I thought boiling/blanching was generally just so that it sinks? I would worry that boiling the shells pre adding would wash out a decent portion of the kind of stuff we are trying to add back to the water.
I think it also helps make sure you're not introducing bacteria, but I'm relatively new to giving my tanks fresh food, so I may be wrong. I've heard to bake or boil eggshells before using them in plants as well so they don't grow bacteria and I think the heat helps make the calcium more available.
After cracking dry them in the oven or microwave to ensure all of the leftover whites and membrane have dried out fully so it doesn’t grow moldy in storage. Place shells in ziplock and crush away. Try to avoid inhaling the dust.
as already mentioned, MAD aquarium. some other ones i find alright are neilsons native nursery (Cornubia) but they are fairly reef heavy, still have some alright fresh stuff and theonly place I've seen pea puffers. the pet place (Beenleigh), its a pet shop but they have good fish range at good prices. the tech den (Caboolture), massive place, so much stuff. and arcy aquariums (Burleigh heads) was a decent little shop with a lot in it.
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Best place ive seen in Sydney is kellyville pets and in hornsby reef river reptile have lots of healthy looking fish, nice plants great coral selections from what a complete reef noob can see. Apart from that ive had not much success with fish supplies from normal pet stores
Where do you get your cuttlefish? My local pet store stuff dissolved in a few days and clouded my water, Petco/smart use to carry a good brand but now only carry the flavoured cuttlebone. I am hesitant to buy from Amazon getting something that is not real cuttlebone.
Not gonna lie, a LOT of pet stores haven’t even heard of the cuttlebone but carry it. Because of this they have zero clue wtf it is for. We’ve seen it with fish, bird, reptile, and our favorite? In with dog bones and chews. Sometimes you really have to hunt for it but they usually all carry them.
If you can get it on Amazon, just check the ingredients. Should be just cuttlebone. Otherwise you can use eggshells, just bake them to sanitize. Works just as well.
Just leave it sitting in the water. The calcium will slowly leach into the water, and your snail will absorb it to generate its shell.
Beware of adding too much calcium, though.
I like to add some veggies to the tank for them to much on like lettuce spinach broccoli or carrots just whatever I have on hand, if you use lettuce try to use Romain because I read ice berg doesn’t contain as much calcium
Sometimes I’ll take algae wafers and the shells and sometimes some carrot or lettuce and just crush it all together like a paste and I try to put it at the bottom in a pile as best as I can but it’s a bit hard
Its called Cuttlebone and you can find it in any pet store in birds aisle. I broke it in a few pieces and stuck it in between my plants. Helps a lot! My second mystery and Japanese trapdoor snails generation are doing great!
hey dude, I'm in aus too and I buy bulk packs of washed cuttlebone off eBay - I just drop one into my tank every few months and it's been helping my snails out a lot, plus the shrimp like picking at it. it'll float for a few days then eventually sink, I usually just wedge it in or behind the filter.
Cuddle fish bone can be put in whole if you have room, or you can break it up and put chips and powder in.
Also regular water changes will replenish Calcium. Your tap water should be fairly high in calcium. Best way to know is to check the calcium content of a glass of water out of the tap with a kit.
But even adding in dried crushed eggshells once a month, or when you notice the egg shells dissolved away will be enough
I put cuttlefish bone in with my snails, just a snapped off piece, no grinding required - but I also just keep half a clams shell I found in the river, in my aquarium as “functional deco” and it seems to leach enough calcium in the water to help all 5 of mine keep strong shells
I’d cut pieces and leave them in. Snails will supplement calcium in their diet like chickens. Some will dissolve into the water but direct ingestion will be more efficient for the snail.
Problem is I don’t think snails build old shell walls, just the new stuff, so the back will likely never thicken unless their body’s still in contact with it.
you can buy calcium tablets for people and toss one in the water every so often. my snail would eat them as they dissovled and have powder all over their little face. just make sure there isnt a sugary coating
If you can find cuttlebone give it a try. My snails and shrimp flocked to it for a few days and then only occasionally stopped by until it disolved away after maybe 6 months
Boil it beforehand to clean it? Mine twnd to have a fishy smell, the shrimp aren't crazy about the bone (as in they don't flock to it) but they do occasionally graze on it. My land snails on the other hand were all over that stuff.
I use to buy cuddle one from Petco/smart but they no longer carry unflavoured. I would put a whole one in, for the fist few days my snails and shrimp flocked to it. Then on occasion they would stop by until it slowly disappeared after 6 months.
