Snail on his last foot?

[courtnee]

I have a golfball sized Brig Apple Snail, known as Gary. I posted on applesnail.net as it is a wonderful site but the forum can be slow at times. Thought I would post here too.

Gary has always been active and a happy snail. The last few days I have noticed him slow way down. He for the last two days has stayed on top of the wrecked ship and I have seen him come out and move but not much. I put an algae waffer next to him and he ate some of it. The tank also gets blood worms, veggies etc so I know this is not a starvation issue. Gary always has had a buffet of different foods to eat.

Last night I took him out, his door is part open so he is not all the way in. I touched his door and he moved slightly but let it open back up. I put him back in the tank with a pea by him and let him be. This morning he is still there, still on his side, still hanging out like he was. Color is good but nothing has changed.

He does not smell. Dead snails really stink. He doesnt smell so he is not dead. yet.

I know snails can act funny for awhile and be dormant but I would expect this with a closed door.

He is about 9mo (since we got him) in a 80F tank so I know his life exp. is about a year. We are close to that.

Tank is a 55gl
50% PWC and gravel vac once a week
PH 7.2ish maybe closer to 7. I suck at reading the liquid tests on this. I add liquid calcium for his shell which is in awesome condition.
Ammonia = 0
NitrIte = 0
NitrAte = close to 20 and the tank stays stable at that or lower I have not seen above 20.
Temp = 80F

Tank mates are

8 Serpae tetra
8 white skirt tetra
3 bleeding heart tetra
4 glass tetra
1 common pleco
2 four-line pictus
2 spotted pictus

(I know my pleco and four-lines get large 125gl tank coming by summer)

Everyone in the tank is healthy and doing great.

Any ideas?

 

[Jchillin]

I have a golf ball sized Golden Apple snail named Gary. The similarity is amazing. Has he fully extended himself within the past couple of days? If yes, I'd say it's normal as I have witnessed my guy (three years old, in an 81d tank) do the same thing.

Sometimes a PWC can perk him up a bit.

 

[courtnee]

Nope he has not came completely out. I just put him in a gallon bucket with some water so I can watch him today. sheesh this sucks.

he doesnt stink so I know he aint dead at least.

 

[Jchillin]

Good idea. How does his shell look?

 

[courtnee]

His shell is great. Good gold color, no chips or irregular growth. He has very little pin holes on the spiral from before I got him liquid calcium but they are not deep and not many. It stopped right away with the added calcium a few months ago.

 

[SparKy697]

The typical question here, but have you checked your water?

I recently had a scare with my apples. It turns out that they did not like the new tank at all. I checked and nitrite was at .25 and they were freaking out over it. I put them back in the old tank and all is well today. All 4 were doing exactly as you described too.

Just a hunch

 

[courtnee]

Yep tested it this morning. The stats I posted in the first post are from today. Gary is not good with nitrAte if it goes over 20 but it is not at 20, close but not there. Just odd

 

[courtnee]

Well - putting him into his own bucket allowed me to do what I needed to do.

With out him moving around, no food in the bucket, I was able to test it for ammonia. I figure id he is dead there would be a good amount of ammonia after 24hrs.

The vile turned VERY yellow, so to me I am 100% sure now he is gone.

Oh this sucks Gary was so much fun. I do have beautiful pictures oh him.

Miss you Gary!