why do my snails go to the top of my tank?

[acpoweradapter]

So I have about 10-15 snails and as soon as I put them in the tank they all got up on the glass and went straight to the top to where they are half in and half out of the water. Why is this? They did that in my last tank also.

[dileggi]

Maybe they're eating? I have no clue, but cool question. Mine have always done this as well and I've never really given it much thought.

I'm certainly tagging along and hoping someone knows why they do this.

[taillonjohn]

that is a good question, I'd like to know too. mine do it too, sometimes I slide them down the glass back into the water.

[Myrddraal]

In FW snails will do this if there isn't enough oxygen in the water. I'm not sure if SW snails will do the same though.

[phenom5]

So I have about 10-15 snails and as soon as I put them in the tank they all got up on the glass and went straight to the top to where they are half in and half out of the water. Why is this? They did that in my last tank also.

How did you acclimate them?

[an411]

I always thought that maybe there was algae along the edge of the water line cause that is where the light hits first

[acrodave]

What kind of snails are they Some of them come from the tide line and get exposed at low tide. And since you have no tide in your tank they come to the surface. I have seen were the snails cant get out of the water and die.

[hmello@bermexin]

Because they can?

[dileggi]

Originally posted by acrodave
What kind of snails are they Some of them come from the tide line and get exposed at low tide. And since you have no tide in your tank they come to the surface. I have seen were the snails cant get out of the water and die.

Mine do it as well and they are turbo's.

[Cope]

To get use to the salt is what I herd? They go to the to to dry out, then go under and take in water?

Just hear say off another post.
Cope

[ferg822]

I agree with acrodave. That just seems probable to me but cope's idea sounds good too.

[acpoweradapter]

Could they be sleeping? I don't know if they do sleep but they come back into the water a little while after I turn the lights on every day.. They are fine and have been in my tank a few weeks now.

[MHannon]

Acrodave is right. Some snails come from tidal zones and live in pools of water of less than a foot.

[S_Stoney_S]

you guys are probably right with the tidal habitat reasoning ofor some snails.

However check out this link of a Fw apple snail eating flake

link

[tmz]

There are several possibilities:feeding on unscraped algae, acclimation,poort watrer and possibly to escape the heat. There are several snails in the trade that come from cooler Pacific waters,most notably Margarita snails(Tegula funebralis) and Mexican turbos(Turbo sp.). These snails will generally not survive for very long in warmer reef waters and may ofter be observed moving out of the water.Nerites(Nerita sp) are nice grazers but the come from tidal area and seek air exposure form time to time.


So while your question was simple ,the answer is not as is the case with most things in this hobby.

[uscharalph]

That is the best way to introduce a snail to your tank. Attach them above the water line and let them enter as they see fit.

[warrenm107]

I thought they did this because there was something they did not like about the tank conditions. Maybe just part of the acclimation process.

[sjm817]

Originally posted by acpoweradapter
why do my snails go to the top of my tank?

So they can fall back down, land upside down and make to flip them back over.

[acpoweradapter]

Originally posted by sjm817
So they can fall back down, land upside down and make to flip them back over.

cant argue with that..

[george81]

maybe they are tired of being snails and want to die....lol

[Mavrk]

Trochus snails (and probably turbo snails) should be put in the tank by attaching them to the glass at the top of the water line. Nassarius can just be put on the sand.

This is normal behavior and they will return to the top of the waterline often.