Mystery Snail Shell Going White
- Thread starter VippiN
- Start date
Sounds like it could be calcium related. Some people put cuttle fish bones in their tank for the snails to graze on, you can get them at pet stores. Otherwise people add calcium directly to the water column. Marine fish stores probably have calcium suppliments that can be added (slowly at first). I have heard that 80ppm th 100ppm of calcium maintained in the water will help snail shell growth.
Otherwise maybe you could add a calcium rich food source. Snails love veggies, so try blanching some broccoli and adding that to the tank near the snail.
Otherwise maybe you could add a calcium rich food source. Snails love veggies, so try blanching some broccoli and adding that to the tank near the snail.
Thanks for the reply.
Once upon a time I tried cuttlebone however it was never touched, the same piece remained for over three months before I removed it.
I give green veggies all the time including baby spinach and snow peas.
I'll have to try and locate some suppliments, i've never seen them in stores before.
Once upon a time I tried cuttlebone however it was never touched, the same piece remained for over three months before I removed it.
I give green veggies all the time including baby spinach and snow peas.
I'll have to try and locate some suppliments, i've never seen them in stores before.
I've also heard that adding a media bag with some crushed coral to your filter will help keep shells healthy-- I think doing that can also raise pH, too, though, so proceed cautiously.
mandimoron said:
The point of adding the crushed coral is to raise the pH. Generally with snails, you don't want a pH below 7.0 but 7.5 and higher is ideal. Anything lower then 7.0 and the shells will begin to thin and dissolve out leading to the death of the snail.
i have a blue mystery snail with the same problem, the blue started to flake off, leaving a grey-black shell underneath, i put in one of those "14 day feeder tablets" (the white ones) and that seems to have stopped the shell damage, however i hear its not reversible, it just stops more flaking
You are all correct. Snails need plenty of calcium and a pH above 7.4 to maintain healthy shells.
The three easiest ways to give a snail more calcium are to add Kents Liquid Calcium to the water (adding normal dosage to the tank is fine, research was done by a member of another board and no negative effects were found), add crushed coral to either your tank or the substrate (IMO this is the best method because it will keep your pH at proper levels and provide calcium), and feed veggies high in calcium such as kale or spinach. I'm not a fan of adding cuttlebone to a tank.
The three easiest ways to give a snail more calcium are to add Kents Liquid Calcium to the water (adding normal dosage to the tank is fine, research was done by a member of another board and no negative effects were found), add crushed coral to either your tank or the substrate (IMO this is the best method because it will keep your pH at proper levels and provide calcium), and feed veggies high in calcium such as kale or spinach. I'm not a fan of adding cuttlebone to a tank.