Why Does My Nerite Snail Keep Flipping Over, Should I Help?

Last Updated on January 8, 2022 by cmoarz

So you’re a new Nerite snail owner and your wondering why does my nerite snail keep flipping over, And should I help it get back up or will it be able to do it on its own? This article will answer all your questions in this kind of situation.

Why Does A Nerite Flip Over So Much?

Most of the time it’s completely accidental. Nerite snails are very good at climbing the glass to get where they want, and when they want to come down, they just drop off to get to the bottom quicker.

Sometimes when this happens they land upside down. Especially if they came out of the water briefly and now have air trapped inside their shell.

Don’t worry though, Nerite snails are capable of pushing out air from their own shells, sometimes it takes a little bit but they can do it.

Sometimes they simply slip off or fall from whatever they were on to.

If you have a strong current in the tank, sometimes that can push a snail over onto its side or back as well, so keep that in mind and maybe tone down the current or break it up with some strategically places objects.

In some circumstances, They could also have died. Dead snails often flip over. But don’t mistake an upside-down lazy snail for a dead one too quickly as some new to the hobby often do.

You will know when a snail has passed by the overwhelming smell it releases almost instantly.

Can Nerite Snails Flip Themselves Over And Should I Help?

Yes, Nerites are able to flip themselves back over after a while, Although their body shape can make them less good at it than a mystery snail.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t help your snail. If you see him struggling to get over, push him up against the glass so he has something to grip onto with his body to pull himself over.

But if you don’t, that’s ok too. Your snail will eventually be able to get himself upright on his own assuming nothing is trapping him on his back like an object or a strong current.

What Happens if a Snail Is Upside Down?

Nothing unusual will happen to your snail by being upside down. This happens all the time in the wild as well.

Unless the snail has been flipped over for an exceptionally long time, He should be fine. Again, assuming nothing is trapping him on his back.

If you find your snail belly up, don’t worry too much about it and just put him back down on the bottom of the tank. He may float around for a few minutes before finding something to grip onto so he can pull himself over again if you brought him up above the water.