# Asphixi snail



## ScarletFire (Nov 4, 2012)

*A. sphixi snail*

I got an asphixi snail from Scott, and it went MIA when I turned my back on it for two min. In the morning, I found it half burrowed in another spot of the tank. After getting worried for a bit, I have discovered that they aerate the substrate. Is it normal for this to happen (I saw that it burrowed into the sand twice, so I just assume that it normally does this.)? I thought it was only MTS that aerates substrate. Are there any other snails that do that from your experience?


----------



## prolific8 (Jan 10, 2013)

I think all apple type snails have a habit of doing this, they graze within the surface level of the substrate. I have a golden and a chestnut that regularly half dig themselves in, and i often find new "tunnels" that they have created that go under driftwood/hardcscape. But it is a little different from MTS that actually burrow deeper into/underneath the substrate.


----------



## ScarletFire (Nov 4, 2012)

I would assume that burrowing deeper would be good because it would break air bubbles that are deeper, is there anything negative about asphixi snails and burrowing? No one mentions them when it comes to aerating the substrate.


----------



## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Mine do it too.


----------



## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

They go all the way down during the day and come out at night. They will still be active during the day but most stay in the substrate I have in with them. 

I haven't seen my diffusa/apple snails do this and I've had them for almost a year now.


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

I've seen some mystery snails bury themselves for periods of time. It's called estivating. A period of no movement, which I think is something similar to mammalian hibernation, but not related to seasons and does not last so long. 

I am not sure why they do it, and not all of them do it. But I've seen a few that would dig down 'til all I could see was the upper third of the shell, and stay there for a week or more before moving again. 

I find this fascinating because they do need air, and I wonder how they manage the trick. But they certainly manage it.

As for what burrowing does to substrate, unless they are digging up plants, I consider it beneficial. It's why many of us keep MTS snails.. because they burrow. They will release any swamp gas that might be in the substrate, but if you are seeing a lot of air bubbles coming up, you need to clean the substrate well, because a gas bubble that comes up under a shrimp is likely to kill it. 

It means you have anaerobic bacterial activity in the substrate, which will give off some toxic gases, including methane and some sulfurous compounds too. Not what you want in the bottom of your tank.. and it can really stink too.


----------



## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

ScarletFire said:


> I got an asphixi snail from Scott, and it went MIA when I turned my back on it for two min. In the morning, I found it half burrowed in another spot of the tank. After getting worried for a bit, I have discovered that they aerate the substrate. Is it normal for this to happen (I saw that it burrowed into the sand twice, so I just assume that it normally does this.)? I thought it was only MTS that aerates substrate. Are there any other snails that do that from your experience?


This is normal behaviour for SPIXI snails.

*The correct name & spelling:

Common Name- Spixi Snail or Zebra apple snail

Scientific Name- Asolene Spixi*


----------



## ScarletFire (Nov 4, 2012)

Ah, thanks for the correction. It's a very nice surprise finding that they have this additional trait.


----------



## razoredge (Dec 31, 2011)

ScarletFire said:


> Ah, thanks for the correction. It's a very nice surprise finding that they have this additional trait.


I've put in a couple of Spixi snails into my tank again and it went after my twisted vals again. By the next morning, all the leafs are floating on top. They don't appear to be interested in any other plants or moss.

Here's a shot of them three in a row


----------



## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

i have noticed my spixis going after my normal vals too, but the vals still seem to be surviving and doing good, regardless, they are actually growing faster.


----------



## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

I told you guys spixis eat plants.


----------



## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

I have not noticed any plant eating but I'm not saying it isn't possible.


----------



## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

I was watching my tank this evening and saw a spixi "walked" over an innocent pond snail, the pond snail didn't even try to escape or anything. I thought, oh, that's what it's about, poor pond snail... then 10 seconds later, the spixi moved on.... I did notice them cleaning up hydras though. I have a newly cycled tank with hundreds of hydras coming out of nowhere in the span of 2 days, drop two spixi in, 99% of the hydras are gone. Still a few left but I'm sure they will be goner in another day or two.

And I have had these 3 spixi snails for about 2 weeks, I have seen at least 3 clutches of eggs already. They haven't gotten eaten by the snails yet.


----------

