I recently purchased an apple snail, pretty large, a little smaller than a golfball, and he has been living happily with my angelfish. This morning, as I was leaving for work, i noticed he was climbing on the intake tube of my filter. When I got home from work, about four hours later, he was still there, and he looked like he was being sucked into the slots at the end of the tube. I reached in to help push him free, and i swear I saw part of him get sucked up the tube into the filter!!! He's currently lying on the bottom of the tank, I can see part of his body, because the operculum is hanging slightly open. He hasn't moved in a long time, and I don't know what I should do. Does anyone have any tips? How long should I wait for him to move before thinking he is dead?
I am at a total loss.

my apple snails get sucked up all the time:P... i suggest covering the openings with nylon so it doesnt happen again...

the first time it happened my snail stayed inside his shell for a day!!!if he falls completley out of his shell...(detached from shell) and stinks really bad!!!..he is dead... but a snail that big i doubt it died...or anything even happened!! (my snails are around the same size too... and at that size they are strong fighters!!!)

They are pretty tough little guys and he will probably be okay. My large comet used to nibble on my apple snail till he learned to stay in his shell when she came around.

The best way to see if hes dead is to touch the operculum gently. If he is alive he will pull himself into his shell. If he is dead he will just limply stay out of the shell and wont move at all and eventually get stiff. I hope the little guy pulls through.

Do you know of any sort of things I can do to help, he's definitely still alive.
I removed him from the tank to keep the fish from nibbling on him, and to give him a chance to eat if he was willing to come out. Any suggestions?

Hi Tweedle...sounds like you are doing all you can for him..keep him warm offer him food and fingers crossed he will be ok..Linda