I recently had an invasion of hydra in our 10 gal tank where we have yellow and tiger shrimp. We treated the hydra with Fenbendazole and after reading that it is not nerite snail friendly, we removed the snails ( 2 horned nerites and 2 zebra) from the aqurarium and into a 5 gal tank. They did not move much and were often on their back but their body was out. I check if they were alive daily for 3-4 days which they are because they move their bodies and get back into the shell and close. Now the water in the 5 gal was room temp and after 3-4 days we figured it might be better if they get back into the heated 10 gal aquarium which has had a 50% water change done and also a 20% change done recently and a new charcoal media. They are alive but they seem not to ba able to move forward or stick to the glass properly. We bought 2 zebra's yesterday to see what they would do and they looked fine but today thay were not moving much and one was stuck to the same spot in the glass all day. We are new to aquariums and understand that snails are very particular but I wanted to know if these snails are doomed or if they can still be saved. Anyone ever have this type of problem?
Nerite snail problems
- Thread starter meister1981
- Start date
It's POSSIBLE that if you still have traces of the fenbendazole in the tank it is harming them. It affects them slowly from what I understand. But, I'm almost doubtful that has much to do with it since you have done the water changes and have charcoal in the filter. Keep in mind that nerite snails are extremely lazy. I have quite a few that stick to the same spot on the glass or driftwood for days without ever going anywhere. Also, snails, like other aquarium critters, may need an adjustment period when they are moved around a lot or brought home to a new tank, so some of it could be them just getting adjusted to the new digs bot for the ones you QT'd and moved back and for the new snails. I could be wrong, but to me it sounds like a combination of typical nerite lazy behavior and new adjustment. The only thing I don't understand is that you said the original snails can't stick to the glass properly. What does that mean? Good luck with them. 
well the Qt'd snails I moved back didn't lay flat and stick or have proper suction to move around. in the QT'd tank they were almost 95% or the time on their back but sticking out of the shell but when I turned them over they would go back on their back. Now since being moved back to the proper tank, I got one to stick to the glass with help but it fell off a few times like if it didn't know how to move anymore. they move their body around but it's like they don't know how to move properly anymore.
I agree with Ashes2ashes. They're probably just adjusting to changing water conditions. I've kept Nerites sucessfully and have noticed some bizarre behavior from them when introuduced to a new environ. The only thing to really watch out for is if they recess into their shell for really long periods of time. Like a week or so. Good luck!