Why did my Apple Snail suddenly die...RIP Cus

slappycd

Freshy n00b
Aug 14, 2006
28
0
0
My apple snail Cus died suddenly, Or more to the point I found him being munched on by my Cory Cats and his shell on the other side of the tank.

Diet includes a quarter slice of zucchini every 2-3 of days. I keep it frozen then thaw it in a cup of aquarium water then wedge it under a rock. I let it sit for 24 hours then pull it. Otherwise he eats what he can find. He also has some pond snals for company... about 10 or less.

Only recent changes are: the water I change out sits between WCs with a lump of peat (in a nylon pouch) to help with water hardness. I just let it float there without agitation so the it only partially softens the water. At a water change I pull 25% out of my tank then replace it with the treated/peat water.

Any ideas?

stats
WC 25% weekly,
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20+ I keep it higher for my plants
Kh 7.5
ph 8

Thanks

Slap
 
how long have you had the snail? kept in a cooler pond setting they can live around 3 years or longer, at higher tropical temps (76-78) they only live a year, maybe a bit longer.
 
We often focus on what the aquarist did to kill the animal because they're most often to blame.

What we almost never think about is the possiblity the animal had some kind of medical condition. Have no clue that's what happened here but I'm just saying.
 
wataugachicken said:
how long have you had the snail? kept in a cooler pond setting they can live around 3 years or longer, at higher tropical temps (76-78) they only live a year, maybe a bit longer.

2 months... He always seem lathargic, but he at well.
 
Omega said:
We often focus on what the aquarist did to kill the animal because they're most often to blame.

What we almost never think about is the possiblity the animal had some kind of medical condition. Have no clue that's what happened here but I'm just saying.


Yea, I agree. So the question is restated

What did I do to kill my snail....?
 
Omega said:
Get your water checked for toxic metals.

It's Lake Michigan water here in the Chicago Land.

I have a water analysis report our Village sends me every six months, And had it looked over by and Water "expert".....I'm surrounded by them at my work (Environmental Remediation Business). I did this recently because I was choosing a filtration unit for drinking water.

Anyway, nothing seemed too excessive as far as contaminates were concerned. Between my coworkers and the specialist whom do the analysis, I can safely assume the water is OK.

Thanks though.

Slap
 
slappycd said:
Anyway, nothing seemed too excessive as far as contaminates were concerned. Between my coworkers and the specialist whom do the analysis, I can safely assume the water is OK.
I live in Vancouver where our drinking water is amongst the best in the world. Everything checks out with flying colours.

I used it in my marine tank and it killed all the inverts.

Turns out there's too much copper in my tapwater, and god-knows what other heavy metal I didn't have a test kit for. It's at a level just fine for human consumption but not for inverts.

I'm just throwing another possibility out there is all.
 
i'm curious as to what level is considered toxic (copper) for inverts?
 
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