Mystery Snail Mantle Collapse?

I've had a black mystery snail in with my male betta for about a month with no problems. Then the tank had a nitrite spike, so it was suggested I feed a lot less until the parameters were back under control. Around this time, I noticed the betta started picking at the snail (I guess it was hungry). I was concerned, so I removed the snail into a separate 2 gallon container with room temperature (72degree) treated water. It hardly moved for about 2 days and started hanging partially open. I removed it to see if it was dead and it pulled back into its shell. So, I replaced it and it started floating. The next day I noticed what appeared to be a mantle collapse. It's still alive, but completely closed up at the bottom of the container. I lowered the water level so it can't climb as far (not that it's trying) and I'm not offering it any food right now since it's not moving.

Any advice? I'm quite upset about this one because I was trying to help it and somehow managed to hurt it.

 

welcome to the forum

Perhaps someone will be along to help....

 

Have you been adding any calcium to the snails diet?
Any idea of the hardness of your water?

All fish pick, it's a natural habit.

Size of the tank where all this started?

 

This is what happens to a snail wih nitrite poisoning. Their bodies swell up and they hang open. If it had mantle cOllapse it couldn't retract.

It may not survive, but you can try to help by reducing he swelling.
Take it out of the water and place it on a cool surface for 15 minutes. I use a plate as it holds the cold longer. Cold, not freezing. Then return the snail to the water. Make sure it's water has 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and less then 20 nitrate.
Snails are more sensitive to water params than most fish.

You can repeat treatment up to 2x a day. Other han that, there is not much you can do.

Good luck!

 

I've been feeding it algae sinking wafers, parts of caltrate tabs, and had placed a cuttlebone in the tank before all of this happened. It was in a 5 gallon heated, filtered tank (76degrees). Somehow, I messed up because the ammonia shot up and shortly after the nitrite did too, so I was doing daily water changes until both went back down. Nitrates are between 10-20. (I also was using Prime as a water conditioner)

Since I've had it in this shallow container with a bubbler, it's not eating, but it has moved overnight and is back in it's shell all the way at the bottom. It opens from time to time partially, but then close right back up, so I can't tell it's condition for sure yet. I'm leaving it in this container for now so it won't be harassed by my betta anymore.

 

I'm not sure if you read myresponse....

 

Yes, I did. I haven't done anything yet because it was in its shell and I wasn't sure if it needed to be out of its shell for it to help. Should I do it anyway?

I just got a good look at it. It looks horrible. I'm pretty sure it's mantle has separated from its shell. It was wide open until I turned on the light to see it and then it closed back up into its shell. Also, I just changed the water this morning, but it smells awful right now. I'm going to do another water change.

 

The snail may be dying. I had a similar situation with a lovely apple snail that I really liked. The smell from the snail was quite stunning... I had put it into a little tank on its own and the water really smelled foul a few days before it died.
I hope yours survives, but that sort of trauma to its mantle may not be reversible. Its tough when a snail gets sick I think, because there only seems to be a few things we can do to cure it. Hope it works out.

 

It's not separated from the mantle. It could not close up if it was. The snail is dying if you smell he bad water it was in. At this point there is nothing that cAn help it. To euthanize it, put its container ( wih water) in the fridge for several hours and then move it into the freezer. Or if you are not comfortable with that then just let it be.
I'm sorry it doesn't look good.

 

Hmmm..then why can I see down into it's shell?

 

Because its not attached at all points. Trust me, mantle collapse means the disconnection of the body from he shell. So if it's not attached, how can it retract? It can't. I can see into my snails shells depending on how they move about. When sexing them, you turn them over on their backs and they try to reach out wih their foot to grab something to hold onto so they can flip back right. When they do this you can see partially into their shell and see gender. Of the snail has mantle collapse it can't stay in its shell. It's impossible. I am positive this is not what it is. It's nitrite poisoning, as I already said. I had it happen before. I've had snails for years and know a lot about them.
I'm a snail obsessed weirdo lol.

