Snails coming out of their shells and still living.

WRAragon

WRAragon

Rene
Jan 29, 2009
104
0
16
Mississippi
www.myspace.com
So My 55 gallon guppy/snail tank's water line has dropped and I noticed a few of my new mystery snails crawling above the water. I was hoping for a clutch but found something rather odd instead. I came home from work today to find 2 mystery snails completely out of their shells and still moving. I was amazed so I videoed the shelless snail and took pictures.
Here they are. If anyone has had this experiece or has any idea why the snails are doing this please fill me in any information that you have.
Here they are.

Picture

100_1302.jpg





VIDEO
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy153/WRAragon/100_1302.jpg
 
Do you mean their shells are not attached any more at all? I can't really tell from the picture and the video didn't work. If that's the case then it's bad news :( It pretty much means the muscles has detached from the shell and it can't really be fixed. I've only seen it happen once and it's not pretty. It would best to euthanize.
 
apple snails that are shell-less will not live long. the muscles that attach the body to the inside of the shell, from what i've read, are also the muscles that assist the snail in using it's 'lung' to breath surface air.

i agree with blue2fyre, euthanization is probably the most humane thing to do now.
 
I know for sure there is one still living. 2 others have died after living momentraily. I wil try to load the video again. How do I euhenize. I feel bad for them and I agree that is the best to do as well.
 
take a tupperware container and fill it about halfway with water. put it in the freezer until an ice crust forms. punch a hole in the ice and drop the snail in. death should be nearly instantaneous.
 
Also, check your water params with a good test kit, not the strips. Make sure your water has enough calcium for the snails as well. For your remaining snails, make snello with calcium in it. I have never seen this before but I agree about euthanasia. So sorry about the snails, I know it sucks to lose them. Hope the remaining ones stay in their shells.

Maribeth
 
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