Is this a sign of imminent snail death?

[cideon]

My snail (one Colonel Henry Blake, in Radar's tank - Radar being my plakat betta) is acting rather different than usual. This past week everything's seemed normal, with Col. Blake rooting around as always for food nibblets. I did a weekly 50% WC yesterday morning, and then last night before going to work, I noticed he was floating at the water level. Sometimes I've sen him do that, but only for maybe 20-30 seconds, then he'd spit out some bubbles and drop. I had to run, so didn't check much. This morning, when I got home, he was still floating, and I took him out since his foot was a bit open and I thought he was dead. No smell though, and when I poked at a little of his fleshy bits, he started to try to go inside his shell (but it was not his normal reaction). I put him back in the tank for now, but I'm worried... When I get up for work this evening, will he likely have passed? Did he all ready die, and that was just a reflex thing? Is this some kind of snail "gas" that will clear itself up? Radar is acting like normal, and I haven't changed either of their diets. Tank temp is 78, and has been cycled. Because of WC yesterday, water parameters are: 0 ammonia (possibly false; I use Seachem Prime, but with API water testers); 0 Nitrite, 0 Nitrate.

[Brhino]

my apple snail has been a floater for months and months now. Sometimes he climbs down the glass or a decoration, but he can't go on the gravel because he'll float back up to the top and take a few bits of gravel he was clinging to with him. Doesn't seem to be affecting his livelihood, though.

[mermaidwannabe]

I had trapdoor snails, and I was always concerned when they didn't move around for long periods of time, but laid on the substrate with their doors shut tight. Even when veggie pellets were fed regularly, the snails often didn't respond.

I finally quit trying to keep snails because somehow I just can't get enough calcium inside my tank to keep their shells from deteriorating, and I don't want to alter the pH, which is stable at 7.5.

Watch your snail closely. If he shows no sign of life, remove him from the tank and place him in a separate container of tank water. Continue feeding him, but watch him there. If he starts to behave normally again, you can put him back into the tank. If not, I would just leave him out and take care of him separately, changing his water regularly as you would on your tank.

When in doubt, remove. A dead snail can contaminate an aquarium pretty quickly.

-- mermaidwannabe

[Johny]

I am rather curious about this too. We have an apple snail that was rather lively until this morning. My wife found him tumbling in the current from our filter (yes it is a bit strong, but we have rocks stacked in front to break the current).

She moved him to the far corner but he just continues to float. I don't think he is dead cause he will poke a little of his body/foot out of his shell.

Is he always going to be a floater now?

[ekfishlover2011]

my snail today has been sitting on bottom mostly in his shell not moving, but he goes in further if u poke him. I think he may be fine though, maybe something spooked him. We'll see tomorrow...