Turbo snails are nice to keep, mainly because of their algae-eating ability and tank cleaning ability too, but they are very sensitive to the slightest change in their environment, and so, they normally die if the proper care is not provided for them.
They are so fragile in nature to the extent that any slightest change in water parameters, etc could hurt them. Sometimes they will die and still stay in your aquarium endangering other animals there, so it is very important to remove them when they die.
Related: What is the lifespan of Turbo Snails?
In this article, you will learn how to tell if a Turbo snail is dead or not.
How do I know if my Turbo Snail is dead? Turbo Snails don’t shut tight their trapdoors when they die. Also if you sniff them through their trapdoors, they will produce an offensive odor.
If you think being able to detect a dead snail in your aquarium is not important, then you are uninformed.
Dead animals, including snails, will endanger the lives of other animals in their aquarium if they are not removed, because they will produce some chemicals like ammonia which might kill everything in your aquarium, so don’t take it for granted, that’s why I decided to make this article.
Back to the topic. There are many ways to discover if your snail is dead or still alive.
Sometimes, people do think their snails are dead, while in the real sense, they are sleeping.
Related: Why is my Turbo Snail not moving?
So, how do I know when my Turbo Snails and Snails, in general, are dead?
1. Dead snails don’t lock their trapdoors, and if yours is locked, then it is not dead, but sleeping or the water is not suitable for it, and it is staying away or hiding.
If a snail is dead, that means all its muscles are dead, and it can’t be able to lock its trapdoor very tight.
So, if you suspect that yours is dead, probably because it is not moving or it flipped itself, then check the trapdoor.
2. Another method to check if a turbo snail or any other type of snail is dead is to smell it.
When I said smell, I mean you have to pick up the alleged dead snail, turn it over and sniff the trapdoor. If it smells foul, then it is dead, if not, then it is still alive.
3. Another method some people use to check if their snails are not dead or not dead is if the snail is not moving for some time.
Related: 4 possible reasons why your Assassin Snails are dying
This method is not very reliable because there are so many reasons why a Turbo snail might decide to stay inactive for a while.
Sleep is one of them. ( i wrote all about why turbo Snails might not be moving, so check the article below)
Will Turbo Snails Die If They Fall On Their Back?
No, they won’t die if they fall with their back on substrates, but they will get hurt and might die if fall with their back on hard substances.
Turbo Snails are well known for their algae-eating ability and so, are good aquarium cleaners. To do all these, they need to climb the tank walls and eat the algae there.
Related: Can Turbo Snails right themselves when they flip over?
This made them good climbers, so they might likely fall when they lose their stamina.
If they get hurt or not when they fall solely depends on how you set up your tank.
It is always recommended to have substrates like Sand etc in your aquarium because accidents like this might happen which could kill your animals.
So, if it lands on soft substrates, then it won’t get hurt nor die, but if it happens to land on the tank floor without substrates or other soft substances, then it will break its shell and die.
Why Are My Mexican Turbo Snails Dying?
Turbo Snails in general are very sensitive to change and they don’t like it, so they are very fragile.
Your Mexican Turbo Snails are dying because they are not well taken care of or they have reached their lifespan.
This type of snail requires proper care, which includes keeping them in their ideal temperature and water parameters like pH etc.
They don’t like stress and so get any aggressive animal out of the tank.
Always check their chemical level in the tank to keep them safe.
I can’t tell you specifically the reason they are dying, but all I know is, that they are not in their ideal environment or they have contracted a deadly disease, and it is killing them.
Conclusion
I hope this article is very helpful to you.
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