Apple Snail Floating About!

[mattlee]

hi i have 2 apple snails in my tank for about 2 weeks now and today one of them is floating about on the surface of the water!!!! is it dead? it has never done this before, sometimes it kind of free falls down the glass to the bottom but is has always sank. please help as if it is dead then it needs to come out.......

 

[Curiosity101]

It probably isn't dead, they breath air aswell as using their gill. So chances are it's just got a large air bubble inside making it float.

Maybe pick it out and check the trapdoor, if it is closed then the snail is probably still alive. If it is slightly peaking out you could try lightly prodding the snails foot and see if it retracts into the shell.

Alternatively if you pick it out and it really smells then it is probably dead.

 

[mattlee]

just took it out and the door is open slightly and when prodded i got no reaction from it but it doesnt smell. too bad anyway!!!!! i now have it in a jug with tank water in. he seemed fine up until this

 

[Curiosity101]

Dead snails are known for being one of the worst smells in the world, I'm not sure how long it takes for the smell to appear. But I'd put money on it being alive, just dormant.

 

[mattlee]

the snail is alive...... hurray! thanks for your help