What to do when your snails start to decay??

[krissy82]

I noticed a couple of my apple snails (might be trapdoor or something else, but same shape) have holes and gaps in their shells and even my newest and favorite snail, a volcano snail, has started to decay right at the tip of it's shell. I did get a small amount of CaribSea Crushed Coral on eBay, 1 cup, because I was talking with a friend of mine about this who is a pet store owner and we came to the conclusion that I need to stop using FloraPride because it has copper in it and should supplement the tank with calcium. I have no idea how much of this coral to use (the tank is 30 gallons) and should I put it in a mesh bag or simply sprinkle it in the tank? I read that a low ph can cause the decay also, but I keep it between 7 and 7.5 in that tank. 
In this same tank, I just realized most of my fish have Camallanus parasites. As far as I know, the only treatment for this is very harmful to snails and shrimp (all inverts) and the medication only paralyses the worm so it can be passed by the fish and if you don't vacuum the worms up, the fish will just eat them and get them all over. I'm thinking my best bet here is borrowing an extra tank, using a bit of water from my tank and moving all the fish into a gravel-less, snail-less, shrimp-less environment for the treatment which I read should be done 3 weeks in a row and is pretty hard on the fish themselves.
I've been having all sorts of troubles with my critters lately. My Chilean rose hair tarantula has this odd spot on her back. After researching it, I found it was either from a bad molt or she is going to have a molt soon. Since her last and only molt since I've had her was about 5 years ago, I guess she's going to molt. She's been very aggressive as well, which is so unlike her. Whenever I try to get a dead cricket out of her cage, she tries to attack me. She's never acted like that. I thought she was full grown and done molting, she's gotta be more than 10 years old.
My snow corn snake has been pretty lethargic this past week too. 
I had to unexpectedly run to the pet store yesterday after noticing the heat light bulb for my pinktoe tarantula had burnt out. I hate going out and I'm gonna order an extra heat bulb from amazon next month so I have one just in case, but my critters are my babies and deserve the best. I think the only things I don't buy online are food and things like that. 

[coco]

As far as your snails with the decaying shells, wondershells would be perfect for that.

[Carl]

Apr 29, 2016 19:59:54 GMT -5 coco said:

As far as your snails with the decaying shells, wondershells would be perfect for that.

I agree.

Crushed Coral generally does not dissolve fast enough to supply the needed minerals.

From our Chemistry Article (please read it in depth for more information:

"The bottom line is that Crushed Coral MAY help maintain KH/pH in a low bio load aquarium, they are best used for minerals (GH) and even here Wonder Shells (or similar mineral ion supplements such as AAP/SeaChem Replenish or Fresh Trace used regularly or in drip) are far superior to Crushed Coral due to the fact a Wonder Shell dissolves at a much faster rate and reacts much quicker to chemistry changes in the water than does crushed coral.
As a well the use of a slow drip liquid mineral replenisher would also be superior to the use of Crushed Coral for mineral depletion.
Besides the simple mineral makeup of crushed coral, my own extensive tests show that its use to increase KH as well as GH (Calcium and other minerals) simply is poor."

Source for AAP Wonder Shells

I agree with ceasing the use of FloraPride just in case the copper contained there in is the issue, although generally it is small and snails can tolerate ver low levels.
The only way to be sure is to test your copper.

*Copper Test Kit Resource

Finally I also agree with your assessment of the Camallanus worms and treatment separately

Here is our article dealing with treatment:
www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2007/03/trematodes-and-nematodes-in-fish.html#nematodes

I would also suggest supporting your local fish/aquarium store or our Sponsor, American Aquarium Products over eBay or especially Amazon as this is where good support comes from and someday the continued use of such companies will result in these businesses no longer being around when you need them

Carl

[devonjohnsgard]

I'd study up on AAP Freshwater Article, then you'd be a pro.

www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Basic_Aquarium_Principles.html

[krissy82]

I ended up buying 10 grams of Levamisole HCl Powder from eBay because it's safe for inverts (still not safe for snails) and it's supposed to boost the fish's immune system while all of the other treatments I read up on were harmful for all inverts and hard on the fish themselves. I did use only half of the recommended dosage because that's what the instructions said to do for sensitive fish and I have to repeat in 3 weeks and another 3 after that. I wrote to the manufacturer asking if the 3 weeks is long enough to wait and if 3 treatments is all I need, both questions because I did the half dosage. I had newspaper blocking all light out of the tank for 24 hours, I took it off and did the 75% water change at 5 p.m. on the 8th and I don't see any of those nasty red worms hanging from the fish and they all look better in general. I put the only snail I was able to locate (besides all the trumpet snails) into my other tank before treating. I was upset because I couldn't find my volcano snail, I gave up after looking for what seemed like hours. After I pulled the newspaper off, nearly the first thing I saw was that volcano snail on the gravel not looking too hot. I immediately grabbed it up, made sure it was alive and gently set it in my other tank with the other snails and the wonder shell I had dropped in the previous day. It's looking much better now, acting like a normal snail. Had me scared when I saw him a few hours after moving him looking like he was leaking outta his shell, but he seems fine now. I'm keeping the snails in there until I finish all the treatments. So far things are looking up!

[Carl]

I am happy to read you are seeing some improvements

Levamisole HCl is one the most effective anti-nematode treatments available, and one I used considerably when it was more readily available in a couple of Aquatronics products.

