# Is my Nerite Snail dead?



## SalmonLeo

So I bought a nerite snail for my betta tank this afternoon, but I'm wondering if they gave me a dead one. He hasn't come out of his shell or latched onto the glass at all--he's completely retracted. Also, he stinks, but I don't know if that's just how snails smell or if it means he's departed this life. I made sure to put him the right way up because I've heard they can't turn themselves over, and I've heard that it's normal for them not to move around for a while as they get acclimated, but is it normal for them not even to put their foot out at all?
Thanks!


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## AccaliaJay

How long has it been since you seen movement? Did it move during transporting it from the shop? I got three black racer nerite snails and they moved within the first hour of putting them in the tank.


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## SalmonLeo

*No Movement*

I haven't seen any movement at all. I bought him around 11:00 this morning, brought him home, floated him in the bag for 15 minutes or so, then put him in the tank, but he hasn't done anything. I remember when I got my first nerite snail a while ago he had already latched onto the bag when I got him home and I had to pull him off to get him in the tank, but this one seems totally unresponsive.


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## AccaliaJay

Wow still no movement? I think it's probably safe to say it's not alive.


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## kitkat67

Use a needle or pin to gently pry open his door. If you can't, he might be alive. If you open it and he doesn't try to close it (and if the smell is worse) then he's dead.


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## jadaBlu

They don't stink. I'd take it back tommorow.


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## SalmonLeo

*Thanks*

Thanks for everyone's help. Yeah, I'm pretty sure he's dead. I will return him tomorrow and see if I can find one that's hanging on to the glass. At least then I will know it's alive!


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## Sadist

It's always best to pick the snail yourself so you get a good one. Good luck with a live one this time!


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## Aqua Aurora

If it was dead as soon as you pull it out of the water you'd know-man do they stink! I wanted to save the shell of my male nerite when he was killed (betta didn't want to share his tank), but the smell was so foul I didn't want to boil him out of the shell and make the whole house foul so I had to just put him in a sealed bag in the trash.. and wash my hands for a good 3 minutes.


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## kitkat67

Aqua Aurora said:


> If it was dead as soon as you pull it out of the water you'd know-man do they stink! I wanted to save the shell of my male nerite when he was killed (betta didn't want to share his tank), but the smell was so foul I didn't want to boil him out of the shell and make the whole house foul so I had to just put him in a sealed bag in the trash.. and wash my hands for a good 3 minutes.


For some reason I keep all my nerite shells, and I found that just rinsing the shell out is enough. I acccidently sucked a snail out of his shell during a water change and left the shell in the tank for bacteria to clean it out and it didn't stink at all when I took it out.


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## Aqua Aurora

kitkat67 said:


> For some reason I keep all my nerite shells, and I found that just rinsing the shell out is enough. I acccidently sucked a snail out of his shell during a water change and left the shell in the tank for bacteria to clean it out and it didn't stink at all when I took it out.


Yeash show strong is your siphon  DO you use a dump to suck out watr for water changes? 
My guy's body was still in its shell after he died and did not want to come out easily. Its the rotting body that wreaks so you're being cleared out first you got to avoid the stink, lucky.


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