Freshwater Snail Shells Eroding

[dc]

I have various freshwater snail species sporadically appearing with eroding
shells. The erosion begins with small pits forming on the youngest part of
the shell and then it eventually spreads to large scale shell degeneration.
The snail itself seems active until the final stages of the disease.

Some tanks are more susceptible to the problem than others. I don't think
it's directly diet related.

What's the fix? Is this a pathogen or a deficiency?

[Fishman]

This could more be a condition of a lack of calcium for the snails to
consume so that they can produce a strong shell. Consider using a calcium
carbonate to help buffer your water.

Fishman


"dc" > wrote in message
...
> I have various freshwater snail species sporadically appearing with
eroding
> shells. The erosion begins with small pits forming on the youngest part of
> the shell and then it eventually spreads to large scale shell
degeneration.
> The snail itself seems active until the final stages of the disease.
>
> Some tanks are more susceptible to the problem than others. I don't think
> it's directly diet related.
>
> What's the fix? Is this a pathogen or a deficiency?
>

[Koi-lo]

"dc" > wrote in message
...
>I have various freshwater snail species sporadically appearing with eroding
> shells. The erosion begins with small pits forming on the youngest part of
> the shell and then it eventually spreads to large scale shell
> degeneration.
> The snail itself seems active until the final stages of the disease.
>
> Some tanks are more susceptible to the problem than others. I don't think
> it's directly diet related.
>
> What's the fix? Is this a pathogen or a deficiency?
============================================
Your water may be lacking in calcium/minerals. Is your water soft and acid
by any chance?
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[dc]

"Fishman" > wrote in
news:pnDBf.24131$Me5.19676@trnddc05:

> This could more be a condition of a lack of calcium for the snails to
> consume so that they can produce a strong shell. Consider using a
> calcium carbonate to help buffer your water.

I suspected calcium deficiency, but I have other tanks with snails using
comparably buffered water without problems. Is dissolved calcium carbonate
readily available for their consumption, or would some calcium based
substrate be better?

[Charles]

On Tue, 24 Jan 2006 22:07:27 -0600, dc > wrote:

>I have various freshwater snail species sporadically appearing with eroding
>shells. The erosion begins with small pits forming on the youngest part of
>the shell and then it eventually spreads to large scale shell degeneration.
>The snail itself seems active until the final stages of the disease.
>
>Some tanks are more susceptible to the problem than others. I don't think
>it's directly diet related.
>
>What's the fix? Is this a pathogen or a deficiency?


soft water and low pH could cause this.

[Fishman]

I once had an incident when my MTS population was showing signs of pitting
and very fragile shells. I also had live plants in all my tanks, but only
one tank had the bad shells.

Turns out it was from the type of plants in the tank. Mostly the Jungle
Vals I believe were the culprit. I was experiencing "biogenetic
decalcification". A fancy way of saying that the plants in the tank were
competeing with the snails for the calcium. (and a good way to test the
knowledge of pet store employees <grin>).

Another trait or symptom was unusually soft acidic water. I solved the
problem by adding a cup of crushed coral (this was for a 100gal tank).

Now I use a small portion of aragonite in my 240 to help act as a natural
buffer. The amount of buffering material is dependent on the pH readings I
get. I used a nylon bag to hold a measured amount of coral or aragonite so
that adjustments can be made more easily until a desired range is met.

Fishman


"dc" > wrote in message
.. .
> "Fishman" > wrote in
> news:pnDBf.24131$Me5.19676@trnddc05:
>
> > This could more be a condition of a lack of calcium for the snails to
> > consume so that they can produce a strong shell. Consider using a
> > calcium carbonate to help buffer your water.
>
> I suspected calcium deficiency, but I have other tanks with snails using
> comparably buffered water without problems. Is dissolved calcium
carbonate
> readily available for their consumption, or would some calcium based
> substrate be better?
>
>
>

[Mean_Chlorine]

Thusly dc > Spake Unto All:

>I have various freshwater snail species sporadically appearing with eroding
>shells.
....
>What's the fix? Is this a pathogen or a deficiency?

Your pH is low. That leads to dissolution of the calcium in the shell.

Can be countered by raising the pH, for instance by putting a couple
of pieces of limestone or seashells in the tank.

Go here: http://www.applesnail.net/
Go to 'Care' and scroll down to 'water'.

The bottom line is that shrimp and snails don't like pH's under 7, and
prefer higher.

[Marco Schwarz]

Hi..

> Some tanks are more susceptible to the problem than
> others. I don't think it's directly diet related.

It's mostly diet related.

> Is this a pathogen or a deficiency?

Try to feed calcium-rich food..
--
cu
Marco

[dc]

"Fishman" > wrote in
news:g%FBf.36666$Le2.9358@trnddc04:

> Another trait or symptom was unusually soft acidic water. I solved
> the problem by adding a cup of crushed coral (this was for a 100gal
> tank).
>
> Now I use a small portion of aragonite in my 240 to help act as a
> natural buffer. The amount of buffering material is dependent on the
> pH readings I get. I used a nylon bag to hold a measured amount of
> coral or aragonite so that adjustments can be made more easily until a
> desired range is met.

Thanks for that info.

I wonder if using a marine reef calcium supplement would be a quicker way
to fix the problem. The calcium would be more readily available since it
wouldn't have to be separated from the CaCO3 molecule before it can be
used. It would probably be a much smaller dose and it shouldn't affect the
pH buffer either.

[Far Thunder]

"dc" > wrote in message ...
*SNIP*
> I wonder if using a marine reef calcium supplement would be a quicker way
> to fix the problem. The calcium would be more readily available since it
> wouldn't have to be separated from the CaCO3 molecule before it can be
> used. It would probably be a much smaller dose and it shouldn't affect the
> pH buffer either.

I had a similar problem with my ramshorn snails in a 90 gallon cichlid tank..the snails were laying eggs like mad and the
resultant massive demand for Ca was causing problems. I started culling eggs and juvenile snails more aggressively, also I
started supplementing with Kent Marine Concentrated Liquid Calcium; no more problems with shell degeneration in that tank. I
maintain an adult population of about 40-50 adult snails in that tank with everyone happy, relocating as needed.

HTH
-lila pilamaya




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[Koi-lo]

"Far Thunder" > wrote in message
...
> I had a similar problem with my ramshorn snails in a 90 gallon cichlid
> tank..the snails were laying eggs like mad and the resultant massive
> demand for Ca was causing problems. I started culling eggs and juvenile
> snails more aggressively, also I started supplementing with Kent Marine
> Concentrated Liquid Calcium; no more problems with shell degeneration in
> that tank. I maintain an adult population of about 40-50 adult snails in
> that tank with everyone happy, relocating as needed.
========================
Just a suggestion but wouldn't it be better to get snails that are native to
the type of water you have than try to change the water for the snails?
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
Troll Information:
http://members.aol.com/intwg/trolls.htm
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Richard Sexton]

In article >,
dc > wrote:
>I have various freshwater snail species sporadically appearing with eroding
>shells. The erosion begins with small pits forming on the youngest part of
>the shell and then it eventually spreads to large scale shell degeneration.
>The snail itself seems active until the final stages of the disease.
>
>Some tanks are more susceptible to the problem than others. I don't think
>it's directly diet related.
>
>What's the fix? Is this a pathogen or a deficiency?
>

Lack of calcium. Add oyster shells. Think of it as recycling.

--
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