# Not sure if this is the right category.... I need help with my snail. :(



## breeglet (Jan 20, 2013)

Hey everyone.

A few days ago I noticed my nerite getting real inactive and it looked like the body inside the shell had swollen, or something along those lines. I now have reason to believe I'm looking at a collapsed mantle or something similar. The fact she has been alive for almost a week with this tells me it may not be fatal and can be treated or mended, but obviously I'm a novice at this and there isn't a lot of information on the internet related to snail injuries.

Params are ammonia, nitrite, nitrate 0. 7.6 pH. 77 temp stable. I dose flourish excel, comprehensive, iron & equilibrium for calcium supplement. I don't notice any severe erosion or issues with the shell, only the body.

Sometimes she oozes some white goop (shown in second image). I don't know what this is. It looks like snot.

I do have a very very minor pond snail (or some snail) infestation from plants. I only ever see 2-3 crawling around at any given time, and I never let them get bigger than the size of a.... tiny toenail before picking them out. I read that certain strains of snails like to crawl into bigger snails and eat them from the inside out. I don't see any indication of this being the case but if there are opinions I would like to hear them.

Here are the photos:

image 1
image 2

Those were from Friday. This morning she isn't hanging around the water line anymore and is down near her usual spot in the corner, and when she's underwater it looks kind of worse. I will upload more photos once my roommate wakes up and I can turn some lights on.

I'd really like some help. I know she's "just a snail" but I love her.


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## breeglet (Jan 20, 2013)

Ok I really need help now... 

I came back from my outing with my roomie (she is returning to Japan tomorrow) and Ruthie is now on her back on the floor of the tank, oozing white stuff.

image

I'm preparing a shallow QT tank... about 2 inches deep. With API stress coat and Kordon's Fish Protector... She is still alive, retracts at movement. Pleeeaaasseee help!


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I have know idea. Parasites maybe? Snails react horribly to most fish meds, so I would qt him and keep his water super duper clean.


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## sunlight (Apr 24, 2012)

omg your snail so cute. I never had a snail , now i really want one. 
I just saw your previous post about betta. I think your betta died and might had columnaris. So any fish that you will put in that tank will probably get sick. So i was wondering if your snail in the same tank and it the reason that he might be sick.
I think you really need to start over with that tank and disinfect everything .


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## breeglet (Jan 20, 2013)

Well... thanks. I'm going to have to get a hold of some potassium permanganate sometime so I can dip the plants... I guess for the substrate I can just add some more eco complete from my bags. Java moss can just... be bought again. My anubias are my pride and joy though. 

Ruthie is in the QT tank and still alive... she can fully retract (as she did when I poked her to check if she was still alive). I'm going away for the day so I'll probably leave some seaweed in there for her to munch on. She moves... likes to be near the heater.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Seems like a lot you are putting into the tank. The Flourish Comprehensive is basically a fancy chemical for sea salt.. which salt can kill snails. 

The Equilibrium is used when people use RO water or bottled water for the mineral supplement. If you are using (the recommended) tap water, then this is not needed.

Flourish Excel is fine.. I use that, along with fish waste + flake food for fertilizer. 

I would just keep it in clean water (water conditioner only) and see how it does. I can't tell you what is going on with it exactly..


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## registereduser (Jul 30, 2010)

Myates said:


> Seems like a lot you are putting into the tank. The Flourish Comprehensive is basically a fancy chemical for sea salt.. which salt can kill snails.


since this is a nerite snail the salt will not hurt it.


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## registereduser (Jul 30, 2010)

This happened to my snail! One morning I saw a similar white thing come out of my snail.. It recovered quickly and hasn't happened again as far as I know. I think it was a parasite?

here are the pics:

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=119154


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## breeglet (Jan 20, 2013)

Nerites breed in brackish waters, it won't hurt them. The water in Washington is some of the softest water in the world, with practically zero calcium content - Ruthie used to be dormant before I started adding equilibrium.

I've just got her in shallow qt with some seaweed tied down. She seems to be fking better.  thanks for the responses.


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