Help - Assassin Snails Have Died

[larcklorn]

I am running a fluval spec v tank with the pump outlet covered with a filter to reduce water displacement for my betta. I put in some small live plants about 6 months ago and ended up with a nice snail population. To help control them I added 6 assassin snails. This worked for awhile but they slowly started dying.

When one of them was left I ended up cleaning everything in the tank, putting in RO water, and setting it back up with new rock, etc.

Today my last assassin died, but my betta and small albino catfish are just fine. Although apparently I did not clean everything just right because I now have a few baby snails back. I am willing to try assassins again, but I need help figuring out what I am doing wrong.

Currently:

• Using a small amount of Seachem Prime with the RO water when adding it back in.
• Tank is a fluval spec v as described above
• I do not do a huge amount of water changes each week - more 1 gallon monthly
• Use Seachem Flourish with addition of new water on bi-weekly basis
• Water temp is at 79F
• 0-10ppm Nitrate
• .5ppm Nitrite
• 75-100ppm Hardness
• 0 chlorine
• 180-200 Alkalinity
• 7.2 pH

Any ideas would be appreciated?

Thanks,

D

 

[Autumnsky]

You are using RO water, do you add any minerals back into the water?

 

[larcklorn]

The only thing I have been adding is the above listed. The water I was using before the tank change was just tap water. The water here is very hard [indianapolis]

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[Autumnsky]

I am wondering about your KH calcium. Is your test have the KH too? or where you get it tested at?

The snails probably starved though. They will eat little bits of omnivore bottom feeder wafer (and other meaty stuff) if they can get them from the other bottom feeders.

 

[larcklorn]

I don't have a reading for kh calcium but if it's needed I can get it. Before cleaning there were more than 40 snails in the 5 gallon tank - not sure how the were underfed. Now the one that passed away after cleaning I could see that happening. What should I do now?

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[Autumnsky]

Maybe not underfed then. You could see if your lfs would check the kH for you. Generally the water from RO needs to be remineralized, or cut with your tap water. I personally haven't used RO water in my FW tanks.

Baking soda is a common item used for raising kH. It has been awhile since I used it, and couldn't give you other than what other's have posted about the amount to use to raise it.

It should be done slowly as to not shock your fish.

I understand the GH should be at least 150.

Other minerals are needed to have healthy fish. So maybe baking soda isn't the only thing one might need. You can check with your local water company to what minerals are in the water to start with.

I just sent you a pm with some additional info which might help.