Mystery Snail

Question
QUESTION: I recently got a mystery snail, and now he has a thin film of white fuzz all
over his body. I have been told that the broccoli I fed him may have rotted
and created the fuzz, but I was also told that it would likely be all over the
tank, and it is not, though perhaps that is just because I have been cleaning
it. He seems healthy and happy and very active, so I don't think it is hurting
him, but all the same I would like to know what it is. Should I take him out of
the tank and clean him before it becomes dangerous, or is this fairly normal. I
have not been able to find much about this on the web.

ANSWER: It is probably a fungus... I would tank him out and wipe him off gently.  Make sure his tank is clean and don't leave food floating around in there... if he must have broccoli then put it in the morning and dispose of it by the next day.  Try that and let me know how that works... dave

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QUESTION: Thank you very much. I have wiped him off and he seems ok. He doesn't like fish flakes and he really likes broccoli, so I will keep feeding it to him but I will make sure to change it every day. I have him in a fishbowl, and I also have 3 fish in an aquarium. I'm not sure what kind of fish they all are, but one is a goldfish, one is a calico fantail, and the other one is white with red above her dorsal fin and on the top of her head. I already have a filter for them but right now I am going down to Wal-Mart to get heaters for both tanks. Can you use a heater in a goldfish bowl? what temperature should I set the fish one at? The snail one? Should I put the snail in the aquarium or am I right to keep him separate. Originally they were all together because they were all together in the Wal Mart tank, but the calico kept bumping the snail off of the side, and he was gonna have coniption fits so I took him out. The walmart guys said I could keep them together, but it doesn't seem like Wal Mart was too worried about the animals because the fish were jammed together like holocaust victims, but I would like to know for sure just in case he needs friends or something. He doesn't seem like a very social animal, so I think it's alright.

ANSWER: Hi Mason:  I would keep the snail and the goldfish separate...The snail doesn't need to have friends... Goldfish do not need to have a heater in their tank as long as the room they live in stays above 66 degrees F.  they are cold water fish... hope this helps... dave

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QUESTION: Dear David,

ok so one of the snails has not moved in days, (i checked, he is in the same spot) but she doesn't smell and her trapdoor thingy isn't rotting. A few minutes ago Larry (the other snail) climber on top of her and cleaned her (he didnt hump her, he was definately cleaning her with his little pokey things). Should I take her out of the tank? Is there any other way to know if she is dead? Should I leave her with Larry or will she kill him if she's dead? Do you think she's dead? Like I said, they were previously kept in a 30 gallon tank with hundreds of fish at Wal-Mart, so maybe she just has mental problems, like a snail trauma victim? what is the best temoerature for my snails?

Thanks for your advice!
Mason  

Answer
Hi Mason:  press lightly on her trap door... if it is sponge like and she doesn't retract it ... then she is probably dead... She may just be hibernating too... so leave her for a day or so if she has still not moved... or if her trap door is more sponge like... then I would say that she has died... dave