Apple snail got the betta :(

[HeatherSweetness]

I was lucky enough to look over in my ten gallon with the tetras and betta and saw him with his head PINCHED between the apple snail's shell and trap.

I guess he was pecking at the snail and she slammed shut on him,and mind you this is my huge female apple snail that is about the size of my fist and it took every ounce of strength to pull her open and get my poor betta out. I nearly smashed her against the entertainment center because i couldn't get it open,but the snail didn't try to kill it it was just reacting to the pecking. I got him out,and he was nearly pinched in half. The snail wasn't hurt,I chipped her shell a little around the edges a little but she's still clamped shut. He has no scales on either side,no skin just exposed muscle. I have him quarantined treating him for the open wounds,but I don't know if he's going to make it. He was under some extreme force from that huge snail. It's the sky blue betta in my sig. Poor guy.

 

[juliethegr8t]

Oh my GOSH Heather!!! What a freak accident!!! That's awful, I'm so sorry to hear it. I hope he makes it, and I'm glad to hear you found him before he drowned. Guess that will teach fish to mess with a giant snail!

 

[Synirr]

Wow, that's one of the most bizarre things I've ever heard of!
I hope he makes it!! I guess it just goes to show that now matter how safe you think your tank might be, you can't think of everything...

 

[Gill]

hope he pulls through heather. terrible freak accident.

 

[White Whale]

The size of your fist?!

 

[Loopyness]

poor betta, get better soon dude!! And this will teach you not to play with the snail again!!

 

[jams.alaskan]

OH my!
And I'm sure you do EVERYTHING to make sure your little guys are safe and happy - Who Knew???

ALASKA
Here's hoping for a full recovery!
In my line of work (special education) we try to use the "natural consequences" tool with our kids to teach life/safety skills. Of course this is highly supervised and structured without the childs knowledge. Sounds like "blue" has just had a course in the proper handeling of an apple snail...

 

[HeatherSweetness]

The size of your fist?!

Yea,she's a monster. She weighs over a pound. If I knew they got that huge I would have never gotten them. Took everything I had to pry her trap open and get that betta out.

Here's hoping for a full recovery!
In my line of work (special education) we try to use the "natural consequences" tool with our kids to teach life/safety skills. Of course this is highly supervised and structured without the childs knowledge. Sounds like "blue" has just had a course in the proper handeling of an apple snail...

LOL I hope this taught him a valuable lesson...Do not peck at the giant apple snail.

On the high note,blue betta is still alive and doing good. I'd say he went from critical (swimming around in circles head down ) to fair condition. He ate a little bit,that's ALWAYS good. lol He's horizontal today,swimming around well. I just figured some of his internal organs may have been smushed to bits,but he looks like he may pull through allright.

I already ordered his own tank. LOL No more bettas in the community tank.

 

[MAM]

*looking at my apple snails in a whole new way *

yikes!!! hope he pulls through

 

[William]

My applesnail got my pleco on the nose!! I hoped it would come out naturally but after a day it had not and so like yourself I took action, I got the pleco free and his nose was very very red, I really worried if he would pull through, but he managed to!! Best of luck with your betta!!

 

[Pointy_kitty]

wow,
i was just out and contemplating buying an apple snail!
maybe i should rethink?
how is she other than the crushing of your fish???

and how long did it take her to get that big?

i'm so sorry about the betta
he was breathtaking
best of luck with his recovery

 

[HeatherSweetness]

wow,
i was just out and contemplating buying an apple snail!
maybe i should rethink?
how is she other than the crushing of your fish???

and how long did it take her to get that big?

Apple snails are good,it's just the pecky fish who want to try to eat it. I got her about 5 months ago and she was the size of a golfball,not big at all. She got huge fast. The male is a little smaller than she is but he's pretty big,too. My blue ones don't grow as fast as the gold ones do,and I'm not complaining.

She's just fine now,crawling around crapping all over my tank as usual. LOL

 

[wuvmybetta]

crawling around crapping all over my tank as usual. LOL

No Kidding!

I never knew snails crapped so much until I got some apple snails, I was a little shocked Sadly my para plec could crack their shells open with ease, much to my clown loaches delight

Poor little betta, I bet that was an alarming sight to see, good thing you found him in time!

 

[Samage]

Maybe you don't have to get a new tank for the betta...

...l'escargot a la garlic, anyone?

 

[Annastasia]

Maybe you don't have to get a new tank for the betta...

...l'escargot a la garlic, anyone?