can snails regrow their shells?

[jasonh]

So, I have an astrea snail that fell on it's back a while ago, and I figured it died. Now all of a sudden I'm seeing some type of white growth on it that looks like a new shell. AND, sometimes it appears to move, and not with the current.

Can snails that can't flip themselves over regrow their shells from the other side?

 

[JMCAquarium]

:this is not fact just a guess:

The snail shell grows like a finger nail if you chip your nail it continues to grow out and will be replaced. If you chip the front of the shell by the head of the snail it will never regrow. Now with a wound to the body or hole like that I would think the snail could or should die from open wounds like that but int he slim chance it does live I woudn't see why it won't regrow and if not regrow like new at least regrow a paper thin shell over the hole to help protect it.

I have always wondered this to and after thinking about it this is what I came up with. I'm most likely wrong though

 

[Doglover_50]

So you are saying that is a snail fingernail?????????

 

[JMCAquarium]

Yep ...where do think all mine came from clip me finger nails over the tank and they just pop up ...now when I toss my toenails in I get starfish....don't know what went wrong there. >

 

[Doglover_50]

Please tell me you don't pick your nose over the tank!?

 

[ADA33]

It looks to me that it picked up a shell in an attempt to flip itself back over.

I say flip the poor guy back over.

 

[JeffKirk]

He's reverting back to his childhood and trying to move into the smaller more youthfull shell!!

 

[MrsJasonH]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10915126#post10915126 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by widefx
It looks to me that it picked up a shell in an attempt to flip itself back over.

I say flip the poor guy back over.

The funny thing about that is that shell laid there for a good week without moving and looked dead. Then suddenly there's another shell looking thing on it. We flipped it back over and it moved around a bit and promptly flipped back into it's back. I think the snail is just suicidal.

 

[JMCAquarium]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10925638#post10925638 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrsJasonH
The funny thing about that is that shell laid there for a good week without moving and looked dead. Then suddenly there's another shell looking thing on it. We flipped it back over and it moved around a bit and promptly flipped back into it's back. I think the snail is just suicidal.

Both Mr. and Mrs. huh, sweet