Keeping Snails

[Fancyfish]

Hi,
I recently got some ivory briggs and was wondering if other people keep those in Houston and if they have any suggestions. I've kept them before but the shells tend to deteriorate. I'm thinking of putting calcium pills in the water. I was wondering if Calcium with vitamin D was ok or should I stick with plain calcium. I'd really like them to stay looking this nice.

4snlmIvory.JPG

[Totenkampf]

I have used calcium carbonate tablets for this, tums antacids to be precise. i am now using a product called 'wonder shells' which provide all the trace minerals. you can also buy free form Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) powder from hydroponics stores or Green Leaf Aquariums / Bob's Tropicals online, its pretty inexpensive.

[troy tucker]

Most snails do well in the water here. Mistery snails like the high PH. I would think this snail will do well too.

[armthehomeless]

Hi,
I recently got some ivory briggs and was wondering if other people keep those in Houston and if they have any suggestions. I've kept them before but the shells tend to deteriorate. I'm thinking of putting calcium pills in the water. I was wondering if Calcium with vitamin D was ok or should I stick with plain calcium. I'd really like them to stay looking this nice.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11718[/ATTACH]

Do you put them in planted tanks or tanks with soft water? I've only had issues in tanks with Aquasoil.

[Fancyfish]

Do you put them in planted tanks or tanks with soft water? I've only had issues in tanks with Aquasoil.

I was thinking of putting them in my planted tank with cat litter clay under the gravel. Right now they are in an isolation tank til I decide where to put them. I've been reading on the snail board and they recommend feeding the snails caltrate(?).

[eklikewhoa]

Jake's veggie sticks with extra calcium! I've noticed the mystery and ramshorn snails I gut load to feed to my puffer have been a bit tougher for him to eat after feeding them this stuff in the past month.

[sunkenmetal]

I leave the empty snail shells in the tank to dissolve in the water don't know if it helps lol

[eklikewhoa]

I leave the empty snail shells in the tank to dissolve in the water don't know if it helps lol

That's what I started doing too, I would scoop the crushed shells from the puffer tank and toss them into the feeder shrimp/snail tank.

[sunkenmetal]

That's what I started doing too, I would scoop the crushed shells from the puffer tank and toss them into the feeder shrimp/snail tank.

I figure if the shells dissolve in the water whatever minerals they are made of must be in the water column.

[Fancyfish]

I figure if the shells dissolve in the water whatever minerals they are made of must be in the water column.

Yes, on the snail board they talk about crushing the shells and feeding them to the snails. But my ph problems wiped out my snail populations so I don't have any shells left. And unlike other places where I've lived in Houston my ph tends to be low to REAL low... And snails and acid don't seem to mix well. :P

The veggie stix are a good idea. Where do you get them from?

[sunkenmetal]

Low PH in Houston serious?

[Fancyfish]

yes. See this post. http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforum...-loss-problems We're working on the theory the ph got so low it either killed everything cause it was too low or when I did water changes, the spikes killed the fish. Wiped out snails, plants and fish. So now I'm testing frequently; maybe in a month or so I'll know more.

[eklikewhoa]

I ordered in a few lbs from a member of plantedtank.net.

May have a few oz left.

[eklikewhoa]

Here's the link to tpt member sale thread.... I have a 4oz bag left for $16 if you want it.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sponsors-power-seller-specials/164718-jakes-veggie-sticks-extra-calcium.html

[Fancyfish]

Thanks but I'm going to pass. I have a ton of fish foods including lots of algie waffers and only a few snails/plecs(so far) I'm going to try the caltrate and see what that does.