New to the hobby and dealing with a dead nassarius snail

[jmfc5]

I recently received 3 nassarius snails. Woke up this morning and 1 is on its back while the other 2 are still active. I am pretty sure it is dead but I will do the smell test. In the event it is dead how can I remove the snail from the shell so I can return the empty shell back to the tank without fouling up the water? I plan on getting a few hermit crabs in the future and would like some spare shells available so they wont go after the other snails.

 

[maleks.reef]

I recently received 3 nassarius snails. Woke up this morning and 1 is on its back while the other 2 are still active. I am pretty sure it is dead but I will do the smell test. In the event it is dead how can I remove the snail from the shell so I can return the empty shell back to the tank without fouling up the water? I plan on getting a few hermit crabs in the future and would like some spare shells available so they wont go after the other snails.

IF the nassarius is not too big and your tank is big with decent filtration (and not a new tank ofc) just leave it to decompose and for the CUC to eat it away. That's what I did with my snails. However, if you have a nano you might have to take it out. Also, dead snails usually protrude from their shells and it's easy to just pluck them out, after that you'd want to thoroughly wash it and throw it back in.

 

[tharbin]

I've had Nassarius snails that came in looking dead and threw them in anyway. One just laid on the surface for two weeks then all of the sudden went down into the sandbed and stuck his snoot up. Give it a chance. Nassarius also seem to take much longer to settle in than most snails.

Also unless it is a big Nassarius and a small tank it'll just help feed your biological filter. The less we try to "manage" our tanks the better they do.

 

[tharbin]

I recently received 3 nassarius snails. Woke up this morning and 1 is on its back while the other 2 are still active. I am pretty sure it is dead but I will do the smell test. In the event it is dead how can I remove the snail from the shell so I can return the empty shell back to the tank without fouling up the water? I plan on getting a few hermit crabs in the future and would like some spare shells available so they wont go after the other snails.

Extra shells are always a good idea with hermits but don't think that the shells will eliminate carnage, only reduce it. Hermits are the ultimate house-flippers and will gleefully kill any snail or even another hermit if it finds its shell appealing. Only sure fix is snails that have shells hermits don't usually use.

I know they LOVE cerith shells and I learned last night that they like nassarius shells as well. I was checking the tank after lights out and saw a tiny (less than 3/16") nassarius up on the top of the rocks. First thought was what on earth is a nassarius doing up there? Turns out it was the smallest hermit I've ever seen. Guess I know now why none on the eight Nassarius Vibex snails I just bought seem to have made it.

 

[jmfc5]

IF the nassarius is not too big and your tank is big with decent filtration (and not a new tank ofc) just leave it to decompose and for the CUC to eat it away. That's what I did with my snails. However, if you have a nano you might have to take it out. Also, dead snails usually protrude from their shells and it's easy to just pluck them out, after that you'd want to thoroughly wash it and throw it back in.

So I flipped over the nassarius snail and it is still alive thankfully. It kind of just extended out its body and buried itself halfway into the sand. Half of its shell is still above the sandbed but it has not moved all day. Is this typical behaviour for this species? I was under the impression it would fully bury itself in the sand during the day but right now it has been partially buried and not moving at all.

 

[maleks.reef]

So I flipped over the nassarius snail and it is still alive thankfully. It kind of just extended out its body and buried itself halfway into the sand. Half of its shell is still above the sandbed but it has not moved all day. Is this typical behaviour for this species? I was under the impression it would fully bury itself in the sand during the day but right now it has been partially buried and not moving at all.

It might be dying. Just keep an eye on it over the next few hours or days. My nassarius snails disappear during the day and you can barely see them.

 

[Lyss]

The way I know stuff is dead is the Nassarius snails are eating it. They descend upon anything that has died almost instantly.

Point being, if the others aren’t after it, it’s most likely not dead.

 

[tharbin]

So I flipped over the nassarius snail and it is still alive thankfully. It kind of just extended out its body and buried itself halfway into the sand. Half of its shell is still above the sandbed but it has not moved all day. Is this typical behaviour for this species? I was under the impression it would fully bury itself in the sand during the day but right now it has been partially buried and not moving at all.

Sounds a lot like the one I had that I thought was dying. After two weeks of just laying there he slowly buried himself 3/4 of the way then a few days later went under the sand. They seem to be able to regenerate to some extent. Mine still seems a little weird but also a little better each day.

 

[BiggestE22]

I recently received 3 nassarius snails. Woke up this morning and 1 is on its back while the other 2 are still active. I am pretty sure it is dead but I will do the smell test. In the event it is dead how can I remove the snail from the shell so I can return the empty shell back to the tank without fouling up the water? I plan on getting a few hermit crabs in the future and would like some spare shells available so they wont go after the other snails.

Luckily my skunk shrimp will get to a dead or weakened snail well before I can notice it. I check every morning to see if any snail recently fell but I can’t see them all. Really no big deal anyway because the different types of snails reproduce like mice. Not have dozens in dump and dozens in display tank. Even with a few getting eaten

 

[BiggestE22]

Sump

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

So I flipped over the nassarius snail and it is still alive thankfully. It kind of just extended out its body and buried itself halfway into the sand. Half of its shell is still above the sandbed but it has not moved all day. Is this typical behaviour for this species? I was under the impression it would fully bury itself in the sand during the day but right now it has been partially buried and not moving at all.

Give it time to get acclimated to the tank, if it moved it's most likely fine. Going from an aquarium to a plastic bag to an aquarium is stressful for the little guys