[TankPlanter]

How do you tell if MTS (Malaysian trumpet snails) are dead?

I have three that have appeared on the surface of the substrate even when the light is on, upside down. But I really don't want to dig into the water and fish out a couple of snails and smell them if I can avoid it.

Shells are not empty. Are they dead? My usual plan is to just check the next day and see if they have moved, but I won't be home and if they're dead, I'd like to remove them and not pollute the tank.
attached are pics of two of them.

thanks!

 

[redavalanche]

Mine do that to. They are always fine though. When they are upside down I turn them over with a long dowel stick. Not sure if they need to be turned over but thought I read it somewhere.

 

[xjasminex]

If they are truely dead and there is something still in the shell then pick them up and smell them. A dead snail is quite smelly and there should be no question about it.

 

[TankPlanter]

Thanks for the info, good to know this isn't uncommon for even live ones.

Well, all have since moved. I smelled one and it was fine. Lesson: upside down on substrate during daytime doesn't mean MTS are dead. It's just that I've had the tank running for over five months and have never seen a dead one, wondering if I'm missing something.