Snail problems (is it a water quality issue that i'm missing?)

[Winterose]

ok hey guys... so i've been having an issue lately with snail keeping. i've tried snails from all sorts of places. lfs, here, other web sites and also a few kinds of snails and i can't seem to keep snails from floating then dieing for more than a week. i'm really stumped on what the problem could be... all the snails i get start out the first day cruzing around really happy and awsome. then by the next day a few are floating and then a few more each day till all are floating. then they start to get really smelly meaning they died. is it a water quality issue? here are my params:

Amonia: 0
Nitrates: 20
Nitrites: 0
ph: 7.6 (havn't tested high rang ph yet)

can anyone tell me whats up with my bad snail luck? all my guppies are doing fine in case you were wondering

[LeahK]

Has the tank ever been treated with a copper-based medication (like Copper Safe)? It can be absorbed by your silicone and then leach back out into the water indefinitely, and it is deadly to snails.

[Winterose]

not that I've known of... though i did get the tank used but I'm no longer in contact wit the original owner of the tank. is there any ways to test for copper inexpensively or remove copper so i can keep snails?

[jpappy789]

What are you feeding? Any evidents issues with the shells? Are the guppies picking at the snails? Any calcium supplementing?

I agree with Leah, copper may be an issue.

[Winterose]

What are you feeding? Any evidents issues with the shells? Are the guppies picking at the snails? Any calcium supplementing?

I agree with Leah, copper may be an issue.

Algea waffers, algea, occasionally snail jello... nope i watch them like a hawk guppies ignore snails. shells seem fine to me. and only if the jello recipy i use calls for it otherwise no. i use a diff one each time because i just use an internet search and don't save them.

[msjinkzd]

I would be suspicious of meds used either in the tank, or heavy metals in your tap water. I believe you can buy a copper test kit < link (http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/cat/infoL3/23633/category.web)>. There may be some chemical media you could run to absorb out the copper if that is the case, but I would test the water first to see. Do you flush your water lines from the sink before refilling the tank?

[Winterose]

I would be suspicious of meds used either in the tank, or heavy metals in your tap water. I believe you can buy a copper test kit < link (http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/cat/infoL3/23633/category.web)>. There may be some chemical media you could run to absorb out the copper if that is the case, but I would test the water first to see. Do you flush your water lines from the sink before refilling the tank?

not quite sure what your asking but for water changes i use a 1 gallon pitcher for new water because my gravel vac hose can't reach a sink where the tank is. i treat new water with stress coat

oh and mom just told be that our water lines are made of copper would this cause there to be copper in our water?

[msjinkzd]

I just meant do you let the water run for a minute or two before refilling the tank. Some houses have copper pipes which aren't dangerous but sometimes you have to let the system flush before refilling the tanks to purge the old water that has been sitting in the pipes. Not sure if this is at all the case in your situation, but the copper test kit would let you check you source water and the tank to see.

[Winterose]

I just meant do you let the water run for a minute or two before refilling the tank. Some houses have copper pipes which aren't dangerous but sometimes you have to let the system flush before refilling the tanks to purge the old water that has been sitting in the pipes. Not sure if this is at all the case in your situation, but the copper test kit would let you check you source water and the tank to see.

oh no i just turn it on and fill the pitcher. i don't know if my pipes hold water or not but we use the sink regularly so i wouldn't think if there was sitting water that it would be sitting for to long.
I'll try to get a hold of a copper test kit asap trying to talk mom into buying one.

[BigNorsk]

Might be a stupid question but do you add salt to your water?

The copper sounds very possible to me too.

Marv

[Winterose]

Might be a stupid question but do you add salt to your water?

The copper sounds very possible to me too.

Marv i had fungus a while bad and added freshwater salt to treat by advice from an other ac member why is this bad?

[msjinkzd]

salt is fine during treatment, it can stress the snails if used longterm.

[wendamus]

How critical is a copper test kit if you're not having troubles? My briggs seem fat and happy, and they're growing visibly every day, they rock. Also, i have about a zillion pond snails. But if I am going to let the purple bridgsii breed, do I need to be extra special careful about copper, or are my prolific pond snails a sign my copper levels are fine?

Thanks!

[msjinkzd]

I have never tested for copper as I have never had difficulty keeping any inverts. I would only invest in the kit if you have suspicions or concerns.

[Arakkis]

take your water to a LFS and get a copper test if it too expensive to buy one