What in the world is going on with my snail!?

[fishy_love]

My black mystery snail of 3 months hasn't moved since Monday night when he was crawling up the wall for a breath. He is usually a pretty active snail but recently just stopped. Today we pulled him out and gave him a sniff, no repulsive decomp smell or anything, he literally smells like nothing. His trapdoor is still firmly intact and his body isn't dissolving or anything, he is just completely unresponsive. He just has been laying on the gravel, upside-down for days, how does he breathe like that!? Is there some other way to find out whether or not he is alive? Because we can't seem to figure it out and would feel REALLY bad getting rid of him and thinking "wait, what if he WAS still alive?!"

Also, our other mystery snail is doing fine, she is currently crawling around the back corner looking for her algae disc. She is only half his size though, and gold. I don't know if that matters or anything.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[shellyx]

My black mystery snail of 3 months hasn't moved since Monday night when he was crawling up the wall for a breath. He is usually a pretty active snail but recently just stopped. Today we pulled him out and gave him a sniff, no repulsive decomp smell or anything, he literally smells like nothing. His trapdoor is still firmly intact and his body isn't dissolving or anything, he is just completely unresponsive. He just has been laying on the gravel, upside-down for days, how does he breathe like that!? Is there some other way to find out whether or not he is alive? Because we can't seem to figure it out and would feel REALLY bad getting rid of him and thinking "wait, what if he WAS still alive?!"

Also, our other mystery snail is doing fine, she is currently crawling around the back corner looking for her algae disc. She is only half his size though, and gold. I don't know if that matters or anything.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Was he fully grown when you got him? Don't worry about him breathing he, ll be fine. As your other snail is fine it can't be your water as both would react the same. I went through the same with one of my snail's but it was because of her age. Just keep an eye on him some snail's can stop moving about for a while. Sorry I'm not much help.

 

[fishy_love]

I don't think he was fully grown but as soon as we brought him home he had a massive growth spurt and is the size of a ping pong ball. We are trying something we found on google called the plastic tray test. It said if he is alive, after about a half hour he will come out of his shell and look for water. His shell drained about a tablespoon of water and his body came out but he is still unresponsive... We touched his body which was soft when we picked him up a while back but this time it was really rigid. We pulled on his trapdoor and it is firmly attached but he didn't try to pull back into his shell afterwards. I'm starting to think his shell is just draining and he might be dead :'(

 

[shellyx]

I don't think he was fully grown but as soon as we brought him home he had a massive growth spurt and is the size of a ping pong ball. We are trying something we found on google called the plastic tray test. It said if he is alive, after about a half hour he will come out of his shell and look for water. His shell drained about a tablespoon of water and his body came out but he is still unresponsive... We touched his body which was soft when we picked him up a while back but this time it was really rigid. We pulled on his trapdoor and it is firmly attached but he didn't try to pull back into his shell afterwards. I'm starting to think his shell is just draining and he might be dead :'(

When they're dead the body becomes rubbery and firmer, if he's not responding i would say he's probably passed. Sorry

 

[fishy_love]

Oh man, then he is definitely dead... :'( I thought his body would be mushy and dissolving when he died because I read that they smell horrible and fall apart. Guess not. He also hasn't moved on the plastic tray other than the draining water and occasionally the body pushes out a little bit further, but only with the water so yeah, it's just draining I'm pretty sure.

What kills snails? Because my other snail is fine and I don't want her to go also.

 

[shellyx]

Oh man, then he is definitely dead... :'( I thought his body would be mushy and dissolving when he died because I read that they smell horrible and fall apart. Guess not. He also hasn't moved on the plastic tray other than the draining water and occasionally the body pushes out a little bit further, but only with the water so yeah, it's just draining I'm pretty sure.

What kills snails? Because my other snail is fine and I don't want her to go also.

Yep they go like rubbery and then they can fall apart or turn too liquid. Some snail's just don't live as long as others so try not too worry. I sadly lost two of my girls last week i get attached to them lol I'm sure your other snail will be fine. Sorry about your snail

 

[owen0992]

Don't worry about. Mine passed and was in the same condition. It happens.

 

[fishy_love]

Oh wow! Now I know why they're called mystery snails! He is alive!!! After giving up and deciding he was dead we put him in a plastic cup of aquarium water and just stuck it next to the sink wondering if he would fall out of the shell so we could put it back in the tank. Well he was floating and "dead" for hours and now, he's crawled up the side for a breath!! Thank you for being so helpful with this situation he is going back in the tank now that we know he isn't just going to muck up the water parameters.

 

[shellieca]

LOL. Snails will go without moving for days some times so if I have one do that, I do the smell test, if no smell back into the tank he goes. The only one I've lost in the tank actually came out of the shell, so disgusting. I've learned to let them be . . . mostly. I love the snails, they are usually super active.

 

[shellyx]

Oh wow! Now I know why they're called mystery snails! He is alive!!! After giving up and deciding he was dead we put him in a plastic cup of aquarium water and just stuck it next to the sink wondering if he would fall out of the shell so we could put it back in the tank. Well he was floating and "dead" for hours and now, he's crawled up the side for a breath!! Thank you for being so helpful with this situation he is going back in the tank now that we know he isn't just going to muck up the water parameters.

That's great!