However, while there are some "cut and paste" websites (such as Loaches online) stating it is safe for invertebrates, this is not true/correct.
How could it be true since a nematode is an invertebrate? A product cannot be safe for the pathogen/parasite you are trying to kill or it would be useless

Another common "cut and paste" statement I have seen repeated by these anecdotal websites is that Levamisole HCl will improve the immune system.
What really happens is that Levamisole HCl increases T cell response (short term), which is certainly why it is so effective, but continued use would not actually be healthy and an improvement of natural immune response.
In fact Levamisole HCl is an oxidizer and long term use can be dangerous!

References:
www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9924487
www.academia.edu/8400023/Effects_of_Levamisole_Hydrochloride_on_Cellular_Immune_Response_and_Flock_Performance_of_Commercial_Broilers

Carl

[Carl]

I also suggest reading this article from our library (in particular the cautions in the Levamisol section) :

www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumMedication3.html#levamisol

Carl

[Suzie Q (Lori)]

I learned this the hard way....snails need more than "clean up" nutrition. I used to "raise" blue footed/shell mystery snails until the shells became brittle and lost my big breeding female. After about a month, the hatchlings started getting brittle shells. I did keep a Wondershell in there, and it did help, but didn't solve the problem long term. I also added spinach, but again, not "enough" nutrition. Look into food for the snails plus a Wondershell and they will thrive

[Carl]

May 19, 2016 9:37:51 GMT -5 Suzie Q (Lori) said:

I learned this the hard way....snails need more than "clean up" nutrition. I used to "raise" blue footed/shell mystery snails until the shells became brittle and lost my big breeding female. After about a month, the hatchlings started getting brittle shells. I did keep a Wondershell in there, and it did help, but didn't solve the problem long term. I also added spinach, but again, not "enough" nutrition. Look into food for the snails plus a Wondershell and they will thrive

The Paradigm Herbivore or Omnivore would be great for the snails as would Spirulina 20

Resource:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/ParadigmFoods.html

Carl

[Suzie Q (Lori)]

May 19, 2016 17:27:35 GMT -5 Carl said:

May 19, 2016 9:37:51 GMT -5 Suzie Q (Lori) said:

I learned this the hard way....snails need more than "clean up" nutrition. I used to "raise" blue footed/shell mystery snails until the shells became brittle and lost my big breeding female. After about a month, the hatchlings started getting brittle shells. I did keep a Wondershell in there, and it did help, but didn't solve the problem long term. I also added spinach, but again, not "enough" nutrition. Look into food for the snails plus a Wondershell and they will thrive

The Paradigm Herbivore or Omnivore would be great for the snails as would Spirulina 20

Resource:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/ParadigmFoods.html

Carl

I never "fed" my snails. They were the clean up crew for my Striped....Greater Kuhli Loach??? I never, until it was to late, fed them anything for them. I never thought about THEIR nutritional needs . I was a bad snail owner.

[krissy82]

I've been keeping freshwater fish since I can remember. I used to get those clips with suction cups that hold lettuce, cucumber slices, etc. What's best to feed snails to keep their shells strong? Is there anything good for cichlids like that? Right now I have 3 convicts (1 pink female, 1 striped female, 1 pink male) and 2 albino dragon's blood peacocks. (Plus a giant spiny eel and huge pleco.) I knew my tank's much too small for all the fish that were in it, so I traded in one of my male pink convicts, then my huge green severum, then finally the huge gold severum. Thankfully, The male pink convict (which grew from an egg into the fierce creature he is today all in my own tank) was taken home by the store owner and the green male severum was bought by a very serious local severum breeder. The gold one was the last I brought in so I'm not sure where he went yet.

I did the 2nd treatment in my docile tank for the worms last week. The angelfish definitely still had them, but all of the fish look MUCH healthier since before I ever started treatment. No more lesions and nasty things like that. Hopefully the 3rd treatment will be the charm!

The volcano (or maybe 'lava'?) snail seems to still be doing great as are my dwarf lobsters/dwarf crayfish, amano shrimp and vampire (or viper?) shrimp. These are the names that were given to my local pet store's owner by the supplier.
my lovely vampire shrimp
I haven't gotten any good pics of the dwarf lobsters / dwarf crayfish, but you can see them in this video- www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwwadGywpUo


Here's a link to my "monogamous snails". Riddle me this! www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P4xVdotk08

[Carl]

Thanks for sharing the pics and video, always interesting to see

From the video, unless I am not seeing what I think I am seeing, it appears the one snail is slowly eating away at the other's shell.

I would try isolating this one snail from the other (unless I was wrong in what the video seemed to show)

As for feeding, I would suggest the Paradigm Graze, which is high in calcium and VERY digestible. If the snail is isolated in a breeder net or similar, it can be placed directly on this food

Regular AAP Wonder Shells are also helpful for all snails

Product Resources:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/ParadigmFoods.html#graze
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/MedicatedWonderShell.html


Breeder Net

Carl

[krissy82]

If you're talking about the snail that looks like it's decaying in spots, that's the one that is always hitching a ride on the other one. The bigger one seems to have a pretty healthy shell.

[Carl]

Jun 9, 2016 16:48:17 GMT -5 krissy82 said:

If you're talking about the snail that looks like it's decaying in spots, that's the one that is always hitching a ride on the other one. The bigger one seems to have a pretty healthy shell.

OK, thanks for clarifying

I would still try the other suggestions, including isolation so as to make sure it gets the optimal feeding

Carl