Nem emergency

Late yesterday afternoon I had a snail stuck in my overflow pipe all the way near the bottom of the tank. Fortunately there was only a minor flood however it took about 1 1/2 hours to remove him. During the removal, the return pump was off but the circulation pumps were still running. My LTA did not seem to like this and contracted to about half his normal size. As of this morning he is completely contracted. He is still firmly attached and I cannot see his mouth parts. Even though his tentacles look almost non existent, the tips are still green as usual. Water params are and have been good. Ph 8.2, Am 0, Nitrates and Nitrites 0, Salinity 1.023. Other than water changes, can I do anything but watch and wait? How long do I let him stay like this before I declare him DOA? I really love this nem!!:-[

 

Sounds like a normal water exchange to me. If it's firmly attached and not on the move, I'd leave well enough alone.

 

+1 on that, if it starts to become detached from the rock or you can see it's guts coming out of it's mouth then it is DOA until then don't panic.

 

Thats my short term plan..... he s been exceptionally healthy over the 2 months i ve had him... he adjusted really fast and never contracted when i introduced him into the tank. I m concerned that i may have introduced a contaminant into the tank with the coat hanger, fishing rod tip a all the other things i used to get the darn snail out!! (he survived the ordeal BTW) He is now Super Snail!! Im thinking of carving an S in his shell!!

 

Funny thing.. I spend my life not panicking about anything, yet I throw the emergency switch in a heartbeat when anything occurs in my tank.....go figure!!

 

Nems. if they are firmly attached, shrivled but look tight (not sagging over with mouth wide open) long stretched stem, or nearly completely flat with mouth closed tight are in perfect health.

A few days after eating mine likes to shrivel up to 1/10th its size. sometimes for an entire day. then it poops and starts its cycle all over.

 

He did eat 4 days ago. Im a nem newbie, and a nervous parent. I really appreciate all the responses....(deep breath....deep breath....)

 

As a new nem owner your going to wittness alot with your nem. They are not like corals, they have personalities. They will investage their surroundings. Sometimes this is good sometimes its not. Care should be taken so that if your nem detaches to make a drastic move (which many will do if a bristle worm starts to bother them) that they can't get stuck in a powerheads suction or other areas water is being evacuated from the tank. Some people use netting to cover these areas. Most nems that suffer foot damage are doomed to die.

 

Looks like he is slowly starting to expand again! Thanks everyone for the help and support through MY crisis!! Thats why I love this site