Snail Not Moving

I purchased a zebra nerite snail yesterday but he was sitting on the ground and wasn't moving then and he hasnt moved at all since yesterday. I poked his trap door yesterday and he retreated a bit so I know hes alive, so how can I get him to move around? I have no nitrates or ammonia and I do water changes 4-5 times a week because its a 2.5 gal. I also have some sera minerals for shrimp and snails and such for his shell in the water.

 

He could still be acclimating, maybe try some zucchinI or something. They will do this for many days sometimes.

 

He could still be acclimating, maybe try some zucchinI or something. They will do this for many days sometimes.

I figured he was still acclimating, but I wanted to make sure. I have kale but not zucchinI would that work? At what point should I be concerned?

 

I figured he was still acclimating, but I wanted to make sure. I have kale but not zucchinI would that work? At what point should I be concerned?

You could try kale, some like it, mine doesn’t. Actually mine doesn’t like anything but algae, lol. Give him a couple days. What else is in the tank with him?

 

You could try kale, some like it, mine doesn’t. Actually mine doesn’t like anything but algae, lol. Give him a couple days. What else is in the tank with him?

Hes in the tank with my betta who is NOT happy about a tank mate. Hes much too big for the betta to eat or even hurt when hes in his shell. I tried poking his trap door to see if hed retract and he didnt and it is slightly open which is strange, my ramshorn always retracted a bit.

 

Hes in the tank with my betta who is NOT happy about a tank mate. Hes much too big for the betta to eat or even hurt when hes in his shell. I tried poking his trap door to see if hed retract and he didnt and it is slightly open which is strange, my ramshorn always retracted a bit.

Hm, did you acclimate him awhile before adding him? Also is the Betta picking at him?

 

No nitrates means no cycle, did you test for nitrites?
When do you test your water? Before or after a water change?

There could be a possibility that ammonia is spiking,and you don't know it if you do a water test after you change your water.

I do agree with trying vegetables, probably a hungry snail. Eventually he will move, if not, it's sad to see him go.

My betta nipped at one of my trapdoor snails, once his face got snapped in the shell he learned to leave them alone, but he did give them a good nip at first.

 

No nitrates means no cycle, did you test for nitrites?
When do you test your water? Before or after a water change?

There could be a possibility that ammonia is spiking,and you don't know it if you do a water test after you change your water.

I do agree with trying vegetables, probably a hungry snail. Eventually he will move, if not, it's sad to see him go.

My betta nipped at one of my trapdoor snails, once his face got snapped in the shell he learned to leave them alone, but he did give them a good nip at first.

Good catch, I read that as no nitrites or ammonia and assumed a cycle.

 

No nitrates means no cycle, did you test for nitrites?
When do you test your water? Before or after a water change?

There could be a possibility that ammonia is spiking,and you don't know it if you do a water test after you change your water.

I do agree with trying vegetables, probably a hungry snail. Eventually he will move, if not, it's sad to see him go.

My betta nipped at one of my trapdoor snails, once his face got snapped in the shell he learned to leave them alone, but he did give them a good nip at first.

I test before and a few hours after. I tested before I added the first one and everything was 0. Did a water change, tested the water the next day, everything is still 0.

This happened last time I cycled my tank I wasn't getting any nitrites or nitrates but the ammonia consistently became less and less till there was none. I put him on my plant which has tons of algae right now, still in the exact same position as yesterday.

He had a very small odor yesterday I have yet to check if it is much worse or not.

 

Good catch, I read that as no nitrites or ammonia and assumed a cycle.

Yeah I read nitrites at first, then realized it was only the two and not the third chemical listed.
Was hoping someone caught it, thought I would chime in since no one did.

I like to use seachem stability to help my cycle.
You can use more than recommended if you want, but I wouldn't in a tank that small, just personally not comfortable with it.

Technically since it's such a small tank, you could put him in a different plastic tub with a bubbler, continue with the same water changes you do now in his new location, then wait for his 2.5 gallon to cycle.
You might be able to do it decently quick in a tank that small.

Edit: interesting... Ammonia lowered but no nitrates??? Plants don't use ammonia I'm pretty sure? That's kinda odd.
Sometimes odor is ammonia in the water.
Do you use test strips? (I don't care if you do just curious)
Your profile says you have a 10 gallon too, does that tank have nitrates?
Technically it's not the worst thing that you don't have nitrates since you do so many changes, but it could still be causing some stress as fish are used to nitrates normally, and they're beneficial to your plants as well.
It's also possible your plants used the nitrates before you could even get a reading? Kinda odd.

