# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna > Invertebrates >  Horned Nerite snails Dead or Alive??

## yakie_19

Hi, 

I added 4 horned nerite snails into my 1 month plus old tank. Has been on fishless cycling for the month. 

After adding in the snails, they have been in the same position without coming out of their shells for the last 7 hrs.

So i'm wondering are they dead or alive? how can I tell?

Generally are these snails hardy? and can they survive in a Ph 6.6 water?

thanks

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## yakie_19

By the way, I acclimatised them by poking holes on the packet to mix the water for about an hour before releasing them.

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## beetroot

same position sticking on the glass/wood/leaf/something or on the soil/gravel?

if dead, it won't be sticking "sideway", but will be flat on the soil/gravel.

how about turning it around and have a look.

mine was flat on the ground, no suction, i turned it around and had a look, the snail was still in there a few days ago but shrunk. and yesterday, confirmed dead as the shell has become empty.

i find them generally hardy. have a few for a couple of months and this is the first casualty after many months.

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## yakie_19

Hi,

1 is upside down lying on the gravel.
the other 3 I put it upright on the wood. But no movements since I put it in.

Will they take days before starting to move?
Really cant tell if dead or alive. I flip it upside down to take a look inside. There seems to be something there, but hidding in the shell all the way. no signs of movement.

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## aquascaping1982

> Hi,
> 
> 1 is upside down lying on the gravel.
> the other 3 I put it upright on the wood. But no movements since I put it in.
> 
> Will they take days before starting to move?
> Really cant tell if dead or alive. I flip it upside down to take a look inside. There seems to be something there, but hidding in the shell all the way. no signs of movement.


Hi, normally within 1 hour after I put those snails it will explore the tank. I afraid your snail is already dead.

Maybe you can gently touch their body and see whether it will shrunk back to it's shell? Normally I does this method to check whether alive or not. :Evil:

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## beetroot

i also think it's bye bye already.
normally you don't need to wait for days for it to move.

normally the snail would have some kind of suction, like stuck to the wood, if it's "loose" then... think it's dead.

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## yakie_19

ok. thanks. then i have to remove them.

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## TS168

They will not survive if...
1. Low ph. 
2. Direct tape water.

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## Aria

> Hi, 
> 
> I added 4 horned nerite snails into my 1 month plus old tank. Has been on fishless cycling for the month. 
> 
> After adding in the snails, they have been in the same position without coming out of their shells for the last 7 hrs.
> 
> So i'm wondering are they dead or alive? how can I tell?
> 
> Generally are these snails hardy? and can they survive in a Ph 6.6 water?
> ...


That's quite perplexing. I thought the Bumblebee Horned Snail is quite hardy. I have kept them between between about 6.5 to 7.5 no problems - although I hear acidic conditions will soften their shells in the long run. And to have all 4 dead like that is quite unusual. 

Haha are you sure they were alive when you bought them from the lfs?  :Roll Eyes:

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## Fuzzy

> That's quite perplexing. I thought the Bumblebee Horned Snail is quite hardy. I have kept them between between about 6.5 to 7.5 no problems - although I hear acidic conditions will soften their shells in the long run. And to have all 4 dead like that is quite unusual. 
> 
> Haha are you sure they were alive when you bought them from the lfs?


I've had problems with these snails also, I bought 4 of various sizes from Polyart.

Acclimatized them to my pH 7.5 tank water over 1 hour, they seemed ok, put 4 in, 1 died the next day. Another died 2 days later, the remaining 2 are still alive and healthy in the tank.

For what its worth, the two that didn't make it were the smaller ones, around 1cm diameter only.

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## Aria

> I've had problems with these snails also, I bought 4 of various sizes from Polyart.
> 
> Acclimatized them to my pH 7.5 tank water over 1 hour, they seemed ok, put 4 in, 1 died the next day. Another died 2 days later, the remaining 2 are still alive and healthy in the tank.
> 
> For what its worth, the two that didn't make it were the smaller ones, around 1cm diameter only.


Oh wow I must have been real lucky then  :Grin: 

Bought 3 from Y618 and they are all not only surviving but have doubled in size within 2 months. I some more moved them from tank to tank of different pH a few times too without even aclimatising  :Grin:  Thought only shrimps are sensitive mah - hope there aren't any snail lovers around  :Laughing:

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## yilimi

hello yakie! one thing to take note for fresh water snails is the salt-iness of the water (e.g. the water used in bagging the snails and in fish tank)

i once got "scolded" by Y618 lao jiao aunty for trying to pick snails into their pail containing fish water (containing aquarium salt). she advised me to take water from the snail tank instead  :Smile:

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