Want a snail but don't know much about them.

Tetras_Rule33 said:
what happened to the Post pictures of your fish thread?
Click to expand...
I think it got moved to General Topics?

glad to hear he "came out of his shell" :D Also, tmtpowers can help you sex it (tell whether it's a female or male). It has something to do with the shell shape, I have no idea :huh: because my snails are hermaphrodites (both male and female in one body).
 
Actually easiest way (and most accurate way) is to take a peak into the shell. Wait until he/she gets to know you a little first. You take them out of the tank and hold them to where they would be looking down. This will get him/her to come out quicker but can take 5-10 minutes. Once out slowly tilt the snail back to where you are looking at the opening of the shell (on the inside, at the top on the left side). Wait until your snail is all the way out and trying to reach your fingers to right him/herself up. A boy looks like this:
100_5502.jpg

100_5500.jpg

And female looks like this:
100_5481.jpg


Notice the missing pink? Well I won't go into detail but you should get the picture by now. I've noticed that dark footed snails are much more difficult to sex vs. the white footed. Those pictures are of large snails however the smaller mystery snails are the same except any equipment that indicates a boy is a bit smaller LOL

Pictures are complements of Rainbow Snails as I just don't think I am talented enough to take a picture while holding a slimy snail LOL.
 
Well my snail just died. I looked in the tank about an hour ago and saw him just floating at the top and being pushed down by the filter, over and over again. But I am too scared to get rid of it because I can't say I am 100% sure that he is dead. But 99% sure I am. A little of his body is out of the shell but not moving, and I know its not normal for it to float so I am assuming he is dead. I just don't understand. I think it was the filter, cause my mom saw him on the filter the other day and it looked like he was stuck on it and was almost coming out of his shell so my mom turned down the filter and he fell off. Is that what could of killed him. Maybe he did that today, and I didn't see him, and that could of killed him. I'm just so upset right now, it totally ruined by day.

During the two weeks I had him, he was always moving and sucking against the sides, and could see his little mouth eating and stuff, he moved quite a bit.
 
Before you toss him (if you haven't yet) take him out of the tank and touch his skin if still hanging out. If he doesn't pull himself back into his shell, well you have a dead boy. It isn't uncommon for a snail to just float around even while hanging out of their shell. I have one that loves to do this for long periods. Longest I've seen her do it is near 24 hours! I've heard of longer though. So check to be sure he/she is dead before tossing. If you have tossed him/her, if its possible to find it, it could very well still be alive. A snail can go up to a week, sometimes more, out of the water.
 
HE WAS ALIVE! THAT IS CRAZY, I ALMOST THREW HIM IN THE GARBAGE! I ALMOST KILLED IT! Well he was floating and I thought he just died for sure. I took him out with the net and brought him down, and I didn't even bother touching it. I placed him on kleenex and asked my mom what I should do with it. And she just said Put him back in the tank, maybe he isn't even dead, and I thought, "Oh god maybe he isn't." So I put him back in the tank in the net and left the net in the tank as well. I went downstairs for about 20 minutes and came back up, and he was on the glass moving. That is insane, I almost threw him in the garbage. Though he could of still been alive because I would of read that post and would of tried to get him out but still, I am so happy.
 
k now he is dead. For the last 2 days he was in the same place not moving at all and this morning he was in a different area upside down dead looking. I don't understand snails at all. Its sad because i liked the guy.
 
oh, I'm sorry too. It's a shame especially since you did so much research and preparation before you got it. Hopefully your next snail endeavor will go better. I also have found snails to be very hardy, close to impossible to kill. Maybe you got a bad one or something that was already sick?
 
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