Why is trochus snail flipping itself upside down?

[nim6us]

I usually can find the answer on Google, but there's so many results about trochus flipping themselves over to right themselves. My issue is this snail keeps flipping itself on it's back (shell). I'll flip him the right way around and he'll thrash around like he's upside down, until he is! It's been two days, and I right him each time I walk by the tank, but sure enough he's intentionally flipping himself upside down!

Anyone have a clue?

I mean in this hobby I assume all odd behavior means he's about to die, LOL! But I hope that's not the case.

 

[Tahoe61]

Is it on the sand or rock? If sand move it to the rocks.

 

[nim6us]

Yeah I had the same thought, it was happening on the sand so moved him to the rocks, same thing. Weird!!

 

[nim6us]

The snail is still doing it! I feel like if I just leave him on his back he'll die. But it's maddening to right him only to find later that day and he's flipped himself over.

 

[canadianeh]

I recently had a nerith snail who keeps falling down and can't right himself. After a week, he didn't come out from his shell and died. Nerith can right themselves but mine didn't want to do it. The rest of the nerith is fine.

 

[Ulm_nano_diybudgetreef]

I recently had a nerith snail who keeps falling down and can't right himself. After a week, he didn't come out from his shell and died. Nerith can right themselves but mine didn't want to do it. The rest of the nerith is fine.

How interesting, maybe that's their way of expressing they r not well like typical sick behavior.

@nim6us sorry, no idea.

I always tell my niece their back is itchy

 

[nim6us]

UPDATE

Just for anyone who finds this thread later, I eventually gave up flipping him over constantly. I'd flip him over in the morning and then let him stay on his back until the next day. Then flip him again in the morning. This went on for several weeks, and then one morning he didn't need flipped over! He stayed in that spot for about 3 days, thinking he was dead I went to pluck him out and give him the sniff test. Surprisingly he had suctioned on and didn't want to be removed so I again let him be. After another day or so he slowly began back to cleaning the tank as per normal.

I guess the takeway is I'm not sure if I left him on his back he'd eventually die, or maybe he'd have gotten stressed and flipped himself back. However I'd like to think that I saved his little life. ;Nurse

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

He probably just needs a software update....

 

[Crabby48]

Interesting. Maybe it was sleepy and likes to sleep on his back. I don’t worry about snails anymore I let life find it’s way

 

[Syntax1235]

Resurrecting an old thread.

I have some young trochus snails doing the same thing. Such an odd behavior. I have them in qt and they flip themselves on their backs whether on sand, glass, or rocks. I have flipped them over only to find them on their backs later. I don’t have time to keep flipping them. Annoying.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this behavior?

 

[RabidDragon]

some parasitic infections cause the infected animal to behave oddly which typically includes increasing its chances of being eaten.... just a thought.

 

[Alexraptor]

I've actually observed trochus snails dropping from the glass as a defensive move. In particular if i cast a sudden shadow over them, or spook them with a flashlight at night. They just simply let go and free fall, which usually results in them landing on their backs.

 

[Syntax1235]

I just put them in qt last night, so maybe they will settle down and act more normally in a day or two?