How do you provide calcium?

[Nuthatch]

I've never had this problem before, and its only getting worse.  Most of the snails in my 36 gallon tank have turned white.  They are all ramshorns.  I have dropped a chunk of cuttlebone in there but I don't know what else to do. 

 

I have a 9 gallon tank, and the snails in there are normal.  At one point they too were going white so I also dropped a piece of cuttlebone in there.  It seemed to work well for them.  Unfortunately I had to remove it because I believe that it was detrimental to the shrimp.  My ph was dropping & the shrimp were dying and I had no idea how to fix that other than to remove the cuttlebone. 

 

If anyone can give me any help with this I would really appreciate it.

 

[chibikaie]

Cuttlebone, while similar in composition to aragonite in that it contains many of the minerals needed by invertebrates, sometimes has enough remaining organic matter attached/in it to be a significant source of decaying material. Even if it doesn't seem to raise nitrogeous wastes, it often produces an extremely unpleasant odor. I have had clean ones and I have had ones that produced a stink worthy of a cesspit.

I would give crushed coral (aragonite) a try instead, or montmorillionite powder. For snails, foods rich in calcium are also beneficial, which can be made (search for snail jello recipes) or purchased.

[Soothing Shrimp]

Low ph will also turn snail shells white and pit the shells.

[Wygglz]

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I've seen clear snail shells. Can this be calcium too?

[Soothing Shrimp]

The clear shells turn white as they grow. These are often called blue ramshorns if dark bodied.

[Wygglz]

Thank you. These are just pond snails but I would expect its the same

[Nuthatch]

I would give crushed coral (aragonite) a try instead, or montmorillionite powder. For snails, foods rich in calcium are also beneficial, which can be made (search for snail jello recipes) or purchased.

 

Do any of these change the pH in your tank?  I want to help the snails, but I don't want to have to do something else to then keep the pH at 7.  Unless thats my only option.   

[Soothing Shrimp]

Snail keepers often feed tums.

[Nuthatch]

Seriously??  Tums?? 

 

Do you just drop one in & forget it, and expect the snails to eat it?  How often?  And will it cause the pH to drop?

[Wygglz]

The things this group knows

[Soothing Shrimp]

Drop it in and no ph rise.  It's basically calcium.

 

How often?  Varies according to person.  Usually the routine is 1 once a week for best shell.

[OMG Aquatics]

I feed these to my snails.

 

http://www.kensfish.com/aquarium-supplies/fish-food-feeders/kens-premium-veggie-sticks-calcium.html

 

Shrimps love them as well.

[Toads74]

Only question is what flavor...

[Soothing Shrimp]

heh  In all seriousness, when I was breeding snails I had to ask if the flavoring would cause any problems to the snails or in the tank.

 

The answer was no problems.  Some even felt their snail pets liked a fruit flavor better.

[chibikaie]

^-^ Fruit Tums for the win, hehe. It's also possible to feed them to very small mammals that are in need of a calcium boost, although I believe there are supposed to be better options these days. They make SO many different gummy variety supplements these days - makes treating primates a matter of scale and not difficulty hiding supplements.

[sarah]

I used to use fruit tums to make snail jello. I would use a bunch of organic veggies and baby food, plus tums, algae wafers, and unflavored gelatin. There are loads of recipes online. You can also buy calcium powder for reptiles (get the one without vit D) and use that in the snail jello instead of tums.

[Soothing Shrimp]

Sarah, I remember reading not to use vit D, but I don't remember why?

[sarah]

Sarah, I remember reading not to use vit D, but I don't remember why?

Ha! Me neither!

[chibikaie]

It might be a precautionary measure. Since vitamin D is fat-soluble, too much can induce toxicity as it builds up in the body - whereas if you added too much of a water soluble vitamin like C or B12, the excess is simply excreted and there is much less concern about a possible overdose.

I have several forms of calcium supplements, due to having the world's pickiest frog and from having fun experimenting with water chemistry. I still put a pinch of calcium carbonate into the tank water now and again for the snails, because what else am I going to do with it?

[Soothing Shrimp]

That would make sense, Chib.  Thanks!

[Shrimp lady]

Carib-sea inc. with calcium (buffer plus) It will drive P.H. up and is not recommended for acid loving shrimps & inverts.

Ingredients;

Bicarbonate, carbonate & borate salts, aragonite

[Vpier]

I just ordered some CSF snail food and heard good things about plus every CSF product I have purchased is top notch and is becoming my go to food. Im guessing my shrimp will benefit from it also.

http://www.theshrimptank.com/foods/csf-schnecko-fit-snail-fit/