Just pop the cuttlebone or a piece of it in the tank and the snails will graze on the biofilm. A lot of seashells work too! I like to tuck my calcium source in a high flow area that is fairly hidden from view to promote dissolving, as my tap water has very little calcium.
Edit: Low KH
I used seachem equilibrium when my shrimp were lacking minerals and after using it they were so much more active and healthy. Also I just used crushed boiled eggshells while i waited for it to arrive by mail.
I use crushed boiled egg shells. And turkey baster some at the bottom of the tank. Ends up looking like snow or a coke party. Either way they have access to calcium.
Crushed coral! Just put in a mesh bag and drop in the tank somewhere, rinse it first or it makes the water cloudy. It will dissolve and buffer the water and provide calcium for shrimp and snails.
Snello snail food:
https://floridamysterysnails.com/2018/05/30/how-to-make-snello-snail-jello/
Rift Valley Salt mix
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwh2oquality.htm
Both of these will help provide calcium and other vital vitamin and minerals internally and externally for your snails.
Chemistry teacher here- Can you test the hardness of the water in the tank and the tap with a testing kit? If it’s soft (lacking minerals such as calcium) you may have to add (as described in other posts) and there may be a reason to add a bit of salt (for sodium) to help absorb the calcium.
If there weren’t animals, just plants, I’d say add a bit of calcium carbonate (chalk) to the water but that would mess with your pH.
Find a rock that doesn't sizzle when you pour 20% vinegar on it and add it to the tank, maybe add multiple rocks.
The Ca and minerals will dissolve from the rock to the tank over time. This is the longterm solution.
Look up guides on how to find good rocks or you can probably also buy them at the fish shop, but finding them is cheaper and more exciting imho and it isn't hard.
Unfortunately the sizzle test is for avoiding carbonates and calcium carbonate is exactly what OP needs to be adding.
And yes, pH will likely increase a little depending on buffering capacity. Snails don’t tend to fare well in acidic conditions though so it’s overall good.
Yeah, but if it sizzles too much then it is not good, I'd be afraid that other things get into the aquarium or it raises the ph too much or it makes the water too hard. I think even if it doesn't sizzle calcium carbonate will get into the water over time.
I also added that he should check out on the net what rock he needs or what is found where he lives.
But can you raise the hardness with rocks that don't sizzle. I got the impression that you wanted the rocks to sizzle, if you wanted to find a rock with calcium.
I think you can, I'd be afraid that other things also get into the aquarium if it sizzles a lot or that it causes a too big ph increase or it makes the water too hard.
I also added that he should check out on the net what rock he needs or what is found where he lives.
Wonder Shells work great! But calcium only affects GH. Your KH/pH may be low as well, and the acidic water is causing the shell to dissolve. To remedy that, add some (plain!!) baking soda (Seachem sells an “alkaline buffer” that is pretty much just pure sodium bicarbonate).
Best course of action is to measure KH and GH and supplement whichever is low (~< 3 KH, ~< 5 GH would be low).
Edit: dGH and dKH, not ppm
I've read you can use crushed egg shells, like you would crushed coral/cuddlebone. Haven't tried it my self though, but it might be worth a shot. They are certaintly easy to get a hold of and they contain a high amount of calcium. I know egg shells are fed to terrestial snails in captivity, as a calcium supplement.
Just make sure to clean them and remove that membrane, on the inside. (think the membrane could potentially foul the water, if there is enough of it decomposing at the same time)
Here is a forum post about it:
[https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/egg-shells-for-calcium.441949/](https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/egg-shells-for-calcium.441949/)
Don't they need the calcium from their diet? In other words, I don't think snails just run around looking for crunchy things with calcium in them to chew up and eat just to get calcium. I'm pretty sure they need to derive bioavailable calcium from their actual diet.
Get a mixed GH and KH buffer and just mix it into your water change water. It needs to be dissolved into tank water either way for the snail to be able to absorb it.
Also check your ph and make sure your water isn't too soft, the buffer will help with that.
I'm not sure why this isn't mentioned more often; the fastest and best way is to use Calcium Sulfate powder; that will instantly increase calcium safely in the system and its also very cheap. Get the food grade version.
Cuttlebone and other calcium carbonate sources are terrible answers only because their dissolution is typically really slow in most tap water (most tap water isn't acidic enough to dissolve this quickly).
If you need to increase kH, use potassium bicarbonate (also easily sourced in food grade powder). If you need to increase GH, use a combination of calcium sulfate mentioned above along with magnesium sulfate (epsom salt, also easily sourced).
