Dead or Sleeping Snail???

[SpAceGiRl94]

Hello all,

So I may have a dead snail but I cannot tell. When I remove him from the tank, he doesn't smell but he doesn't really move either. He does retract a minimal amount when I gently tap the part of him that is out of the shell (his foot?) but not a lot. He's just been floating at the top of the tank for about 4 days (I think). He started doing this after getting stuck in the filter turbulence bubbles, which he has now done about 3 times. He will float over to the bubbles and then just spin (helplessly?) in the stream. I've had to rescue him each time. Is this normal for snails? I've posted before while showing him off when he was healthy (I have had him for about 2 weeks after rescuing/buying him off his and his tankmate platy's owner). Pictures included.

 

[Autumnsky]

What are your water parameters? Often if they have a trauma, or poor water quality they can stay closed to protect themselves. To heal. Could also be to die sad to say.

Make sure your water quality is safe. Is this tank cycled, meaning not have had the filter media washed in chlorinated tap water, or changed and where the tank can process the tank waste through the nitrification cycle.

 

[SpAceGiRl94]

My water parameters were fine, I forget the exact numbers. The snail ended up passing away about 3 days after I posted this. I have 3 female platy fish now in the 10 gallon that he was in and they're doing great! I've promised my son another snail friend for the 30 gallon that we will eventually get. Thanks for your help though!

 

[DreaminginBlue]

Just a thought, but you might want to test your water for copper. Copper is toxic to invertebrates like snails.

 

[SpAceGiRl94]

Okay. Is there a test strip for copper? Or can I take my water to place like petsmart and have them test it?

 

[DreaminginBlue]

I’m not sure if Petsmart tests for copper, but maybe you could call and ask?
I ordered a copper test kit online, from API, and it works really well. This is the one I use.
https://www.amazon.com/API-COPPER-90-Test-Aquarium-Water/dp/B0006JDWH8

 

[SpAceGiRl94]

Okay thanks how long though would it take to impact the snail? I had him for about 2 or so weeks before he passed (he was a rescue).

 

[DreaminginBlue]

I’m not entirely sure how long copper poisoning would take, it likely depends on the levels of copper in the aquarium. If you have any other invertebrates in the tank, like other shrimp or snails, and they’re fine, I’d say it’s safe to rule copper out.
However, if it was just the snail, copper might be a cause. Otherwise, he may have been ill, old, or stressed from switching parameters. It’s hard to know for sure, so I usually check for copper just in case. I recently tested someone’s tap water using my kit, after all the Ramshorns he bought died within a few days, and it was positive for copper.

 

[SpAceGiRl94]

It was just the snail, the fish are fine. However he was a rescue along with one of my female platy fish. I got them with the tank and had to slowly add my water (the old owner transported them within the 10 gallon) to get them used to it. However, I live about 40 minutes away so I assumed our water wasn't much different than the original water and the snail lived for about 6 months in that tank before I got him. So I guess it could be copper or that he was older than the owner thought or just stress from the move (I didn't realize that the owner would be transporting them within the tank).

 

[King Fisher]

Could have very well died of old age

 

[SpAceGiRl94]

I'm hoping that it was old age, as I just got back a 1.5 gallon tank (I've posted about it before) and have decided to make it a snail or shrimp tank (I keep looking at it and have decided it's too small for a betta) and would love to be able to use my own water, not distilled. I'll be testing my water today for copper though, just to make sure it is safe for invertebrates. If it isn't then I'll use the distilled water, but I know I would prefer to use my own.

 

[King Fisher]

Ya, a betta in a 1.5g tank is a little small. I think 2.5g is probably the smallest you'd want to go with a betta.

 

[SpAceGiRl94]

Exactly what I was thinking. I didn't realize it was a 1.5g, I thought it was a 3. But then I got it and looked at it and was like... this is too small for a betta.

With the 1.5 gallon though, is it possible to put BOTH snails and shrimp after I test the water for copper?

 

[King Fisher]

Yes I don't see why you couldnt keep a couple shrimp and snails. You will obviously have to remove some shrimp if they start multiplying like crazy. Same with snails.

 

[SpAceGiRl94]

Sounds good. Thanks! Now to figure out if my platies are pregnant LoL

 

[Autumnsky]

Using distilled water is recommended if you use a product for remineralization. Like Salty shrimp or Replenish.

If the person before you used meds it possibly was a ki d with copper in them you can get a product called Cuprisorb in a pouch to get it out of the tank if the copper test shows copper.

Shrimp and snails are sensitive to copper.

Back to the distilled water. It is pure water without any minerals. Shrimp and snails need minerals. But mainly you will not have any to allow your water to buffed and maintain pH stability. There needs to be calcium and magnesium at the minimum.

If you keep shrimp (and the tank is safe ) it is better to change small amounts a couple times per week. I wouldn't recommend mystery snails with them, unless they were small marble size they are because big eaters, poppers, and tiny tank polluters.

Spiked Nerites, other colorful Nerites are fun. Just one or 2. They'd have a limited food source.

 

[SpAceGiRl94]

Okay. So basically if my water doesn't have copper then I can keep like 1 or 2 nerite snails (I was wanting nerite anyway LoL) and like 3-4 ghost shrimp in my 1.5 gallon? And then just remove them if they breed. I was hoping to get a betta fish at some point... would it be unethical or mean or anything to use the baby shrimp as food for said betta?

I do have algae wafers that I plan on feeding them, which my old ramshorn loved before he died.

And if it does have copper then use that pouch thing to remove it before doing water changes?

 

[King Fisher]

I don't think it's unethical to feed your betta shrimp.

You might find that it's hard to get nerites to eat an algea wafer. IME, they are only really interested in algae growing in the tank or diatoms. Once it runs out they tend to die of starvation.

Mystery snails will go after food once it's placed in the tank. If you go this route I'd only keep one. They are probably as big as two nerites and probably poop as much as two nerites. Lol. You also won't have to worry about a mystery snail multiplying with one in the tank. 3 ghost shrimp would be fine as well.

 

[SpAceGiRl94]

Okay. I definitely don't want them to die so I would probably just get a mystery snail. And if I get a mystery snail, I should get a sand substrate yes? Since I have heard that they burrow and prefer sand. And they'll likely eat the algae wafer that the shrimp will also eat?

And then shrimp will populate and feed my future betta? Even though I'll feel a tinsy bit bad about it. Are baby shrimp a treat type of food? Or a "give them everyday or almost everyday" type of food for a betta?

 

[King Fisher]

They're fine in sand or gravel substrate. They eat a variety of things. Algae wafers, sinking pellets, blanched vegetables like cucumber, zucchini, and lettuce. I've also heard of them eating carrots, green beans and squash. You should give it a varied diet.

You could feed extra shrimp to your betta but I would also feed your betta pellet food. A varied diet is always better for a fish.