# Mystery Snail Help -Urgent-



## Tourmaline (Nov 23, 2015)

I got a Mystery Snail the other day, in great shape shell wise, was very active in the tank. Yesterday, I noticed him/her (haven't sexed it yet) floating around the tank. Upon inspection, it's not dead. It cannot keep itself down. I tried to help it remove air from its shell by holding it upside down under water, but no bubbles came out. I've been helping it onto surfaces when I notice it floating, but it's shell is constantly lifting it up.

Is there anything I can do? I don't want to return it, nor so I want to smell dead snail again any time soon. I'm not sure what's wrong. I assume it's trapped air, but obviously it can't get it out itself, and neither can I, so I don't know what to do.


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## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

I saw this on another board

"They are probably not dead. A dead mystery snail falls out of its' shell. Mystery snails will often float. They suck in too much air and it makes them to buoyant. Mine float for two days at a time sometimes. You can take them out of the water and they will burp sometimes. I have had to tickle mine a few times to get them to burp. I finally just started letting them float. In a day or two they will burp and go back down. Mystery snails are known for going dormant too. They close up and do not move for several days sometimes. The older the snail, the more they do this."

This one does not seem to mind floating


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## Tourmaline (Nov 23, 2015)

I think it's an air regulation issue for him. I did manage to sex him last night when I tried to help him again. He's been floating for about a week now, every time I get some air out he sinks a bit, but then the next time he takes air in through his siphon, he just starts floating again. He's not dormant or anything, he just floats helplessly stuck at the top of the tank while flapping about trying to find something to grab onto. 

I can get air out for him if I scare him into his shell quickly, but that's the only way. And it doesn't let enough out for him to sink properly, he still just gingerly floats down. He's very active despite that, the tank has a lot of plants for him to grab onto so I do see him exploring often until he loses grip and gets pulled to the top again. 

I even managed to get him to completely come out of his shell out of the water and underwater. Completely as in I could see directly into his shell above him. No air bubbles came out. I don't know what to do with him, I don't know if it's intentional or not. He can't really eat anything floating, I cup him in shallow water to eat every day.


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## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

Float plants on top whether they be plastic or real or you can put it in a a smaller tank so he is not swirl around and can cling to the side of the tank.


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