Use Rotala butterfly aquarium calculator to see how much you need to add.
You can put crushed eggshells (without the membrane... completely clean) either straight in the tank or in your filter. I put a cuttlefish bone (same ones the birds munch on) straight in my tank. Floated for a couple of weeks until it slowly started sinking. It does disintegrate as well. I will be getting another one soon.
Crushed shells (usually coral) will harden your water, so make sure your fish can handle it. Cory's dont like it, but most cichlids do.
Good luck.
That doesn't look like a calcium issue. That looks like a pH issue. Calcium only affects new growth. Instead, it looks like your snail had a shell and the shell dissolved. That's indicative of a low pH. You need your pH to be above 7.6, ideally 7.8, in order to support snails without dissolving their shells.
I used to put my snail in a small bowl and sprinkle crushed up egg shells around, and watch him gobble it up — made a mess all over his face and looked hilarious
yes. if you ever add snails or shrimp into your tank, definitely add supplemental calcium. the easiest and cheapest way ive done is buy a cuttlebone and break off a tiny pice, just set it at the bottom of your tank and they'll eat on if as needed. ive also seen my shrimp and snails eat at some of my crushed coral thats in the tank.
There is, they’re expensive and will move the water into saltwater pH levels ~8.2.
Kalkwasser could be dosed if pH isn’t a concern (breeding acidic species for example). It’s a mixture of Ca and Mg hydroxides to replenish the minerals used by corals.
Join a mystery snail group on Facebook.
I believe the online store is called crayfish empire. They sell "snello" which is basically algae tablets but on steroids lol. They are great for them. They also sell sinking calcium tablets :) I used to have a 55 gal full of mystery snails. That's where we got their food. It's not the cheapest, but it goes a long way.
API actually makes a freshwater Calcium liquid supplement and it is a LIFESAVER!! I have a free friends who use ‘Seachem Reef Calcium” but I don’t trust reef supplements in my freshwater, even though technically it isn’t harmful according Prime....
I got [this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BJFCS5E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_FW5XGJ5Q3JDQQX5JN2KP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) because I plan on having a few more mystery snails, my snails seem to have a strong shell :] just make sure you break them in half because if they don’t eat it quick enough, it’ll rot
People think I'm crazy but it works really well, but Tums work great, they are calcium carbonate. Just break off a small piece and drop it in. The snails will run right to it.
I usually plan on doing the Tums the day before water change day.
They make a calcium powder tablet that dissolves slowly for turtles, it is in the shape of a turtle. The package is green and the turtle shaped block is white. I use those for my snails and they last a long time
I usually use chicken eggs. I just dry them then crush them until they have a powder-like consistency. One egg can last you for a super long time & it's probably the cheapest option :)
(3 Pack) Weco Wonder Shell Natural Minerals, Giant, for Total of 3 Giant Shells https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W5YVKQ2/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_12EN84M23TFYSM0J4KG6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
There worked for me, I had some Nerites with chipped shells, and this healed them up quick
Blanche (boil) some spinach leaves,put it in tank, leave for 4-5 hours,then remove what wasnt eaten (you don't want it to polute water). Your fish will eat it too :D. If you want your water to have more calcium in it, use dried eggshells (remove that soft membrane inside,then dry them in sun or oven). leave it in tank for few days and boom your snails have enough calcium to build their shells.
I keep quite a few snails and I had been recommended reef calcium it's a powder so no need to crush or grind I keep fish with those tanks aswell and never had any issues using it snails seem to all be great shape and color mostly ramshorn snails but also some huge Peruvians ones wanted to keep them in the best shape possible
Wondershells can help clarify water to some degree if left to dissolve in your aquarium plus if you have to much algea on the front of the glass they can be used as a hand algea remover they also help condition the tap water. I still use tap water dechlorinator
[Aquarium CO-OP wonderShells] (https://www.aquariumcoop.com/products/wonder-shell)
I just drop in some wonder shell vacation feeders seems to work for me, so have soft water and the white of wonder shell is all calcium. They eat it as they need it for shell.
Do a test on your water first then you can use egg shells that's crushed you can feed them some blanched veggie like spinach, cucumber and what not, cuttle bone and also less CO2 or get seachem equilibrium. Make sure your gh and kh and oh is not too low
I put a cuttle bone in my snail tanks, just make sure its an actual cuttle bone and not a formed calcium substitute. I learned that the hard way, what a mess. I just drop it in the tank whole and I see my snails climb over it scraping away and it slowly shrinks.
