I dicovered a dead snail today, should I get him out

[kyarnkid]

I found a dead snail today, I think one of my hermits got him, he was without one eye. Unless he is a pirate. Anyway I want to keep his shell but, I do not like having his dead body in it. Should I just get rid of him shell and all? How can I keep the shell?

 

[thewolfman777]

i would get him out. decaying fish/food will throw off your water chemistry, unless ofcourse it has already become fish food.

 

[thewolfman777]

i would get him out. decaying fish/food will throw off your water chemistry, unless ofcourse it has already become fish food.

 

[kris walker]

If the hermits are not enough to consume his body right away, then get it out. Otherwise, it will give the hermits a good meal.
sam

 

[sinner's girl]

I leave small creatures in there, and let them take care of it. But if there is more then the hermits can eat, after they eat some, take it out, let it dry in the sun (or i think you can boil it?) and you can keep the shell and put it back in the tank. I never worried about taking snails out. But if you have shrimp or craps that are senstive to nitrate (nitrites?-i always mix them up) then you might want to take the snail out so it doesn't mess with your tank.
Chances are the hermits didn't kill him, the snail fell over or died and then the hermits ate him...at least i've never had a hermite stright up kill a snail.

 

[dburr]

You are worried about 1 snail in a 55 gal?
Your crabs will eat it, if they don't all the other worms and bugs will.
I had a snail die last week by morning it was completly gone- not a trace but a empty shell.
HTH

 

[ocellaris_keeper]

agree with debuur - gives the hermits something else to eat besides human prepared food. I lost my scooter blenny (he wouldn't eat) and woke up with fish bones - nermits devorued him.
I lose snails all the time. It's part of the cycle of life (disney)

 

[whipitboy]

i had a guy at a fish store tell me once that snails are highly toxic if not removed quickly