails that lots of like to stay at the top of the water line.

Thanks!

Good question. I've been doing water changes with snails at the top of the water line for about 2 months now and have not had any snails die (water changes weekly). I didn't do this intentionally, at one point during a water change I noticed some snails hanging onto the glass w/out any water around them... I quickly put water back in, but the snails seemed OK, so I don't worry about it any more.

However, I'd wait for a response from someone else more knowledgeable than me to confirm that this is OK, perhaps for brief periods of time.

 

[Atari]

I wouldn't worry about them. They can easily move back down into the water if they feel the need.

 

[Doug01]

Thanks!

I just really wondered since I know you aren't supposed to keep them out of the water much when you aclimate them.

Thanks for the info!

 

[scuba_steve]

i had a snail crawl out of the tank and was on my light fixture one time was all dry had salt creep on him (if that didnt kill him i would think the temp would )! so i figured i leave the shell in the tank for a hermit or what ever with in 10 minutes he was on the move have read they do better if they can get out of the water from time to time !! they live at the tidal zone were parts of the day they are out of the water for a few hours at a time

 

[malkore]

I have several freshwater snails in my planted tank. one time one of them hitch-hiked on a plant I was pruning, and ended up in my waste bucket.
I happend to find him about 30 hours later as i was empting the bucket. I put him in a cup of tank water, and in 5 mins he'd climbed halfway up the side.

sure different species vary, but in general i think aquatic snails are a little more hardy than we might think.

 

[Doug01]

Wow....thats crazy....

Good info!

 

[Brad]

I know what you mean. I use to move them, now I don't bother. They just hang out on the glass and await the new water. No problem

 

[srgetz]

also make sure the heater is unplugged if it is the glass type, I had one pop during a large water change, kind of scary!