# dissolving snail shells



## HungrySpleen (Nov 22, 2009)

i couldnt find it on here today so.... why do my snail's shells keep dissolving ?

not really a problem seeins that i dont want snails but id like to know what is happening and if it is a water parameter i should correct


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## mgamer20o0 (Mar 8, 2007)

they are lacking calcium in their diet. if the water is soft it also might be the reason. i feed my snails food from kens fish he has a pellet with extra calcium to keep their shells extra healthy.


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## fishscale (May 29, 2007)

I put a little piece of cuttlefish bone in from time to time. It kept my nerites healthy til my tank crashed.


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## itzjustjeff (Apr 27, 2009)

so if the PH is below 7 and the water is soft, calcium rich foods can keep them healthy? Will their shells discolor at all?


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## Burks (May 21, 2006)

Low calcium I'd assume. Had that problems with my snails as I was using RO/DI water for a while (dumb move....I should know better). I now do a 50/50 mix with tap water. Since then my snails shells are hard, not discolored, and no chipping. 

As a side effect.....snail population exploded too.


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## fibertech (Apr 29, 2009)

I use 100% RO/DI, I just add the minerals back before introducing it to my tank


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## jlroar (Aug 19, 2007)

One trick i have used was using crushed coral (placed into a bio bag) in the filter. You can remove some if you overdue it and the best part is it helps to keep your PH more stable (less likely to crash).

Best wishes,
James


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## killacross (Oct 15, 2009)

or you can do the same filter trick with egg shells (CaCO3) or blackboard chalk (CaSO4)...

same thing...the snails will pull the extra calcium from the water to rebuild their shells..


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

Isn't it basic chemistry dissolving their shells as well? I've read the outer layer can't be repaired by snails, but the lower levels can be built up more to keep the shell from completely dissolving away.

Are you guys implying that your snails have perfect shells in acidic water when you add a little bit more Ca to their water/diet?

I'm intrigued. 
-Andrew


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## fishscale (May 29, 2007)

Not at all, mine just stopped dying. I think every nerite I've ever had has had some chipping on the shell, and they used to die in my CO2 injected tank from thin shells (the shells were basically see through by the time they died).


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

fishscale said:


> Not at all, mine just stopped dying. I think every nerite I've ever had has had some chipping on the shell, and they used to die in my CO2 injected tank from thin shells (the shells were basically see through by the time they died).


Gotcha, see thru snail shells aren't good... 

-Andrew


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## Guy (Sep 30, 2009)

Why is it that low Carbonate (or Bicarbonate) can't be equally guilty? Aren't Snail shells only 50% Calcium?


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## Nue (Dec 27, 2009)

I just throw in calcium pills each week. Mine love them!


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## fishscale (May 29, 2007)

Guy said:


> Why is it that low Carbonate (or Bicarbonate) can't be equally guilty? Aren't Snail shells only 50% Calcium?


Valid point there, I've got pretty hard tap water though.


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## Guy (Sep 30, 2009)

fishscale said:


> Valid point there, I've got pretty hard tap water though.


Carbonate is definately not the problem then.


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## cjp999 (Nov 18, 2008)

I have the same problem with my golden mystery snails. I have hard water, but their shells become see through, and one by one they've been dying off over the past year. I had 100 babies a year ago (both parents died after words), and now am down to about 12. Some have only reach nickel size in that time.

I have olive nerites, and they never seem to have any problems. I also once had about 20 zebra and red spot nerites, but they too slowly died one by one over the past year.

I just tossed cuttlebone in the tanks a couple of weeks ago. We'll see if that makes a difference or not.


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## Ruadh (Jul 26, 2009)

I have the same problem, if I can call it that, it sure keeps the rams horns at bay.
I took this up with Tom Barr and all those fellas. Their take was the CO2.
CO2 converts to carbonic acid, a very weak acid, and over a period of time, the shells dissolve.
I never took it any further than that because I'm not keeping any fancy snails.





fishscale said:


> Not at all, mine just stopped dying. I think every nerite I've ever had has had some chipping on the shell, and they used to die in my CO2 injected tank from thin shells (the shells were basically see through by the time they died).


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## cjp999 (Nov 18, 2008)

The problem is worse in my DIY CO2 tank, but I also have 3 other lowtech tanks that the mystery snails have done poorly in.


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## i'm a ninja (Aug 2, 2009)

Would adding Calcium Carbonate help?


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## Heartnet (Sep 13, 2009)

Has anybody used calcium pills for human consumption successfully to help prevent shell thinning in snails?

I've read on the applesnail.net forums that some snail keepers have used Caltrate successfully to combat shell thinning. Plus, there are no ill side affects to the other livestock in the tank. But I'm curious as to whether anyone ever tried it here?


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

Heartnet said:


> Has anybody used calcium pills for human consumption successfully to help prevent shell thinning in snails?
> 
> I've read on the applesnail.net forums that some snail keepers have used Caltrate successfully to combat shell thinning. Plus, there are no ill side affects to the other livestock in the tank. But I'm curious as to whether anyone ever tried it here?


I doubt anyone has. I know I haven't. The main concern I have with adding additional calcium to my water is my water chemistry going more basic. Most of us keep the water quite acidic or at least neutral. With that said, my main problem is not snail's shells thinning so much that they die but that the outer layer thins and the beauty is gone or the tips of the shell dissolve so the snail's shell is shorter (MTS, Sulawesi Snails, etc.) 

Feeding snails calcium does work though. 
-Andrew


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## Heartnet (Sep 13, 2009)

A Hill said:


> I doubt anyone has. I know I haven't. The main concern I have with adding additional calcium to my water is my water chemistry going more basic. Most of us keep the water quite acidic or at least neutral. With that said, my main problem is not snail's shells thinning so much that they die but that the outer layer thins and the beauty is gone or the tips of the shell dissolve so the snail's shell is shorter (MTS, Sulawesi Snails, etc.)
> 
> Feeding snails calcium does work though.
> -Andrew


True, it might have an adverse affect on the water chemistry. But I think the key thing here is the amount being used. A small amount of calcium supplement once or twice a week won't really affect the water chemistry THAT much, or at least I don't think it would. I stand to be corrected. 

However, if that were the case, do you think calcium supplements once a week would keep a snail's shell in tip top condition, considering a planted tank with CO2 injection?


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