Black Mystery Snail broken shell?

**SuzyFed** · 12-05-2012, 10:55 PM

I have a black mystery snail, I've had her for about 2 months and the past couple of days she hasn't been doing anything. I have another yellow mystery snail and he's very active and travels all over the tank. But Harriet, the black snail just sits at the bottom with her foot half way out. I noticed yesterday she had some weird yellow, soft spot on her shell. I've attached pictures. Is the shell broken on the inside?

My two snails mated recently, so I was thinking it might be her eggs? Is it normal for them to be pretty much lifeless when they are pregnant?

**Tiari** · 12-05-2012, 11:08 PM

Does the snail, if held to the nose, smell? if it does, it could be dead. Another test is to place it in a plastic shallow container, dry, and see if she starts to move to find water. If she doesn't do so within 15 minutes or so, its likely, the snail is gone.

The indentation looks like a pretty well entrenched soft shell spot, which can come from a lack of enough calcium. Also near the end of the shell at the opening, it looks like it is malformed or cracked, causing an insufficient seal when the trap door shuts.

**SuzyFed** · 12-05-2012, 11:18 PM

She's not dead, when I pick her up she pulls back into her shell. Is she fixable? And what is that soft yellowish pink stuff on her side?

**Tiari** · 12-06-2012, 12:32 PM

I am not certain what the pink is, to be honest I can't see it well in the pictures.

As long as the snail is alive and well, feed some foods that contain a lot of calcium. Spinach comes to mind, you can use frozen rinsed, or fresh that is blanched quickly in boiling water on a veggie clip, or tied to a rock and sunk into the tank.

If snails are provided enough calcium in their diet, they can rebuild their shells. Also check your pH, if it is very low and acidic, that's hell on snail shells.

**Goes to 11!** · 12-06-2012, 01:24 PM

For the cheapest calcium source you can get IMO.

Go to the bird section of your local petstore and get a 2$ cuttlefish bone. Put it in your tank and the snails will literally graze on it. It will float initially but in a few days it will sink.

**SuzyFed** · 12-10-2012, 09:03 PM

the snail isn't dead. She pulls her foot up when I touch her, but shes been laying in the same spot for the past 3 days. She's over on her side with her foot partially out.
My snails mated last week, do you think shes making eggs? Is it normal for them to be pretty much lifeless when they are making eggs?