Hard water for snails & RCS?

N

Newbietank

AC Members
Aug 2, 2008
6
0
0
Hi, I have a planted 55 gal tank with 2 bala sharks, 1 pleco, 3 cory cats, 8 neon tetras, 3 dwarf gouramis, 2 mystery snails (added about 2 months ago) and my newest addition some juvenile cherry red shrimps.

We have a filtration system attached to our well so all the water coming into the house is well filtered and therefore very soft (hence my tank water is very soft).

I've been doing alot of research online since the snails and shrimps are new to me. I'm worried that my water is too soft and somehow I need to make it harder for the snail shells and outer shells of the shrimps. But here's what I can't find on the internet -- how do I make the water harder in a safe way for all inhabitants and is this something I really need to do? All I can find on the internet is that the snails and shrimps need minerals to help build their shells and that these minerals are found in hard water.

Thanks for any advice and help!
~Meg
 
You can go about supplementing the snails in several ways. First off, what is the pH and hardness of your tank water?
You could buffer your water with crushed coral in a media bag in your filter. You can also feed the snails calcium rich foods like veggies (zucchini, okra, spinach, cucumber, green beans). You can also add cuttlebone to the tank, or something like wondershells or vacation feeders which they will graze on and also buffer your water. As long as any changes are done gradually and kept stable, your fish should be fine. Have you noticed any erosion to the snails shells? The cherry shrimp are very versatile and can adapt to softer water just fine. The snails need the calcium and hardness for strong shell growth and to prevent damage to their existing shells. If it comes down to it, you could always start an invert tank with water that is buffered if you are really concerned about your fish adapting.
 
Wow! Thanks for the great tips! I never even thought about the calcium rich foods! Just to make sure - I should blanch the veggies before I put them in the tank right?

The cuttlebone or wondershells sound like a great idea too!

My pH has been 7.2 for several months now. My hardness is always 75 ppm at best now. I put a small piece of coral in the tank a few months ago because I read somewhere that that would help and it makes a pretty decoration too. Tank hardness was 25 ppm before the coral! But I have not crushed it and put it into the filter

I have just recently started to notice a little bit of erosion on one of the snail's shells and that's what had prompted me to start researching again. Since there is some small erosion, is it too late for the snail to be fixed? I really love my snails!
 
7.2 is not horrible, you should be able to help their shells with the suggestions i offered. A small amount of erosion is considered normal, its when you start to see deep holes, pitting, or severe erosion where you need to be very concerned. Blanching veggies (except cucumber) works great. I use a chip clip to sink them, but a fork works too (tie a string to the clip, makes it easier to remove, and sometimes the snails climb it which is amusing). I think by adding some veggie, and maybe cuttlebone or wondershells you should help prevent future damage. There is also a sticky at the top of the page with homemade invert foods. The jello recipe is super easy to make and its likely alot of your fish will enjoy it as well. My gourami, barbs, and cories all munch on it so I occasoinally modify the recipe by putting in some freeze dried bloodworms as well. Its another easy way to feed them and the food is very cheap, fast to make, and freezes for a month.
 
msjinkzd said:
7.2 is not horrible, you should be able to help their shells with the suggestions i offered. A small amount of erosion is considered normal, its when you start to see deep holes, pitting, or severe erosion where you need to be very concerned. Blanching veggies (except cucumber) works great. I use a chip clip to sink them, but a fork works too (tie a string to the clip, makes it easier to remove, and sometimes the snails climb it which is amusing). I think by adding some veggie, and maybe cuttlebone or wondershells you should help prevent future damage. There is also a sticky at the top of the page with homemade invert foods. The jello recipe is super easy to make and its likely alot of your fish will enjoy it as well. My gourami, barbs, and cories all munch on it so I occasoinally modify the recipe by putting in some freeze dried bloodworms as well. Its another easy way to feed them and the food is very cheap, fast to make, and freezes for a month.
Click to expand...

Which part of the green bean do I feed to the snails, the actual beans or the skin? Or do I feed the whole thing? Is it necessary to blanche?
 
I actually really like using the french cut frozen green beans, oftenI will remove the seeds as they tend to float around. I just take a french cut piece and hook my clip to it frozen and drop it in. They really seem to like them. If you were using fresh, I would nuke it for a minute or blanche it on the stove top to make it softer for them.
 
Wow!! Again, thank you so much!!! I'm really enjoying this site!

Luckily I do not see any deep or pitting or severe erosion. I'm going to go out and get a cuddlebone and veggies tomorrow! Thanks for the tip about the chip clip too, I never would have thought of that!

I can't wait to make my own invert food!
 
msjinkzd said:
I actually really like using the french cut frozen green beans, oftenI will remove the seeds as they tend to float around. I just take a french cut piece and hook my clip to it frozen and drop it in. They really seem to like them. If you were using fresh, I would nuke it for a minute or blanche it on the stove top to make it softer for them.
Click to expand...


Thanks! I think I already have some of those green beans frozen :).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom