Mystery Snail fell out of tank and has big break in shell!

[abw0004]

My mystery snail fell out of the tank the morning and broke his shell right at the opening and the very top where it swirls together. Is this saveable or do I need to put him down?

 

[GreenLily]

Ouch. That looks like a pretty nasty crack! What is your snail doing now? What other fish do you have in the tank with it? It's possible that it could be fine, and maybe will grow or at least strengthen the existing shell. Try feeding it a zucchini slice. Hope it survives.

 

[Luananeko]

He should be ok as long as the other fish don't bother him while it regrows. He may be at risk for infection if the shell break cut him, so make sure you keep the tank clean to minimize that risk. Isolate him if needed to make sure he gets peace and quiet, but otherwise keep feeding and doing water changes as usual.

 

[Autumnsky]

There are people who have used egg shells to cover cracks, boiled for cleanliness/sterilize, Super Glued. I would do some research and be sure of your steady hand. You can't get the glue on the snail body. The gel superglue is thicker and easier to use, doesn't run as much. Check for sure which kind because the SW people often use it to glue frags.

I have had a couple with cracks and they were alright after awhile, the one stayed closed up in his shell for a few weeks healing. Clean water for sure, maybe a pinch of aquarium salt, or Stress Coat.

 

[abw0004]

Okay I will try that. The snail hasn't come out of the shell all day and the male Dwarf Gourami was picking at him. Should I just put him in a bowl of water? The only problem with that is I won't have a heater for that

 

[Kelli fish]

Can you put him in an isolation tank inside your tank or breeding net etc?

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[abw0004]

What do you mean isolation tank inside my tank? As in what would suffice for an isolation tank? Would a tuberware flipped upside down on top of him, trapping him work?

 

[SandyCheeks]

What do you mean isolation tank inside my tank? As in what would suffice for an isolation tank? Would a tuberware flipped upside down on top of him, trapping him work?

I think as long as there are ventilation holes it would work, or a small plastic strainer flipped upside. When my snail had a crack in his shell, I used a breeder box to isolate him. He did not make it, I think the crack was too sharp and he never moved or ate. Good luck, I hope your snail does ok. I guess they don't know any better when they try to escape.

 

[Luananeko]

Yes, breeder boxes/nets are the best, as anything that cuts the snail off from the tank's filtration and water flow will tend to lead to the water around him being a breeding zone for fungus and bacteria.

 

[wildroseofky]

The front edge of the shell will repair itself. The larger crack may have to be patched. Can you see inside the crack. If it has exposed the soft tissue you will definitely need to patch it to keep the soft body protected. Take the snail out of the water and dry it off. Clean an eggshell really well and dry that. Then very carefully, do not get any glue on the soft body of the snail, dab a little crazy glue around the edge of the break. Stay away from the edge of the break to keep the glue from getting inside the shell. Place a piece of egg shell over the crack. Hold in place with fingers for a few seconds and them put the snail in a protected place to recover. They go into shock sometimes and will sit for days before coming out to eat. You can fill a container with tank water and just change it daily or you can use a plastic container or one of those baskets that strawberries come in to separate it from the other tank mates. Fish, shrimp, and other snails may pick at the soft body exposed by the crack and cause an infection or more damage to the snail.

 

[abw0004]

The crack is fine no openings. The main thing I am worried about it the tip where the shell swirls to a point has broken off and there was white goo coming out. The fish were nipping at it but are leaving him alone for the time being. Would Melafix help?

 

[Luananeko]

Don't use melafix, it can damage the labyrinth organ of your gourami. If he had white goo coming out that means he cut himself on the broken shell... I haven't had to treat any snails that actually cut themselves so I'm not sure what would be best at this point beyond keeping him safe and in clean water and hoping for the best

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

I would recommend cuttle bone for higher calcium levels

 

[abw0004]

I have already used Melafix in the past for my rams with the dwarf Gouramis present... How bad is that?

 

[wildroseofky]

Do not add any Melafix or other meds. Most are very toxic to snails. I would suggest making a patch for the shell tip. You can plug the tip off with plaster of Paris or drywall patching compound. Just smear it on and try not to push it too deep into the tip. You will need to keep the snail out of water for a few hours until it dries. Put it in a container with very little water or a damp sponge. Some paper towels would work too. They can live out of water fine they just need to be moist. The patch will eventually come off and need to be replace. Eggshell and glue lasts a lot longer but may be hard to place. Broken spirals cannot be repaired. Only new growth around the opening will heal. Add some extra calcium to the water and keep the water clean. That will help a lot. Do extra water changes for a few weeks. Antacid tablets, calcium supplements, eggshell, crushed coral, and plaster are all good calcium sources for snails.

 

[Luananeko]

I have already used Melafix in the past for my rams with the dwarf Gouramis present... How bad is that?

Limited use in the past is probably okay... But I would try to avoid it going forward. Studies have shown that melafix can damage the labyrinth organ to the point that the fish ends up drowning As mentioned by the previous poster, it's possible that it's toxic to the snail too.

 

[abw0004]

I used Melafix for 7 days last week to repair the gold ram I have and stopped on Sunday where I did a 30% water change. Yesterday I did another 30% water change but haven't used the meds or any other meds besides Microlift. He is currently safe under a net. So the hole at the top of the swirl can't be fixed?

 

[wildroseofky]

No the spiral will not repair itself. It may close off on the inside but the point will not grow. The snail can secrete a mucus that will harden and close off the soft body from exposure to the air. It takes a while for this to happen. The snail can live the rest of its' life with this damage. The open part will be pushed a little farther from the body each time the snail lays down a new ring of growth.
Snails are often seen with the spiral pitted and crumbly looking due to not enough calcium in the water.

 

[abw0004]

As long as the snail will be okay I do not mind what he looks like. I just don't want him in pain or slowly dying. That would stress me out knowing he is like that.

 

[Kelli fish]

Hows your snail doing?

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Aquarium Advice mobile app