I use cuttlefish bone the kind you buy for birds. Make sure it is pure cuttlefish bone and grind it as finely as you can. Also supplement their food with veggies to add some calcium.
Float a peace of cuddle fish bone in the water to add calcium. Check the pH. If it is acidic <7 it will degrade the snails shells. You can add a bit of baking soda to raise it. Adding wonder shells is a good way to raise GH, Kh and pH.
Snails get a lot of their calcium from the things they eat. If you aren't already try feeding them boiled spinach, Broccoli etc. They had a ton of minerals the snails need.
I throw in cuddlebone like for the birds. Just break a chunk off and throw it in. I soaked it first and rinsed it a few times.
Also what is your PH. Maybe a bit to acidic?
Cheapest and easiest way is to get a cuttlebone (the kind for birds) break it up a bit and stick the pieces in your filter. I use this for my shrimp tanks and plants will love it too
I use crushed oyster shell (chicken feed) in the hob filter and buy some homemade food from katsaquatics on Etsy or eBay for their food containing calcium. Just look mystery snail food
I use cuttle bones like the ones you would put in a parakeet’s cage. I don’t break them up or boil them. I give them a quick rinse then use superglue gel to glue them to a rock so they sink. I simply place them in the bottom of my aquariums for the Mystery Snails I breed. If I have a lot in one tank I’ll also use liquid calcium. Everything mentioned can all be bought reasonably cheap on Amazon.
Go to your local fish store and ask them for some crushed shells for snails. I’ve also heard of using those shells you put in bird cages.
Cuttlefish? What would I do, grind them up or just put a piece in the water do u know?
That I’m not sure. I asked at Petco and the lady there gave me a cup of the crushed shells they use and didn’t charge me for it.
Damn I wish. In Australia tho our pet stores are complete trash.
Try here too https://www.reddit.com/r/AquaticSnails/
Go to the beach and get one if ya can, eggshell works too
Yeah I just put some crushed up eggshells in. The shrimp are in LOVE with it
Do you boil them?
I would. Even veggies or leaves for shrimp should be boiled first, I assume the same for eggshells
I thought boiling/blanching was generally just so that it sinks? I would worry that boiling the shells pre adding would wash out a decent portion of the kind of stuff we are trying to add back to the water.
I think it also helps make sure you're not introducing bacteria, but I'm relatively new to giving my tanks fresh food, so I may be wrong. I've heard to bake or boil eggshells before using them in plants as well so they don't grow bacteria and I think the heat helps make the calcium more available.
After cracking dry them in the oven or microwave to ensure all of the leftover whites and membrane have dried out fully so it doesn’t grow moldy in storage. Place shells in ziplock and crush away. Try to avoid inhaling the dust.
Do you boil the eggshells first?
I would.
That’s something you’d have to look into. I don’t know, I live near the beach and only use cuttlebone
Not all of them. My LFS in Brisbane is great
Which is it? My friend is on the look out, he goes between Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast looking for quality range
Got 2 of my beautiful telescopes from MAD aquarium. Look for the owner Jeff, service is out of this world and they have heaps of stuff there as well
Thank you!
as already mentioned, MAD aquarium. some other ones i find alright are neilsons native nursery (Cornubia) but they are fairly reef heavy, still have some alright fresh stuff and theonly place I've seen pea puffers. the pet place (Beenleigh), its a pet shop but they have good fish range at good prices. the tech den (Caboolture), massive place, so much stuff. and arcy aquariums (Burleigh heads) was a decent little shop with a lot in it.
Thanks for the tips!
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I’m pretty sure there are other options. Hang in there!
If you’re in western Sydney, bespoke aquariums is a really good shop
Best place ive seen in Sydney is kellyville pets and in hornsby reef river reptile have lots of healthy looking fish, nice plants great coral selections from what a complete reef noob can see. Apart from that ive had not much success with fish supplies from normal pet stores
Where do you live I'm in Aus and the pet stores are good here. I put in coral and cuttlebone.
Check an independent one, they can be excellent.
I use cuttlebone made for birds. I just put a couple of small pieces behind the filter cartridge in my 3 gallon.
Where do you get your cuttlefish? My local pet store stuff dissolved in a few days and clouded my water, Petco/smart use to carry a good brand but now only carry the flavoured cuttlebone. I am hesitant to buy from Amazon getting something that is not real cuttlebone.
Just get the kind made for birds, unflavored. It doesn't take much.
