Is It Dead?

[Amunet]

I have this apple snail in my 10gal shrimp tank that hasn't come out of its shell in.. I don't know how long.
I know ones we had before, when they died, everything gets a bit loose and starts coming out of the shell, but this one's trapdoor is firmly in place. It does NOT come out and hasn't for at least a week now, probably longer. It also appears to not be growing at all... of course it wouldn't if it's not eating.
There's nothing wrong with the tank. Just cherry shrimp, trumpet snails, ramshorn and another apple snail that's fine.

So is it dead? I'm just hesitant to take it out of the tank b/c I dunno if it's actually dead or not, and I don't want to stress it out more if it's still alive. What should I do?

 

[iSnail]

You won't mistaken the smell if it's dead. Absolutely disgusting I would leave it in if it doesn't smell of anything.

 

[saltynay]

Give it a sniff.

 

[lordofthesea]

give it's 'door' a tap if it moves it's alive. if not, see above.

 

[Amunet]

Ew, lol... now I'm afraid to touch it. Bleh.. I don't wanna sniff it! I tryed getting my husband to do it but he wouldn't! rofl. Dernit.... I'll do it tomorrow... sigh.

Ok so if it's NOT dead, then what should I do?

 

[saltynay]

Put it back in, could just be "hibernating" they do have periods of low activity and greater activity.

 

[OneOnion]

*shiver* that's a reason why I don't want to have apple snails. I heard they STINK when they die.

 

[saltynay]

Everything stinks when it dies it is just snails don't get noticed as being dead for a while so decomposes more then most.

 

[Amunet]

Okedoke, so I finally remembered to take it out.
I sniffed it... and well.. I still can't tell.
I tryed poking it to see if the trapdoor moved any, but it's firmly inside of the shell.

The smell kinda reminded me of a mixture between salt water, maybe a little bit of a rotten tooth smell. I mean not really a decaying smell, ya know, unless that's the way they smell when they die?
It wasn't a strong odor either.
I put it back in to the tank b/c I'm still not sure and would just feel so bad if I threw it out and it was still alive.

 

[iSnail]

I should imagine if it's already dead, the operculum (trap door) will come loose and fall out eventually. It's probably just resting. What temperature are you keeping it? Are there other fish that is bothering it?

 

[Amunet]

It's in a 10gal cherry shrimp tank. 1 other apple snail, 1 ramshorn and a few trumpets along w/ the shrimp.
So nothing really that would bother it I would think. When I first put it in to the tank, it seemed ok, but then it went in to its shell and that's it. Hasn't come out in weeks now.
The tank temp is kept at 78-80F.

 

[Amunet]

Alrighty, I found 1 snail that was def dead in a different tank. Sniffed it and it had the same odor. But this one was obviously dead. The trapdoor was completely gone and it was partially shrivelled in the shell.
I'll keep the unknown one in the tank for a little while longer just to be sure.