Why Did My Snail Die?

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

I recently went on vacation. I left a house sitter to watch over my pets. My blue mystery snail was acting funny before I left. I thought it was just hibernation but he was hanging halfway out of his shell before I left and his shell was empty when I came back. the corys were watching him before I left so I think they might have taken the body after he died, but what is the reason he died, old age, or another reason?

 

[saz326]

Maybe he missed you -

Seriously dude - thats a heck of an open ended question.

All manner of things can happen in an aquarium. I take it water stats all test well, and no other inhabitants are acting weird.

Could be something so simple as old age, or something so complicated as bacterial infection. I doubt you will ever know really.

 

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

All the other fish were fine. he had been at the top of the tank for a long time breathing and then came down to die there. It was probably old age because by then he was huge for a snail. Am I allowed to keep his shell in there if his body is almsot completely gone?