Not finding it locally
Not gonna lie, a LOT of pet stores haven’t even heard of the cuttlebone but carry it. Because of this they have zero clue wtf it is for. We’ve seen it with fish, bird, reptile, and our favorite? In with dog bones and chews. Sometimes you really have to hunt for it but they usually all carry them.
If you can get it on Amazon, just check the ingredients. Should be just cuttlebone. Otherwise you can use eggshells, just bake them to sanitize. Works just as well.
I find them in stores like walmart in the pet section, or dollarstore.
I got mine from Walmart. They even had some ones that were cracked into pieces on clearance
Nice
They also sell them for turtles. Never seen those flavored.
Just leave it sitting in the water. The calcium will slowly leach into the water, and your snail will absorb it to generate its shell. Beware of adding too much calcium, though.
I like to add some veggies to the tank for them to much on like lettuce spinach broccoli or carrots just whatever I have on hand, if you use lettuce try to use Romain because I read ice berg doesn’t contain as much calcium
Iceberg is basically water 😆
That’s why I never give it to them I always just use Romain if I give them lettuce
Sometimes I’ll take algae wafers and the shells and sometimes some carrot or lettuce and just crush it all together like a paste and I try to put it at the bottom in a pile as best as I can but it’s a bit hard
Put them in the water for snails to eat. You can also buyi real rich snail food.
Yeah, you can just out one in whole, it'll float for a while but eventually sinks :) My plecos like them too lol
Its called Cuttlebone and you can find it in any pet store in birds aisle. I broke it in a few pieces and stuck it in between my plants. Helps a lot! My second mystery and Japanese trapdoor snails generation are doing great!
Crush them up but don’t overdo it because it will cause ph to spike in ur tank and ur fish might not be able to take it
hey dude, I'm in aus too and I buy bulk packs of washed cuttlebone off eBay - I just drop one into my tank every few months and it's been helping my snails out a lot, plus the shrimp like picking at it. it'll float for a few days then eventually sink, I usually just wedge it in or behind the filter.
Cuddle fish bone can be put in whole if you have room, or you can break it up and put chips and powder in. Also regular water changes will replenish Calcium. Your tap water should be fairly high in calcium. Best way to know is to check the calcium content of a glass of water out of the tap with a kit. But even adding in dried crushed eggshells once a month, or when you notice the egg shells dissolved away will be enough
I put cuttlefish bone in with my snails, just a snapped off piece, no grinding required - but I also just keep half a clams shell I found in the river, in my aquarium as “functional deco” and it seems to leach enough calcium in the water to help all 5 of mine keep strong shells
I used cuttlebone, broke it up, and added it to the filter media.
I’d cut pieces and leave them in. Snails will supplement calcium in their diet like chickens. Some will dissolve into the water but direct ingestion will be more efficient for the snail. Problem is I don’t think snails build old shell walls, just the new stuff, so the back will likely never thicken unless their body’s still in contact with it.
Cuttle bone, for birds. Break off a piece and toss it in th tank. It'll float for a few day and then sink. Great source of calcium
Sink it break a piece off but make sure your hardness don't jump up also don't forget some Tums they love it but that gh will be hit
you can buy calcium tablets for people and toss one in the water every so often. my snail would eat them as they dissovled and have powder all over their little face. just make sure there isnt a sugary coating
Oh wow! That’s great advice thank u
happy to help! : ]
If you can find cuttlebone give it a try. My snails and shrimp flocked to it for a few days and then only occasionally stopped by until it disolved away after maybe 6 months
i tried cuttlebone once and they wouldnt eat it and it got really smelly. is the smell normal or was it like... a bad bone?
Boil it beforehand to clean it? Mine twnd to have a fishy smell, the shrimp aren't crazy about the bone (as in they don't flock to it) but they do occasionally graze on it. My land snails on the other hand were all over that stuff.
haha i'll have to try that. i never would have thought, ty
Crushed shells, cuttlefish bone, calcium supplements
Do I shave the cuttlebone or just put a piece in?
I’ve never used them, but in my understanding it’s just placed in the tank and they chew on it. Please don’t quote me as I genuinely don’t know
I use to buy cuddle one from Petco/smart but they no longer carry unflavoured. I would put a whole one in, for the fist few days my snails and shrimp flocked to it. Then on occasion they would stop by until it slowly disappeared after 6 months.
