# Why do my snails keep dying?



## fawnika

I have a 30 gallon tank. All of my levels (ammonia, ph, nitrates etc) are good most of the time. But I have had 3 snails now that have died. Can anyone spread some light on why that might be?

Thanks!


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## jrman83

What type of snail? Regular tap water?


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## fawnika

Thank you.

Yes, tap water but I do add the softener to it.

All of my fish are fine and thriving. I just don't get it why my snails keep dying. 

I appreciate your help.

Dawn


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## majerah1

How are yo acclimating them?If you just lace them in they will still suffer the PH temp and other fluctuations.Treat them just like fish and acclimate them.Also what type of snails?


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## fawnika

They have all been living in the tank for months and seem to be doing fine. Then all of a sudden they die.


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## NeonShark666

Snails do best in high (7.5+) ph and hard water. Sometimes they die mysterously. I recently lost several Mystery snails for unknown reasons. I suspect they don't like high Nitrates but I have no specific info on that.


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## fawnika

That might be the problem this time. I had a spike of a low pH at 6.5 last week. Right now everything is back to 7.0 - 7.4

Would that be why the snail died this time? The other two died when there was no weird values.

I just want to have a few snails in my tank and I just don't get it

Thanks for your information.


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## holly12

Snails are really sensitive to Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates, so major changes in those can cause death.

They also need hard water to live. Hard water contains calcium and they need this to keep their shells hard and strong. Without it, their shells will turn white and begin to errode, killing the snail.

A pH of 7.5 and up is required. (The water softener would be what's doing it, in my opinion.) The softener is taking the calcium out of the water. (It's also not great for fish, as water softened water can sometimes leach minerals out of the fish.) I've got water with a pH of 7.8 - 8.0 and all my fish and inverts are doing great. The shrimp are shedding like mad! 

If your water doesn't have enough calcium in it, you can buy a cuttle bone (the type you give to pet birds.) Boil it to make sure it has no germs, then break off a piece and toss it in the tank. It will dissolve into the water. (I've also heard of people putting crushed sea shells into nylon stockings and hiding that in the filter. This also helps put calcium into the water. Just be sure the shells are free of salt as salt will kill the snails.)


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## fawnika

Thank you so much!


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## holly12

No problem. Hope you are able to save some of them.


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## Angiestorm84

fawnika said:


> I have a 30 gallon tank. All of my levels (ammonia, ph, nitrates etc) are good most of the time. But I have had 3 snails now that have died. Can anyone spread some light on why that might be?
> 
> Thanks!


Mine were dying like that for a year. Everytime i added one it would not move, turn white and be dead within days. I added api ph stabilizer and theyre now thriving. Warning tho it kills live plants. So it just may be your ph .


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