falling snails

[Anonymous]

i can remember a number of times this has come up in the past... that is, people describing thier snails as falling off the walls and rocks onto thier backs and just laying there.
i don't recall anyone citing a probable cause.

this is a first for myself, i have never had this happen in quite a few years of keeping.
it has been a week or so since the first instance when i saw two turbo snails lying on their backs when i got home. i turned them over and watched for some time.
they both behaved strangely... as if they had no proper equillibrium and within an hour or two i had to right one yet again.

it is a daily occurence now, one or more will be overturned and opened up for any predator to snack on and when i put them right they drunkenly slither off only to repeat the whole thing later.
i watched one just a few minutes ago as it slowly lost it's hold on the glass and then fell to the bottom.

i have had some problems of late.. mainly with my anthias (i think i got hosed) but also a restless BTA that looks a bit miffed.

i did a couple major WC and have yet to see any difference in the situation.

 

[rbursek]

Mine do it to, I donot think it is anything to worry about, plus Turbos have like a trap door that they can close if they want.

 

[Brian5000]

Every once in a while, a snail will slip off the rocks and will need rescuing (verticle slops are not in their natural habitat apparently). If they do this on a regular basis though, it can be a sign of stress. I think certain snails are susceptable to high nitrates. Usually though, it's because the owner was given the "buy one per gallon" line (including myself), and the snails are starving due to overpopulation.

They are open to the world because they are trying to reach out and turn themselves over. They can retract pretty quickly if needed.
_________________
BMW X6 M

 

[Anonymous]

Just a thought - but I wonder if there is a CG (center of gravity) issue as they grow. In other words, as they spiral in growth are there some times where they are unable to right themselves over other period of growth?

//I don't disagree with the other arguments- stress, nitrates, environment, but just a thought.

 

[FifeReef]

I've had this happen in the past as well. I used to only have Astrea snails and never saw this with them. But now I have some Mexican Turbo snails and they seem to do that quite frequently. I will usually help them back on their feet if they don't right themselves in a few hours. Mainly because my wife and I witnesses my cleaner shrimp attack and rip open one that had been bottom-side up after the daylights had went off. The wife thought it was brutal.............I thought it was quite fascinating! :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

I have noticed that when a snail is falling it's usually because it's not getting enough to eat and getting weak. When you tug on a snail it should take some effort to pull it off whatever it's on. If it's not getting enough food it will come off with no effort.