Is this Normal?

[AtoZ Cichlids]

I have a snail that has been fine up until about 18 hours ago... He just floats with his body out of his shell... When I tried to submurce him, he just floated back up. Is it possible that maybe he got air in his shell? Because as of now thats the only explanation! Any one know what could be going on?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Just leave it be. They float sometimes. Don't know the cause. Unless it stinks or falls out of its shell completely then it's still alive.

 

[Mama Karoti]

My assassins do weird things that make me think they are dead when they are not. They do the floating out if the shell thing every once in a while. Several times they have laid on the bottom upside down with their door shut for a day or two (not burrowed). I've decided they are just bizarre sometimes. They must have reasons for what they do.

 

[AtoZ Cichlids]

Yup! Thanks! Hes all right now, back to doing lame snail stuff.

 

[Fishfur]

I don't know why they float like that either but I've seen a lot of them do it. And they do use air in their shells to help them rise and fall in the water column. You can see the air bubble in lighter coloured shells. They breathe air and can drown if they can't get to air often enough.

 

[wildroseofky]

They do not usually float with their bodies hanging out. He or she may be getting old and be about to pass on. My oldest one did that. I would find her floating with her body hanging out and when I touched her she would slowly close up. Two weeks later she had passed. The warmer the water in the tank the shorter their lives are. However, it is not uncommon to find them closed up and floating. You can pick them up out of the water and kind of tickle the foot to make them blow out the air so they will sink again but it isn't necessary.