So when is a snail dead?

hispaniola

hispaniola

Member
No, it's not a trick question. It seems that my Mexican Turbo Snails climb up the glass and then jump. They stay on the sand for hours without moving and then all of a sudden they're climbing again. Now, I have a couple that haven't moved in 3 days - one of them is partially under the sand. are they officially dead?
Thank you.
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member
Is something knocking them off?? Put them somewhere else in the tank and see if the same thing happens. I would say they are not "officially dead" until they are being eaten by the clean up critters!!
 
hispaniola

hispaniola

Member
I think they just let go and free fall. They usually land sucker-side up. I flip them shell-side up because there is an arrow head crab that likes to poke everyone - feisty guy, by the way.
I only have 3 blue-legged hermit crabs (one is MIA) and they're all on a rock and haven't come down for days - I haven't seen them hanging around the static snails so it makes me wonder even more if they're alive.
 
bigarn

bigarn

Active Member
Or you can always pick it up and smell it .... Believe me, if it's dead you'll know it. :D
 
hispaniola

hispaniola

Member
The arrowhead crab is poking one the snails and a yellow damsel is poking the other snail. There is no movement. The drama. :confused:
 
jam marine

jam marine

Member
Hispaniola

[hr]
just pick them up an smell,if they are dead ,trust me u will know by the smell,my experience with them is,if your water quality for some reason is not next to perfect they will fall on their backs,until they die,hope this is not the case with yours :happyfish
 
hispaniola

hispaniola

Member
I picked up both snails. i took them put of the water and I see no movement inside. I smelled them and they really didn't smell like anything. I gently squeezed the bottom of one and a bad odor came out - nothing nasty but nothing good either.
If I take them out of the water they shoud definitely move, right? So I guess they are deceased. May they rest in peace.
Thank you all.
 
hispaniola

hispaniola

Member
PH: 8.3
Nitrite: zero
Ammonia: zero
Nitrate: 60ppm
The nitrates is bad, isn't it? 3 out of my 4 turbo snails have perished. I guess I need to make a water change ASAP.
It's difficult to keep nitrates down in my 20gal. tank. and I don't think I over-feed. I will be installing a protein skimmer next week so that should help some.
 
oceana

oceana

Active Member
onyl time i have had snails falling off the glass on there own is when i had a problem with my water and they were weak. consistant water changes and maybe a nice fuge will be the only way to keep a tank that size at 0 nitrates
 
jdreef

jdreef

Member
i have a 15g reef tank and the only nitrate problem was when i over feed and when something died other then the tank is doing well ..... how many fish do you have and how do you filter the water also do you make 10, 15, 25% water change a week?
 
hispaniola

hispaniola

Member
JD, how much and how often do you feed what (what you have in your tank)?
I have 2 damsels, 1 "zebra" fish, 1 arrow-head crab, 1 pistol shrimp, 1 very small bristle star that I haven't seen in 2 weeks, 1 anemone, 1 Mex. turbo snail, 3 blue-legged hermits, one 4lb live rock, 1 feather duster, and a partridge...
Is that too manky folks for a 20gal. It sure is a mouthful to say.
 
jdreef

jdreef

Member
what i feed is the corals and my one fish ............the fish i feed once a day every day and the corals are feed every other day i also have 1in of live sand, 10lb of live rock ,15 turbo snails, 15 hermit crabs 1 maroon clownfish, 1 Leather - Toadstool ,1 Bubble Coral and a Xenia Colony ...........do u want to see a pic of the tank?
 
jdreef

jdreef

Member
Originally Posted by slammy16
Not to be a jerk or anything but, I think a 15gl tank is too small for a maroon clownfish.
for most are all clowns the tank size is not a problem they well do just fine
 
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