Life span of a snail??

[sarahbella]

i seem to have a little problem...   My boy has 2 mystery snails, one yellow (gary), one black (larry)  purchased within days of each other from 2 different locations and one died the other day, and now the other  one appears dead.  both have lived their lives in different tanks since mid september.

What is the average life span of one of this nasty little things??  if its only a few months then i'll just tell him they died because i cant replace them everytime, but if its years then i really have to replace them to spare his little heart from being torn in half and then figure out why they BOTH died.   The ONLY common factor between the tanks is Microworms.....

[squeeker]

Are you sure they're dead?  Floating or sinking, and staying in their shells for a few days isn't a sure sign that they're dead.  The only way you can be sure is if the shell is empty, or if you smell the snail... if it makes you gag, it's dead.  Otherwise, it's not.

Snails can live for a year or two.  However, there are factors that can shorten or lengthen their lifespan.  If the water is cold, they will live longer, but will be less active.  If the water is warmer, they will be more active but will have a shorter lifespan.

Also, what is the pH and KH of your water?  Snails need a high KH (calcium) to build their shells properly, and if the pH is below 7.4 it will erode their shells.

What were you feeding them?  Mystery snails need a regular supply of vegetables and protein:  lettuce, green beans, cucumber, shrimp pellets, etc.  It's good to give them a diet that is rich in calcium.  

HTH!

[pegasus]

Yes we often forget to feed the poor devils. If I do, and feel laizy., I'll drop some flakes just before going to sleep.

[rockgarden]

What were you feeding them? Kids need a regular supply of vegetables and protein: lettuce, green beans, cucumber, shrimp pellets, etc. It's good to give them a diet that is rich in calcium.

Off topic: Boy are your future children going to hate you :!: Couldn't resist :evil:

Back on topic: I had a large SW snail die for the same reason this summer.  It kept knocking coral over in my main tank so I switched it over to another tank while I was on holidays.  Not enough algae in the newer reef tank to keep the poor guy healthly and no supplemental vegetables while I was away.

Ron

[sarahbella]

well larry is definitely dead, i tossed it in the big tank with the loach and someone had escargot for lunch  *shudder*

[squeeker]

What were you feeding them? Kids need a regular supply of vegetables and protein: lettuce, green beans, cucumber, shrimp pellets, etc. It's good to give them a diet that is rich in calcium.  

Off topic: Boy are your future children going to hate you  :!:  Couldn't resist   :twisted:

HAHAHA, for a minute there you had me convinced that I had actually written that!!!

Sorry to hear about Larry...

[luvfishies]

Awwwww, sorry to hear about the snailies. Brigs can live 1-2 years, Canas 3 or more. My first Cana was about 4-1/2 when she passed on.

Squeeker covered their care and needs nicely, so you'll know for any future snailiens that you get.

[sarahbella]

" snailiens "

OMG i LOVE it!!!