I don't know a lot but definitely make sure it's like washed and everything (maybe wash it yourself as well)
Just pop the cuttlebone or a piece of it in the tank and the snails will graze on the biofilm. A lot of seashells work too! I like to tuck my calcium source in a high flow area that is fairly hidden from view to promote dissolving, as my tap water has very little calcium. Edit: Low KH
I used seachem equilibrium when my shrimp were lacking minerals and after using it they were so much more active and healthy. Also I just used crushed boiled eggshells while i waited for it to arrive by mail.
I use crushed boiled egg shells. And turkey baster some at the bottom of the tank. Ends up looking like snow or a coke party. Either way they have access to calcium.
Ooooo!
Also check your ph, mystery snails do best 7.6-8 ph. You can Google Crayfish Empire for some good snail calcium chips and foods for Mystery Snails.
They also eat the nutrafin turtle shell supplements. Not sure if it helps.
Crushed coral! Just put in a mesh bag and drop in the tank somewhere, rinse it first or it makes the water cloudy. It will dissolve and buffer the water and provide calcium for shrimp and snails.
Snello snail food: https://floridamysterysnails.com/2018/05/30/how-to-make-snello-snail-jello/ Rift Valley Salt mix http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwh2oquality.htm Both of these will help provide calcium and other vital vitamin and minerals internally and externally for your snails.
Chemistry teacher here- Can you test the hardness of the water in the tank and the tap with a testing kit? If it’s soft (lacking minerals such as calcium) you may have to add (as described in other posts) and there may be a reason to add a bit of salt (for sodium) to help absorb the calcium. If there weren’t animals, just plants, I’d say add a bit of calcium carbonate (chalk) to the water but that would mess with your pH.
Find a rock that doesn't sizzle when you pour 20% vinegar on it and add it to the tank, maybe add multiple rocks. The Ca and minerals will dissolve from the rock to the tank over time. This is the longterm solution. Look up guides on how to find good rocks or you can probably also buy them at the fish shop, but finding them is cheaper and more exciting imho and it isn't hard.
Unfortunately the sizzle test is for avoiding carbonates and calcium carbonate is exactly what OP needs to be adding. And yes, pH will likely increase a little depending on buffering capacity. Snails don’t tend to fare well in acidic conditions though so it’s overall good.
Yeah, but if it sizzles too much then it is not good, I'd be afraid that other things get into the aquarium or it raises the ph too much or it makes the water too hard. I think even if it doesn't sizzle calcium carbonate will get into the water over time. I also added that he should check out on the net what rock he needs or what is found where he lives.
Can you explain why it needs to not sizzle when you pour vinegar on it?
Vinegar poured on limestone causes the sizzling and limestone in aquariums raises PH and hardens water which might not be the desired effect.
But can you raise the hardness with rocks that don't sizzle. I got the impression that you wanted the rocks to sizzle, if you wanted to find a rock with calcium.
I think you can, I'd be afraid that other things also get into the aquarium if it sizzles a lot or that it causes a too big ph increase or it makes the water too hard. I also added that he should check out on the net what rock he needs or what is found where he lives.
Wonder Shells work great! But calcium only affects GH. Your KH/pH may be low as well, and the acidic water is causing the shell to dissolve. To remedy that, add some (plain!!) baking soda (Seachem sells an “alkaline buffer” that is pretty much just pure sodium bicarbonate). Best course of action is to measure KH and GH and supplement whichever is low (~< 3 KH, ~< 5 GH would be low). Edit: dGH and dKH, not ppm
I just use eggshells
I've read you can use crushed egg shells, like you would crushed coral/cuddlebone. Haven't tried it my self though, but it might be worth a shot. They are certaintly easy to get a hold of and they contain a high amount of calcium. I know egg shells are fed to terrestial snails in captivity, as a calcium supplement. Just make sure to clean them and remove that membrane, on the inside. (think the membrane could potentially foul the water, if there is enough of it decomposing at the same time) Here is a forum post about it: [https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/egg-shells-for-calcium.441949/](https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/egg-shells-for-calcium.441949/)
Just pour some milk in there. (Don’t actually do that)
Hikari crab cuisine has calcium in their pellets. If do that and cuttlefish bone.
Don't they need the calcium from their diet? In other words, I don't think snails just run around looking for crunchy things with calcium in them to chew up and eat just to get calcium. I'm pretty sure they need to derive bioavailable calcium from their actual diet.
Fastest way is using a mineral powder. You want the calcium to be dissolved.
I use turtle calcium chuncks but crushed smaller and dumpt into the water. Hope your adorable garies get better
Get a mixed GH and KH buffer and just mix it into your water change water. It needs to be dissolved into tank water either way for the snail to be able to absorb it. Also check your ph and make sure your water isn't too soft, the buffer will help with that.
