Aquaphobic snails? hunh?

[Deitta]

For some reason, when ever I do a water change, my snails all hightail it to the top of the tank! No deaths, in fact the tank is the most peacefull and healthy that I have ever had! Finally!
Any reason for this snails to do this? My daughter and hubby keep pushing the snails back into the tank before they can escape! And a few have!
I do have pretty hard water, but it doesn't bother the fish as long as it keeps comming in fresh. After a couple of days they come back down... any clues?

 

[snapcrackler]

Lots of FW snails go up to breathe. They have breathing tube things. Other snails have gills. All of my SW and FW snails gilled or not seem to do this sort of tank-scaling thing at one time or another. It seems to depend on time of day, temp, the weather, etc.

Yesterday I walked downstairs and it looked like a snail army on the front glass, they were all headed to the top and 15-20 of them were out of the water.

I do not worry about them, I have had very few snails venture all the way out. They usually go back down.

I did have one suicidal black FW snail that jumped out on a daily basis.

 

[snapcrackler]

Oh ya as far as the water change making them come to the top, Not sure but if they are lunged snails maybe the new water has a dissolved oxygen level that is different enough to make them think they need to go to the top for a breath. Just a guess.

 

[krap101]

maybe they needa lay eggs. or they just wanna get out. ph? or sumtin. my snails never go out. sometimes they use the tube thingy and go to the top to breathe. i thought snails had gills and lungs?

 

[Deitta]

The breathing thing make sense, because they do go back down...
Can you imagine? 8O
Just as you get to the surface to get that gasp of air.... mid-gasp... a finger pushes you back into the water! sputter! Need to get them to stop doing that.