Nay rite in the 'ead

I bought some nerite snails for a small freshwater tank once, not heeding the salesgirl's warning that they can be escape artists. Sure enough, one was happy as a clam (not to insult its heritage) and stayed in the water. Another would occasionally survey the rim of the aquarium a few times making it as far as the aquarium's stand. But the third? Ol' greenie? Oh, things started innocently enough, invading the water filter, which was fine, cleaning the algae off as per its work contract.

And alright, the fish food I spilled on the rim may have provided too tempting a lure.

Soon though, its nightly wanderlust began extending to the aquarium stand and parts beyond, bedding down under some sort of overhang before each morning.

For a couple of months, I would wake up and check outwards from the tank until sussing our intrepid explorer who could be anywhere from obediently munching algae on the gravel inside to within a one-meter radius of carpet beyond. Not always the easiest thing to do, as its tendency to seek cover before daybreak often put it under furniture, upside-down under the stand or under a nearby closet door or, why not, under a suitcase across the room.

Note the battle-scarred shell scuffed during various misadventures. But the real kicker, pun intended, was one morning when it almost got me to wear it as an ornament.

At least it didn't actively chew through the material, which a snail could easily do, being presumably more interested in licking up my salt. You must admit "my snail ate it" would be the weirdest excuse for walking around with a hole in your sock.

 

Of course, eventually the little lunatic managed to hide so well that it dessicated before I could find and toss it back into safe havens, but in honor of its pioneering spirit I've kept its shell as a keepsake.

And I'm never buying nerites again.