PSA: snails can go surfing too

[VR28man]

I'm sure I'm not the first person to experience this, but.........

Just came back from a three week vacation. Tank is fine. However, I did notice that my only large nerite snail is missing. I thought maybe it just went unlocated for a bit (happens to my non-sessile pets - both in the tanks, and the cats - all the time).

But when I did a water change this evening, I looked in back, and found that it had escaped through an opening that was accidentally left open by the house sitter. (the water level was relatively low as well; it had at least 2" of space between the surface of the water and the opening).

I'm gonna put it back into tank water (not the tank!), but I don't expect anything besides an ammonia bump. RIP.

Moral of the story: be sure your tank is well covered for inverts that like to climb up and down the tank........

 

[glb]

I'm sure I'm not the first person to experience this, but.........

Just came back from a three week vacation. Tank is fine. However, I did notice that my only large nerite snail is missing. I thought maybe it just went unlocated for a bit (happens to my non-sessile pets - both in the tanks, and the cats - all the time).

But when I did a water change this evening, I looked in back, and found that it had escaped through an opening that was accidentally left open by the house sitter. (the water level was relatively low as well; it had at least 2" of space between the surface of the water and the opening).

I'm gonna put it back into tank water (not the tank!), but I don't expect anything besides an ammonia bump. RIP.

Moral of the story: be sure your tank is well covered for inverts that like to climb up and down the tank........

Sorry about your snail. I had one almost climb out. FYI if it dies, get it out of the tank ASAP. They smell awful.

 

[VR28man]

Update: as mentioned, I put it into a beeker of tank water, and let it sink to the bottom. I didn't have much hope for it.

Ten minutes later I pass the beeker, and notice that the snail is now OUTSIDE THE BEEKER, almost near the floor, and quite wet. And it put up a pretty good fight to be pulled off the beeker before being put back into the tank.

So this means it can survive quite a bit of time out of water, and be very much alive and hopefully well.

And it seems I didn't remember what the original vendor said about them.............
https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/nerite-snail

 

[glb]

Update: I put it into a beeker of tank water, and let it sink to the bottom. Ten minutes later I pass the beeker, and notice that the snail is now OUTSIDE THE BEEKER, almost near the floor, and quite wet.

So this means it can survive quite a bit of time out of water.

And it seems I didn't remember what the original vendor said about them.............
https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/nerite-snail

That is one hardy snail.