 

Because its not attached at all points. Trust me, mantle collapse means the disconnection of the body from he shell. So if it's not attached, how can it retract? It can't. I can see into my snails shells depending on how they move about. When sexing them, you turn them over on their backs and they try to reach out wih their foot to grab something to hold onto so they can flip back right. When they do this you can see partially into their shell and see gender. Of the snail has mantle collapse it can't stay in its shell. It's impossible. I am positive this is not what it is. It's nitrite poisoning, as I already said. I had it happen before. I've had snails for years and know a lot about them.
I'm a snail obsessed weirdo lol.

^^^ right click save^^^

 

Thank you SO much for clarifying this for me. I'm just going to keep taking care of it as I have been and hope for the best. I can't tell you how appreciative I am for your help. I'll let you know what happens.

 

By the way, I wonder if the reason the water smelled funny to me was due to the algae wafer I had put in there that it wasn't eating. I removed it earlier when I changed the water and haven't noticed any foul odor since then, and the snail itself smelled fine.

 

Finally got a decent picture of what I'm seeing.

 

You're very welcome.

Unfortunately your snail does not look too good. I can see excess slime, which means something in the water is irritating it. oh, and it's a male. I can see the **** sheath!
In case you wanted to know...

So, Make sure the water parameters are perfect. If that's ok, then there is something else in the water bothering the snail. What kind of water conditioner do you use? Did you wash anything with soap? (container, net, cups etc that could have contaminated the water).

Do you use aerosol sprays? I lost some snails this way. I'm still upset wih myself.

Keep the water clean, don't add food. It's not gonna eat now anyway, and it will only foul up the water.

Keep me posted

 

I use Prime. I change most of its water out this morning. I'll do it again, remove everything, rinse with hot water and then put him back in. Does that sound right?

 

Amber, after looking at your photo I have to think and say it doesn't look good..... I get attached to all my fish/shrimp and snails and know it is hard to think of one dying, but honestly I don't see how this snail can survive. Let me know what happens, and of course I will hope for the best,.

 

Thanks, I've already prepared my son that it probably won't make it. He so enjoyed watching it crawl everywhere at night. I'll probably end up buying some more sometime. I might order through a breeder next time though instead of the local Petsmart. I'd like to get a separate tank set up and cycled first. I don't think I'll risk putting a snail in with my betta again.

 

Prime is great. the best thing I think you can do for him is too make him comfortable with clean water. I've never seen a snail in that condition come back - but sometimes you get lucky.
Snails are great little aquarium pets. I think its a good idea to keep them away from the betta in the future though. My bettas have always acted oblivious to the snails, but I know many others here have had the opposite experience. Just depends on the betta.
The betta may have injured the snail, and with the nitrite/ammonia poisoning, the snail was too weak to recover.
Or it was jut the minI cycle.
Either way, it sucks, and I am sorry for the little guy. I hope you get some more inthe future. They are great little things!

 

He didn't make it. This morning I found him partially open and unresponsive. I'm so disappointed. Thanks for everyone's help and advice.

 

So sorry! I hate it when there isn't anything you can do! One time the Post Office missent my package of snails. They arrived late and only 2 out of 6 of the mysterys lived .

By the way, you should look into getting the magenta mysterys. Drop down gorgeous! But then again, I think all mystery snails are gorgeous .

 

I've been looking online trying to find some magenty mystery snails. Our local Petsmart only has "black" and gold and the one in the neighboring town has ivory, blue, gold and "black". But two of the ones I bought from there didn't make it a day in my other tank. So I don't plan on buying anymore from there. Any recommendations for good places to buy online?

 

Aquabid.com. Just make sure like any online site you look at the seller's feedback to avoid scammers\liars. .



Edit: Woahhh didn't see their price. I'll try and find a better deal. Haha.

Edit 2: Here are the results:

There aren't many sellers right at this time because it is more risky to ship since so many people are shipping things for the holidays. There may be a few more sellers after the New Year. Good luck! You may want to post a WTB in the Buy-Sell-Trade once you get 50 posts (Make sure you read the B\S\T rules ).

 

Thanks for the link. I'll keep my eye on that site. Could be dangerous finding so many different snails to choose from...