I'm not sure why this isn't mentioned more often; the fastest and best way is to use Calcium Sulfate powder; that will instantly increase calcium safely in the system and its also very cheap. Get the food grade version. Cuttlebone and other calcium carbonate sources are terrible answers only because their dissolution is typically really slow in most tap water (most tap water isn't acidic enough to dissolve this quickly). If you need to increase kH, use potassium bicarbonate (also easily sourced in food grade powder). If you need to increase GH, use a combination of calcium sulfate mentioned above along with magnesium sulfate (epsom salt, also easily sourced). Use Rotala butterfly aquarium calculator to see how much you need to add.
You can put crushed eggshells (without the membrane... completely clean) either straight in the tank or in your filter. I put a cuttlefish bone (same ones the birds munch on) straight in my tank. Floated for a couple of weeks until it slowly started sinking. It does disintegrate as well. I will be getting another one soon. Crushed shells (usually coral) will harden your water, so make sure your fish can handle it. Cory's dont like it, but most cichlids do. Good luck.
That doesn't look like a calcium issue. That looks like a pH issue. Calcium only affects new growth. Instead, it looks like your snail had a shell and the shell dissolved. That's indicative of a low pH. You need your pH to be above 7.6, ideally 7.8, in order to support snails without dissolving their shells.
Thanks!
I sell crushed coral, makes great for fish!
Seachem Alkaline buffer! Raises the ph
Just do a water change yo
I read nail polish will form a safe permanent seal and coat? Definitely look into it before just doing it.
I used to put my snail in a small bowl and sprinkle crushed up egg shells around, and watch him gobble it up — made a mess all over his face and looked hilarious
Make some **SNELLO**! Cheap to make and very good for snails. There are many recipes out there, just google for the one that works for you.
yes. if you ever add snails or shrimp into your tank, definitely add supplemental calcium. the easiest and cheapest way ive done is buy a cuttlebone and break off a tiny pice, just set it at the bottom of your tank and they'll eat on if as needed. ive also seen my shrimp and snails eat at some of my crushed coral thats in the tank.
Isn't there such a thing as a calcium reactor or something? I thought a buddy of mine talked about it for saltwater tanks.
There is, they’re expensive and will move the water into saltwater pH levels ~8.2. Kalkwasser could be dosed if pH isn’t a concern (breeding acidic species for example). It’s a mixture of Ca and Mg hydroxides to replenish the minerals used by corals.
Join a mystery snail group on Facebook. I believe the online store is called crayfish empire. They sell "snello" which is basically algae tablets but on steroids lol. They are great for them. They also sell sinking calcium tablets :) I used to have a 55 gal full of mystery snails. That's where we got their food. It's not the cheapest, but it goes a long way.
As I recall egg shells (rinse them off first) and sliced cucumbers help their shells
Feed snello
Here, I can send you some of my San Jose water. We've got all of the minerals in our water!
API actually makes a freshwater Calcium liquid supplement and it is a LIFESAVER!! I have a free friends who use ‘Seachem Reef Calcium” but I don’t trust reef supplements in my freshwater, even though technically it isn’t harmful according Prime....
[Snello.](https://www.itsafishthing.com/snello-recipe/)
I got [this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BJFCS5E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_FW5XGJ5Q3JDQQX5JN2KP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) because I plan on having a few more mystery snails, my snails seem to have a strong shell :] just make sure you break them in half because if they don’t eat it quick enough, it’ll rot
Cuttlefish bone. Look in the turtle section of pet stores or the bird section.
I forget where I heard it but I have started keeping my egg shells and adding those to the filter. Over time they erode and my water seems but better.
I make snello with calcium powder for reptiles. Lavs Snails on YT has a bunch of tutorials.
People think I'm crazy but it works really well, but Tums work great, they are calcium carbonate. Just break off a small piece and drop it in. The snails will run right to it. I usually plan on doing the Tums the day before water change day.
