# My Mystery Snail isn't moving, but is still alive



## willertac (Jan 7, 2014)

For a few hours, my mystery snail has been frozen out of its shell. I first noticed it a bit ago, kind of upside-down, hanging out of its shell, as if it were floating from the glass, but not moving. I picked it up, pet it, smelled it, felt slime, and smelled no sign of death. In fact, while I was holding it barely underwater, it twitched its siphon. I'm going to describe what I'm seeing:
Foot diagonally hanging out of shell, as if just detached from glass, mouth positioned as if sucking on inside of the shell, antennae wrapped around eyes (that's been going on for a while with both snails).
I tried gently pushing it onto one of the rocks while it was open, but it did not stick like it normally would. I noticed a tiny chip on the opening of the shell and 2 small holes that I can't tell if they go all the way through. It doesn't shake around in the shell and it doesn't smell, it's still making slime and barely moving, so its not dead, but what's wrong?


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Have you checked the parameters of the tank?


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## willertac (Jan 7, 2014)

keepsmiling said:


> Have you checked the parameters of the tank?


Sorry I'm responding so late.

I checked the parameters when I got home, found them undesirable, did a water change, and recently read them again.

Before:
Nitrite: 80ppm
Stress: 1
Hardness: hard to very hard
Alkalinity: low
PH: 6.8

After:
Nitrite: 40ppm
Stress: 0-.5
Hardness: hard
Alkalinity: moderate
PH: 7.2

The tank the snail is in is 5 gallons, filtered by a Tetra Whisper 10i covered in a stocking. Its tankmates are a male Betta and another snail. The fish and other snail were and are showing no sign of anything wrong, but this little guy is still sitting like this. Is it possible that its... stuck?


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

I strongly advise you to get liquid test kits. API makes great kits. You can buy them individually or as a master fw kit. 80 ppm on nitrates is crazy high. How often do you do water changes? In a 5 gallon tank once a week, 50% is minimum.
I think the parameters are probably off the charts. You want at least an Ammonia, a PH, and a Nitrate test kit for starters.


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