Mystery snail hides

**Duchess44** · 10-05-2011, 01:22 PM

I noticed I haven't seen my snail roaming the sides of the tank in a few days. I tried to find him. I finally found him hiding in a skull decoration way in the back where I could barely see him. I thought he was dead because he has been there for almost two days and hasn't come out that I have seen. In the exact same spot.

So I tried putting an algae wafer in the water. I watched and he did not come out. I moved the decoration and he fell out and I put the food right up against his shell. He finally opened up and ate like he never had anything to eat before. Almost completely engulfing the wafer. There's still a lot of it left, but he had almost all of it under him and he was visibly woofing it. He finished eating and just sat there next to the wafer until I went to bed. Woke up this morning and couldn't find him again.

Found him under another decoration way in the back of it in the dark. I can barely see him. He didn't used to be this way. He was always roaming around on the glass and everywhere in the tank. Now he hides all the time.

Anyone have any ideas what the problem could be? I haven't changed or added new fish. I change my water every week and change the cartridge in the filter two weeks. None of the fish seem to be sick or hurt. They act like they have always acted. Temp and levels are great. I am a little worried about this drastic change in behavior.

He/She did try to lay two clutches of eggs, one of which I didn't find til it was too late and have spent the better part of a month removing baby snails from the sides of my tank. I don't know if that would cause any of this or not but thought I would mention it.

**Duchess44** · 10-06-2011, 12:04 PM

Anyone? I am kind of worried about it. Still in the same spot as yesterday...

**Scrup** · 10-06-2011, 03:38 PM

It can be hard to tell with snails. It could just be resting after laying eggs, or working on making new ones.

He is not hiding from you, if snails hide they just go into their shells. Mine do this from time to time, just seems to bottle up for a few days. At the same time they also do this before they die (from old age).

How old is your snail?

Also, I don't know many males who lay eggs, so its probably a she.

**Duchess44** · 10-06-2011, 04:05 PM

Well it can't be eggs because I only have the one now. Not sure which one layed the eggs, so I don't know which one I got rid of so I don't know which one this is..male or female. I just say "he" to make it easier. Gave the other away after the egg thing. Which was months ago. Not sure how old he is I got him at Petsmart. Is there a way to tell? I have had him for about 4-5 months.

**Scrup** · 10-07-2011, 02:46 AM

If you cut him in half you can count the rings.

Joking..there isn't a good way I know of to tell the age of a snail.
I didn't realize you had two before, that would make sense.

I would check on him every day or two and give him the sniff test if he goes more than 2 days without showing any activity at all. Smell him. You'll know if he passed.