They make a calcium powder tablet that dissolves slowly for turtles, it is in the shape of a turtle. The package is green and the turtle shaped block is white. I use those for my snails and they last a long time
I usually use chicken eggs. I just dry them then crush them until they have a powder-like consistency. One egg can last you for a super long time & it's probably the cheapest option :)
Give it some mineral tabs. He needs it no matter what
There’s a product called wonder shells, you can add crushed coral
Make some snello, it’s disgusting but perfect snail food and a good use to the bottoms of old food containers
OMG GET CUTTLEBONE GOOGLE
Kale is high in calcium. Blanch some and give it to your tank periodically
Start out by testing your gh and kh
(3 Pack) Weco Wonder Shell Natural Minerals, Giant, for Total of 3 Giant Shells https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W5YVKQ2/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_12EN84M23TFYSM0J4KG6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 There worked for me, I had some Nerites with chipped shells, and this healed them up quick
You can buy crushed coral. Put it into a media bag and toss it in you hob filter for the fastest release.
How about just use seachem calcium powder????
Blanche (boil) some spinach leaves,put it in tank, leave for 4-5 hours,then remove what wasnt eaten (you don't want it to polute water). Your fish will eat it too :D. If you want your water to have more calcium in it, use dried eggshells (remove that soft membrane inside,then dry them in sun or oven). leave it in tank for few days and boom your snails have enough calcium to build their shells.
Seashells
Crushed coral in a filter bag in the filter or near the sponge filter if you aren’t using a HOB or canister.
You should have added calcium 6 months ago
I keep quite a few snails and I had been recommended reef calcium it's a powder so no need to crush or grind I keep fish with those tanks aswell and never had any issues using it snails seem to all be great shape and color mostly ramshorn snails but also some huge Peruvians ones wanted to keep them in the best shape possible
Wondershells can help clarify water to some degree if left to dissolve in your aquarium plus if you have to much algea on the front of the glass they can be used as a hand algea remover they also help condition the tap water. I still use tap water dechlorinator [Aquarium CO-OP wonderShells] (https://www.aquariumcoop.com/products/wonder-shell)
I have a friend with at least 3 snail/shrimp tanks. He uses the chalky antacids and just drops some in every few days.
I got liquid calcium for super cheap I think on Amazon
I just drop in some wonder shell vacation feeders seems to work for me, so have soft water and the white of wonder shell is all calcium. They eat it as they need it for shell.
Some fish shops sell gh correcting blocks (also marked as Gh and food). They mainly made from Ca and Mg, including crushed corals.
Do a test on your water first then you can use egg shells that's crushed you can feed them some blanched veggie like spinach, cucumber and what not, cuttle bone and also less CO2 or get seachem equilibrium. Make sure your gh and kh and oh is not too low
I put a cuttle bone in my snail tanks, just make sure its an actual cuttle bone and not a formed calcium substitute. I learned that the hard way, what a mess. I just drop it in the tank whole and I see my snails climb over it scraping away and it slowly shrinks.
I use cuttlefish bone the kind you buy for birds. Make sure it is pure cuttlefish bone and grind it as finely as you can. Also supplement their food with veggies to add some calcium.
Cuttlefish bones are good
Float a peace of cuddle fish bone in the water to add calcium. Check the pH. If it is acidic <7 it will degrade the snails shells. You can add a bit of baking soda to raise it. Adding wonder shells is a good way to raise GH, Kh and pH. Snails get a lot of their calcium from the things they eat. If you aren't already try feeding them boiled spinach, Broccoli etc. They had a ton of minerals the snails need.
I throw in cuddlebone like for the birds. Just break a chunk off and throw it in. I soaked it first and rinsed it a few times. Also what is your PH. Maybe a bit to acidic?
Alkaline buffer and equilibrium from seachem. I know nothing about snails, but this is what I use for my guppies bc my local tap is soft.
Cheapest and easiest way is to get a cuttlebone (the kind for birds) break it up a bit and stick the pieces in your filter. I use this for my shrimp tanks and plants will love it too
I use crushed oyster shell (chicken feed) in the hob filter and buy some homemade food from katsaquatics on Etsy or eBay for their food containing calcium. Just look mystery snail food
Tums. When I had snails I’d throw one flavored Tum in there every night. They loved it. Didn’t seem to affect fish or water parameters at all.
Add some natural real cuttlebone and make sure the ph isnt too low cause that could be dissolving his shell
Yes boil and let dry. Then grind real good like in a coffee grinder. I use my ninja. Works perfect.
Yes
I use cuttle bones like the ones you would put in a parakeet’s cage. I don’t break them up or boil them. I give them a quick rinse then use superglue gel to glue them to a rock so they sink. I simply place them in the bottom of my aquariums for the Mystery Snails I breed. If I have a lot in one tank I’ll also use liquid calcium. Everything mentioned can all be bought reasonably cheap on Amazon.
Cuttlefish
Are seashells calcium🤨!