Newbie Snail Question - Is it dead?

[apstreck]

So this is probably a stupid question, but I don't want to condemn a creature to death without being sure. I think my turbo snail is dead. I've had him for about a month and a half, since my diatom bloom started. He was one of the first animals put into the tank, along with another turbo and some ceriths. All other snails are fine, but this guy has been in the same spot for 2 days.

I pulled him out a few minutes ago and he was closed tight, so I pulled on his "door" open a little bit and he didn't try to close back up. So I'm thinking he's dead.

Like I said, I'm fairly certain this is a dumb question, but I don't want to kill him if he's just playing dead or something, but I would think that he would probably try to close back up when I messed with him.

 

[Crooked Reef]

Probably on the way. How does it smell? If it smells horribly it is dead already. Sometimes snails do stay in the same spot for a few days but the not closing back up after prying him open leads me to believe he is not well. You could also have caused an injury doing this.

 

[apstreck]

I did smell him, and he didn't smell good, but a lot of things in this hobby don't smell good lol. Any I didn't use much force at all to open him up... I guess I knew the answer before posting but wanted to double check because I was kind of attached to the guy. But after seeing no response to any stimuli at all and staying open for 30 minutes he is going in the garden to fertilize the flowers. RIP Louis the Turbo Snail.