Snails' shells deteriorating

[TheMightyQueenPixie]

The babies are getting around the 3/4 inch size. their shells are slightly transparent. At 3/4 inch, is it normal at this age or do all my baby snails have calcium deficiency too. There's a cuttlebone in there, I see a snail on it on occasion.

On another note my water is now too soft & the pH has dropped. Could this be from the snail overpopulation?

Yes, baby shells are thinner...They thicken with age..
Yes, your snails can suck the minerals right out of the water and cause a pH drop.. Kent makes a calcium supplement, you may want to give it a try.

 

[hardcyder]

I use "turtle conditioner blocks" in my snail/shrimp tanks and it works for me. The blocks have buffers in them so arent apt to affect your ph much.

 

[mathchris]

I seee something very cool through the shell, looks like a moving breathing diaphram & I see the intestine.

So, if the snails are causing the water to be too soft & pH too low; a calcium supplement would be better or the same as adding limestone or coral?

Is the Kent supplement the one for Marine tanks? For a freshwater tank I guess I'll have to start with tiny doses & do a lot of testing?

Thanks all for sharing this snail knowledge. We love the snails!

 

[Roan Art]

Guys,

You might want to check this thread as well:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=550420&posted=1#post550420

He's also -- maybe not still? -- using pH 7.0 Seachem Neutral Regulator in the tank.

Roan
Knows Nothing of Snails

 

[mathchris]

Yeah, I used the pH regulator a couple times before I noticed the GH & KH are down too. I stopped using the pH regulator. Petco & Petland Discounts did not have limestone. I have another LFS to try hopefully tomorrow.

Petco said I can donate snails to them since I have too many, more than 70 snails under 1" in my 65gal. I bet that would help the pH too.