Snail dead or dormant - how to know?

[DLHDesign]

I've got a number of snails in my 108gal tank - too many to count. So normally when I find one dead (or more usually an empty shell), I don't worry about it overly much as I figure that my tank can handle it breaking down.

But tonight, while doing a water change, I noticed that one of my larger Turbos was on it's back, totally pulled up into it's shell. When I say "larger", I mean that it's shell is about 2" - makes all but one of my other snails look like some kind of dwarf species...

This guy has gone dormant for days before, but usually on it's side near an edge or stuck to some rock somewhere - never "foot up". All other snails are fine, so it's just this one (unlikely to be a tank problem). I've pulled it out and put it in a filled ziplock bag (along with an ammonia badge) for observation just in case...

Is there a way to tell if the snail is just dormant, or is actually dead?

 

[gashunk]

does it smell like roiting??

 

[DLHDesign]

does it smell like roiting??

Hmm... What expensive gadget do you use to test "smell"? ;-)

No; it does not.

Not sure how long it had been on it's back, really - could have been just minutes, I suppose...

 

[gashunk]

i know when i pulled mine of from being on its back it smelled like it was dead :3

 

[gashunk]

i mean whast the worst you flip it back over it doesnt move for a day or so you just pull it out

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

What expensive gadget do you use to test "smell"? ;-)

A nose.lol
in a smaller tank you can smell it... In the room.

 

[DLHDesign]

i mean whast the worst you flip it back over it doesnt move for a day or so you just pull it out

Normally that's what I'd do, yeah. But this snail has about as much body mass as a small fish. Which, if left in the tank, might cause an ammonia spike that I just don't want to have to deal with. Might not be enough of one to matter, but I'd rather err on the side of caution on something like that...

I'll very likely see no change in the ammonia badge tomorrow and dump him back in.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Normally that's what I'd do, yeah. But this snail has about as much body mass as a small fish. Which, if left in the tank, might cause an ammonia spike that I just don't want to have to deal with. Might not be enough of one to matter, but I'd rather err on the side of caution on something like that...

I'll very likely see no change in the ammonia badge tomorrow and dump him back in.

it not the ammonia spike. It actively releases toxins.
If you can, pull him out and sniff him.

 

[DLHDesign]

I had it in the bag overnight, but saw no ammonia (as you said, @saltyfilmfolks). So I dropped it back in. Within minutes, this was the scene:

Bad news is that I'm down one large snail. Good news is that I don't have to worry about dead snails being around for long enough to worry about...

Nassarius Pile!

 

[David Haldane]

I’ll have you all know through this necropost that I sniffed my snail and it was the worst thing I literally have ever smelled. You should attach a warning to your smelling advice... I nearly died after placing that snail right up to my nose!

 

[Hemmdog]

I’ll have you all know through this necropost that I sniffed my snail and it was the worst thing I literally have ever smelled. You should attach a warning to your smelling advice... I nearly died after placing that snail right up to my nose!

Hahahah