# HELP! I think I poisoned my snail!



## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

So the long and short of it is...I accidentally bought Seachem's Reef Plus instead of Prime. I've been adding Seachem's Reef Plus into Comet's tank for about two or three days. Comet has been fine up until today. I left at about 1pm and his water was clear, he was snailing up the side of the tank, doing his usual. I came back into my room where the tanks are to see Comet suspended almost at the top of the water, like floating, but not quite out of the water. 

His water was SO cloudy, had an oily kinda film on the top, had particles floating throughout it, and it smelled disgusting. I can't even describe the smell. It's like something rotted inside the tank. I immediately scooped him out and did a 100% water change (I know those aren't good, but I panicked...and didn't take pictures of the tank first either). 

I threw the gravel out that was inside his tank, because no matter how many times I rinsed it, it smelled like death. Right now his tank is completely bare. And he is just stuck to the tank wall on the bottom. Not climbing like he usually does. Just there. 

Did the copper in the Reef Plus hurt him? 

I created another post because I also used this in my betta tank. Seachem Reef Plus...


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

Comet is still alive. I went to the LPS today and they recommended API's Stress Coat. So I am going to try that tonight. Fingers crossed. Comet's not moving much...


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> I went to the LPS today and they recommended API's Stress Coat


Of course they did, and it wont do a thing to help the snail.



> Did the copper in the Reef Plus hurt him?


Time will tell, but copper is no good for snails.


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## kitkat67 (Mar 10, 2015)

If he was floating then he had too much air in his shell. You may have to manually release it.


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

NickAu said:


> Of course they did, and it wont do a thing to help the snail.
> 
> Really?  He even went to ask somebody because he "wasn't sure." I don't know how to help Comet, but I hope the Stress Coat won't hurt him on top of everything else I've done to him!


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

I do not use the stuff so have no idea.


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

kitkat67 said:


> If he was floating then he had too much air in his shell. You may have to manually release it.


Before I took Comet out of the tank, he sank back down to the bottom, so I figured if he did have air, he was okay then?


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## kitkat67 (Mar 10, 2015)

I've read your post more carefully. My mystery snails (I have 17) are sometimes stuck to the glass for hours and hours and then thy cruse around, "sleep" some more. The oily film is a biofilm. Normal if you have no filter to move surface water around. Also that smell could be from rotting food if you were overfeeding him. Algae wafers and vegetable smell horrible after a few days, in excess.


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

I just replied to your other post, With ammonia at 2.0 no wonder your snail is trying to get out of the water.


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## kitkat67 (Mar 10, 2015)

AstrosMom said:


> Before I took Comet out of the tank, he sank back down to the bottom, so I figured if he did have air, he was okay then?


Yeah, they can release it themselves but sometimes need a little help. If you find him floating for a long time, if he's alive, you gently hold him, and push on his trapdoor with your thumb. Gently, but with a bit of pressure, underwater, and bubbles should escape from his trapdoor.


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

NickAu said:


> I just replied to your other post, With ammonia at 2.0 no wonder your snail is trying to get out of the water.


The ammonia in the betta tank is 2.0 - its a 10g. The snail isn't in that tank.


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

You need to bring that down.


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

kitkat67 said:


> I've read your post more carefully. My mystery snails (I have 17) are sometimes stuck to the glass for hours and hours and then thy cruse around, "sleep" some more. The oily film is a biofilm. Normal if you have no filter to move surface water around. Also that smell could be from rotting food if you were overfeeding him. Algae wafers and vegetable smell horrible after a few days, in excess.


I give him algae wafers, I guess I'm not cleaning them up well enough? It was hard to get all the dissolved wafer out of the gravel with a turkey baster. I've tried to give him carrot shreds. He doesn't eat them. 



kitkat67 said:


> Yeah, they can release it themselves but sometimes need a little help. If you find him floating for a long time, if he's alive, you gently hold him, and push on his trapdoor with your thumb. Gently, but with a bit of pressure, underwater, and bubbles should escape from his trapdoor.


He blew bubbles when he sank to the bottom.


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

NickAu said:


> You need to bring that down.


I've been trying for days with wc and water conditioner. I read a thread on here that ammonia spikes when the tank is cycling, I figured that's what the tank was doing and it would convert soon. 

I guess I'll need to do a bigger water change tomorrow. How much would you recommend? I've been doing 2.5 gallons/day.


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## kitkat67 (Mar 10, 2015)

AstrosMom said:


> He blew bubbles when he sank to the bottom.


Good! That is a well-functioning snail!

They produce a lot of poo and the wafers and veggies definitely are what caused the smell.


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> I guess I'll need to do a bigger water change tomorrow. How much would you recommend? I've been doing 2.5 gallons/day.



First I think you need to get a bottle of Seachem Prime, and add 4 drops per gallon, 2 drops per gallon deals woth ammonia readings up to 1.0, I also think you should change at least 70% of the water like now, and you will need daily water changes until you get zero ammonia readings. You will also need to use Prime every day when you change water.

Also just to be sure test your tap water for ammonia.


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

kitkat67 said:


> Good! That is a well-functioning snail!
> 
> They produce a lot of poo and the wafers and veggies definitely are what caused the smell.


I'm still worried because he's in his shell more than he was before the Reef Prime was added. Do you think he's okay?


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

NickAu said:


> First I think you need to get a bottle of Seachem Prime, and add 4 drops per gallon, 2 drops per gallon deals woth ammonia readings up to 1.0, I also think you should change at least 70% of the water like now, and you will need daily water changes until you get zero ammonia readings. You will also need to use Prime every day when you change water.
> 
> Also just to be sure test your tap water for ammonia.


Okay, I will do another wc. Add Prime, and check the water tomorrow when I get up instead of waiting all day. (I usually do my water changes around 11pm. So one hour ago.)


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