Can snails survive out of water?

[maronov]

I have some Ramshorn snails in my tank, most of which hang out among my plants. The population is small and I enjoy that natural look it brings to the aquarium. Anyways, I have to make some changes in my tank which will require removing the plants for ~15 minutes. Will this kill the snails or can they survive without being underwater?

[webcricket]

They should be okay for that period of time, they'll just retract back into the shell a bit to preserve moisture.

[fishcatch22]

yeah, they'll be fine.

[jeffs99dime]

i had a apple snail that found his way out of one of my old tanks that was on the floor for atleast 2 hours and survived! i think you will be fine

[TipStylez]

Do snails even breath? Guessing the major thing to worry about is keeping their skin wet, but they have slime.

[NeonFlux]

i had a apple snail that found his way out of one of my old tanks that was on the floor for atleast 2 hours and survived! i think you will be fine

Wow thats amazing. 2 hours!!! x_x

[Mgamer20o0]

i always see snails in my tank out of the water. no idea how long they stay like that but i always hit them back down into the tank.

[fishcatch22]

Wow thats amazing. 2 hours!!! x_xin their natural environment, apple snails must survive for weeks in damp mud during the dry season, and can live for a week or two out of water in the home, depending on species.

[jeffs99dime]

Wow thats amazing. 2 hours!!! x_x

yeah, i was pretty amazed

[jeffs99dime]

in their natural environment, apple snails must survive for weeks in damp mud during the dry season, and can live for a week or two out of water in the home, depending on species.

i did not know that when it happened. later on i found out. thanks though

[aardvark1]

Had one I was missing for a couple days, found him behind the tank. Dropped him in and after a hour started moving around the tank again.

Apple Snails have both lungs and gills, breathe in or out of water.

[hc8719]

apple snails have lungs and maybe gills? others only have gills and some only lungs

[CaitxSith]

i think the apple snails only have lungs... i THINK.

my snail goes to the surface and it looks like he skims the surface of the water... ever since my protein layer on the surface disappeared :confused:

[RoseFishWatcher]

Applesnails have both lungs and gills. (One on each side).

From applesnail.net
"A typical adaptation of apple snails is the combination of a branchial respiration system comparable with the gills of a fish (at the right side of the snail body) and a lung (at the left side of the body). This lung/gill combination expands the action radius of the snail in search for food. "

There is a thick tube/tentacle they have that they aim for the surface of the water with (it's actually light sensitive - you can confuse them with the tank light off and a flashlight). This is to bring air to the lung. Sometimes you don't see this if they position their body very close to the surface when they use it.

The reason they don't use it all the time is because they also have a gill.

In species that lay eggs above water (many do, including the common "mystery snail") the female must spend time above the water to lay eggs.

This is a pic of mine laying her eggs.
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2876/copyofdscn0051pk7.jpg

[Mr SnailZ]

Ramshorn snails will be fine out of water for days as long as they are kept moist. I ship my snails in minimal amounts of water and have had them survive for up to 3 weeks (the post office misrouted them!!!).

Just to clear things up, ramshorn snails are not in the applesnail family.

[bettagurl]

yea,your snails should be fine ;)
my pond snail some how ended up two rooms over from my fish room...completely dry but I put him back in the tank and he came out after about 5 mins :D