Dormant Snail

[Bugdozer]

Montgomery, one of my assassin snails, has been motionless for about three weeks. He's still alive - he protrudes very slightly from his shell and goes back in if touched - but is not moving at all, except when I deliberately put him on a piece of wood, when he crawled about half an inch then withdrew into the shell and rolled off onto the gravel, where he lay for 3 days on his back. Today I put a prey snail literally right up next to him and he just ignored it totally, even though I'm pretty sure he hasn't eaten for weeks. Is this normal?
Meanwhile Sheldon, the other assassin snail, has not been seen for about the same period of time...

 

[Chad]

Some snails do go dormant but in my experience that's normally associated with a temperature drop. Is the tank's temperature consistent?

 

[Bugdozer]

Yes, the temperature is a steady 25 degrees.

 

[Chad]

Any change in him today?

 

[Bugdozer]

No. I found the other snail, he's crawling about normally. Montgomery is still lying on his back partially out of his shell.

 

[Chad]

I hate to say it but it sounds as if he's going to perish. If he won't eat or move about it's a sign of sickness.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Yes, me too, that seems to happen to mine then one day I peek and the shell is empty. I thought my assassins were dieing off... mine seem to reach a certain size then die... but they have been breeding like crazy and I have AT LEAST 30 babies that I have seen... and they burrow into the gravel and are near impossible to find.

 

[Bugdozer]

OK last night I transferred him to my spare tank and put him right next to a fish biscuit in case he needed food easily - today I can't even see him in his shell! It looks empty. But he must be in it even if he's dead... do you think he is dead?

 

[Chad]

Without seeing him I can only guess, but based on what you have said I am afraid I must conclude he is dead or very near to it. Sorry.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Mine vanish completely without me seeing them. If the shell seems empty, probably is. Sorry.

 

[Animal Lover 2000]

yes an empty shell is considered dead although theres no body
im sorry