# Apple Snail Shell Deterioration - Please Help



## Danja (May 21, 2012)

Hello,

I just moved across the country with my fish stock. During the move my snails started experiencing severe shell deterioration. I had hoped that once I set up my new aquarium it would reverse itself, but so far that has not been the case. It's been running for about 5 days and so far I've had two additional snails die in addition to one which perished during the four day trip. Here is my current setup:

Aquarium: 29 gallon glass rectangle from PetSmart
Filter: Penn-Plax Cascade 700
Stock: 3 dwarf frogs, 1 pleco (6 inch), 1 upside down catfish (4 inch), ~10 apple snails
Conditions (tested with API drop kits):
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm
pH: 6.4 - 6.6
GH and KH: 5 degrees/89.5 ppm each

I'm surprised that the ammonia and nitrate stabilized so quickly after purchasing a new tank; I think it's because I kept the canister filter full with water from the previous tank and then dumped in a bunch of API Quick Start when I set it up. I'm thinking the pH may be too acidic but I can't figure out what a good balance would be for my stock. Could someone please advise?

Thank you.

Edit: I put in a quarter tablet of citracal a coupled days ago. It may have mitigated the deterioration somewhat but it doesn't seem to have reversed it.


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## gtrider6 (Jul 7, 2012)

Your gh and kh are not ideal, along with a slightly acidic ph can do a number on the shells. I would dose the tank with calcium and try some bone.


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## Danja (May 21, 2012)

gtrider6 said:


> Your gh and kh are not ideal, along with a slightly acidic ph can do a number on the shells. I would dose the tank with calcium and try some bone.


What sort of calcium should I use? What bone?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

CUTTLE BONE; for birds! Just read about this in another thread (recomended by moderator), and just put one in my filter.Not sure how fsat it will dissolve / or maybe only part of one.My tank is large(180 g) and has unreadable GH and very low KH , due to mixingRO/DI with tap.They are calcium.


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## gtrider6 (Jul 7, 2012)

I use deer bone because I have plenty after the hunting season. Calstrate which is a very popular calcium supplement is cheap and great also. As for cuttlebone I had it hidden behind some rock and the snails go right for it.


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## NeonShark666 (Dec 13, 2010)

In a biologicaly active tank Nitrates are not usually zero or not for very long. Snails need a ph around 7.5 and some hardness in the water for their shell health. Big snails need a lot of Calcium.


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## Danja (May 21, 2012)

I'll put in another caltrate and see if that helps. Will the frogs be able to tolerate that high of a pH and hardness though?


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