 

I'm not too worried about my betta, I know they will eat snails but my bettas have always learned to leave them be

 

Yeah I read nitrites at first, then realized it was only the two and not the third chemical listed.
Was hoping someone caught it, thought I would chime in since no one did.

I like to use seachem stability to help my cycle.
You can use more than recommended if you want, but I wouldn't in a tank that small, just personally not comfortable with it.

Technically since it's such a small tank, you could put him in a different plastic tub with a bubbler, continue with the same water changes you do now in his new location, then wait for his 2.5 gallon to cycle.
You might be able to do it decently quick in a tank that small.

Edit: interesting... Ammonia lowered but no nitrates??? Plants don't use ammonia I'm pretty sure? That's kinda odd.
Sometimes odor is ammonia in the water.
Do you use test strips? (I don't care if you do just curious)
Your profile says you have a 10 gallon too, does that tank have nitrates?
Technically it's not the worst thing that you don't have nitrates since you do so many changes, but it could still be causing some stress as fish are used to nitrates normally, and they're beneficial to your plants as well.
It's also possible your plants used the nitrates before you could even get a reading? Kinda odd.

I never mentioned nitrites because in my research it said they were sensitive to high nitrates & I know ammonia is what killed my lest snail. I do have a lot of plants in the tank and I feed my betta once or twice a day and he eats all of it.

I use the liquid test kit. I used to use test strips but those are trash in my opinion. I still get problems with the liquid test kit as well though like my nitrites and nitrates not showing up.

I also vacuum the gravel every time I do a water change and it is very clean so I don't think there's hidden ammonia in the gravel hurting him. It is a dirted tank with caribsea gravel on top I think? Its black and it was supposed to help with cycling but ive rinsed it many times since I bought it. I was planning on only having it for my plants after my other betta died but got a new betta and he has been doing okay.

Had to do a fish in cycle because it was an impulse buy but I use x2 the normal ammount of stress coat as well as bottled bacteria every time I change the water.

My tank cycled in about 2 weeks and has been consistently showing good water condition for 2-3 weeks which is why I felt it was okay to add the snail. I have not seen any rise or fall in ammonia.

I no longer have the 10 gal since my other fish died and I am moving soon and do not want to deal with a tank that size until I am somewhere more permanent.

Give me a few minutes and I will try to get some decent photos of a fresh water test and the tank and its inhabitants.

 

The snail has passed unfortunately. I think he just died yesterday as he had a small odor then but it has only gotten much worse and his trap door is quite open.

This is the second snail I have gotten from that store, and considering all of them seemed sick and unhappy I just decided to save myself the hassle and just feed him to my box turtle whos lights I took advantage of for these pics.

I think my ammonia is at 0.10 or 0.15 because it looks the slightest bit green so maybr my tank isn't fully cycled like I thought, but definitly is almost done or maybe the snail released some ammonia into the water when it died.

Such a shame he was so pretty. I guess I will wait another couple weeks before getting another nerite.

Pest snails have always died in my tank even when it was cycled for months, I always though it was the lack of food or calcium but now they have both and I should be doing enough water changes to keep any ammonia under control. I don't understand

 

Hm, did you acclimate him awhile before adding him? Also is the Betta picking at him?

I acclimated him for at least 40 minutes. The betta took one big strike at him but left him alone after that. Pretty sure he thinks its a rock

 

I’m very sorry that he has passed

 

I'm sorry he didn't make it. Are you using liquid fertilizer or liquid Co2?

I do not have nitrates in my Betta tank either. I have one Betta and a few nuisance snails in a 10 gallon. It's been running for 2 months; 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites and 0 Nitrates. I'm assuming the plants are consuming them with my low bioload. I had some Nitrates before I added more plants, but they're gone now.

 

I'm sorry he didn't make it. Are you using liquid fertilizer or liquid Co2?

I do not have nitrates in my Betta tank either. I have one Betta and a few nuisance snails in a 10 gallon. It's been running for 2 months; 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites and 0 Nitrates. I'm assuming the plants are consuming them with my low bioload. I had some Nitrates before I added more plants, but they're gone now.

No Co2 no ferts no nothing just java fern and mirimo balls in dirt and gravel

 

Sorry, I have no clue. I have no issue with snails dying; procreating like bunnies, that's my issue. I don't mind. I'm seriously considering getting a pea puffer because I will have a nice supply by the time I'm ready to set-up another tank.