# Apple snail needs calcium



## raeven (May 12, 2011)

Hey guys. I'm hoping to find someone who might know a little something about apple snails. 

We currently have four in our 45 gallon tank, and they're a decent size right now. Three of them are perfectly fine, but the fourth is a little on the white side now when they're suppose to be a peachy orange. I'm told it's the cause of low calcium in the water and that there's a few different things I can do.

I read in a couple places that putting a cuttlebone in the water helps (minus the little metal clip). On a few other places I've heard that spinach is also good to have in there since they like to eat it. Giving these tips a shot I put both in hoping for some signs of recovery. And so far the only thing we've really seen happen is the snail is a little more active, but still on the rather white side. Are there any recommendations anyone might have on what else I can do? Or is this just a waiting game at this point?


Also, on a side note, I've been trying to figure out the genders for these guys, although this seems to be a little more complicated than I was hoping. If someone could shed some light on what I'm looking for, that'd be great


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

Here's a website dedicated to apple snails.

The Apple Snail (Ampullariidae) Website

What is your GH reading...are you adding anything to harden the water now? A few breeders I know add a combination of calcium chloride/magnesium to the water in addition to feeding calcium rich foods/supplements to their critters. A lack of calcium will produce those white scratchy shells, maybe even pinholes too.


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## paul_28 (Jan 20, 2011)

i got 70 plus baby snails if want em lol the adults breed like crazy in tropical tank. not all make it as alot of the egg clutches drop in to the water and baby and adult snails will slide on it as if they are eating it.


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

agree with HP's reply....check the GH , can be raised with Seachem Equilibrium pretty easily


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## raeven (May 12, 2011)

I've checked the GH quite a few times actually, but I have a really hard time reading the results to that. I've been told it's suppose to change from orange to green, but I don't ever get orange to begin with, so it kind of baffles me. Maybe I need to buy a new bottle of it?


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

Maybe your GH test has expired, this may help:

Shelf Life of Aquarium Test Kits"

Are you adding anything to your water to raise GH (harden it)?


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## Zeron (Apr 23, 2010)

raeven said:


> I've checked the GH quite a few times actually, but I have a really hard time reading the results to that. I've been told it's suppose to change from orange to green, but I don't ever get orange to begin with, so it kind of baffles me. Maybe I need to buy a new bottle of it?


Your GH is probably 0 or very close to it. Which is how it comes from the tap here.

Add some Equilibrium to get it up.


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## raeven (May 12, 2011)

The only thing I really add to the water is a softener to get rid of all those chemicals and whatnot. Every so often we'll put in some salt, and some buffer just the once. 

I have a cuttle bone floating around on the surface that I was told would help with adding calcium to the water, even if it does cloud it up a little bit. I would much rather have a cloudy tank than the snails dying.

And I'm thinking it is entirely possible that the GH testing solution has expired. I don't know when my friend bought it (it was originally her tank), so we're probably just going to grab a different one and see if that makes a difference.


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## raeven (May 12, 2011)

That's a good idea too Zeron. We'll give that a shot as well.


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## kelownaguy (Jan 1, 2011)

raeven said:


> I've checked the GH quite a few times actually, but I have a really hard time reading the results to that. I've been told it's suppose to change from orange to green, but I don't ever get orange to begin with, so it kind of baffles me. Maybe I need to buy a new bottle of it?


Or,your GH is below the lower detection limit of the test kit,thus the immediate appearance of the green colour.


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## Danw (Feb 26, 2011)

i feed mine a turtle supplement every once and a while. works like a charm. it comes in a white turtle shaped chunk and ever so i often i break a piece of and drop it in my snail tank. never had any problems. and i only give them the supplement when they're shells look less then perfect. tell me how it goes.


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