so i bought some snails off a local fish person and they are in real trouble. some of them have little to no shell at all. let me take some pictures then maybe you can tell me what to do for them.
HELP SNAILS ARE IN REAL TROUBLE!!
- Thread starter lippydippy
- Start date
AquariumFish
still playing with wet spots
If their shells are eroded but do not have holes, you can use Sally Hansen Hard As Nails to paint over the shells and stop any immediate erosion. Take the snails out of the water and place on a shallow bowl or plate with water on it. Dry their shell carefully with a paper towel, and paint the shells. Be sure to avoid getting ANY of it on their bodies.
If their shells are just small and in poor shape, but not too eroded, add liquid calcium to your water and put in a few plaster vacation feeder blocks. Be sure you have a high pH.
The best calcium supplement is Kent's Liquid Calcium, used for marine tanks. Add the suggested dosage for a marine tank to your freshwater tank. I recommend mixing the dosage with a few cups of water in a bucket, and adding that to the tank. Adding it straight to the tank can cause an overdose and kill the snails.
Good luck. Snails are pretty tough and have an amazing ability to repair their shells. Keep us posted. Photos would be very useful.
If their shells are just small and in poor shape, but not too eroded, add liquid calcium to your water and put in a few plaster vacation feeder blocks. Be sure you have a high pH.
The best calcium supplement is Kent's Liquid Calcium, used for marine tanks. Add the suggested dosage for a marine tank to your freshwater tank. I recommend mixing the dosage with a few cups of water in a bucket, and adding that to the tank. Adding it straight to the tank can cause an overdose and kill the snails.
Good luck. Snails are pretty tough and have an amazing ability to repair their shells. Keep us posted. Photos would be very useful.
"The best calcium supplement is Kent's Liquid Calcium, used for marine tanks. Add the suggested dosage for a marine tank to your freshwater tank. I recommend mixing the dosage with a few cups of water in a bucket, and adding that to the tank. Adding it straight to the tank can cause an overdose and kill the snails."
Can this be done with fish and/or shrimp in the tank?
Can this be done with fish and/or shrimp in the tank?
AquariumFish
still playing with wet spots
what is the cause?
It seems to me that the underlying cause needs to be corrected to eliminate the continuing situation - no?
It seems to me that the underlying cause needs to be corrected to eliminate the continuing situation - no?
The cause is likely poor care by the "LFS person" that the OP mentioned. Soft water with a low pH, foods low in nutrients and calcium (ie iceberg lettuce, etc), and lack of calcium supplements, not to mention poor water quality can cause shell erosion, fissures, uneven shell growth, and thin shells. As long as lippydippy takes proper care of the snails and keeps water quality good, they should recover just fine.