astrea snail

[shinobi9119]

astrea snails cant right them selves if they fall over?
This usually leads to them dying, but why? Just from being upside down, or from starvation?
does anybody know?

 

[9supratt4]

You're right....they can't right themselves and it gets quite annoying to keep flipping them over, but they do a great job!!
My guess would be starvation or a predatory fish....but thats my guess.

 

[shinobi9119]

Originally Posted by 9supratt4
http:///forum/post/2655262
You're right....they can't right themselves and it gets quite annoying to keep flipping them over, but they do a great job!!
My guess would be starvation or a predatory fish....but thats my guess.
thank you
I just wanted to make sure that the cause of death wasnt them flipping over, but what happens when they are flipped

 

[alexmir]

They die because your flame hawkfish rips them out of the shell!!!

 

[sueandherzoo]

I was still trying to figure out if this was a joke or if you're all serious but I guess you're serious - snails can't right themselves!?!?!?!? Wow, I really have a LOT to learn. I have many turtles, both aquatic and land, and even THEY can flip back over, and haven't I heard that sometimes snails will adjust their oxygen levels so they can float to the top to get from Point A to Point B quicker? Yet they can't turn themselves off their backs???? Oh my word - one more thing for me to start worrying about and checking for. LOL

 

[scopus tang]

Only the astrea (also sold often simply as turbo snails), and it depends on how they land. In order for them not to be able to right themselves, they have to land completely upside down away from any surface which they can attach to in order to right themselves. In my experience, generally they a picked off by hermit crabs or other predators. They don't die just because they're upside down, so you have some time to discover them and help them right themselves if it happens. As 9supratt4 said, they do an excellent job on some hair algaes as well as diatoms which usually makes them worth the trouble in my opinion.

 

[sueandherzoo]

oh my word - now I feel so bad! When I was looking into my tank this morning I saw one of my snails lying "belly up" under a rock cave but didn't think much of it. When I went home during lunch and was gazing in the tank he was still there. He was alive, antenna were moving, and he even was extending his foot out towards the sand (and also seemed like he had a bunch of sand or debris pieces stuck to his foot) so I figured he knew what he was doing and went about my business. It did make me curious, though, and that is why I'm here at the office checking the forum for snail behavior. Now I find out the poor guy was trying to get up but can't - I feel terrible! I was going to run errands after work but I guess I'm going straight home to try and right this fool. Live and learn! Hope he's ok.