Hi I'm new to fish tank keeping and I really like the snails but I have been having problems with some of them. I got some giant ramhorns and nerite snails but they all started to retract into their shells. They would retract really far so you could see a lot of the inside of their shell and then would die. Now it is happening to my adult mystery snail that I've had for almost 4 months. I'm pretty attacted to it and would really like to know what is happening and if I could do some thing to fix this problem?
Snails retracting into shells
- Thread starter Kwazi cat
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Hi, and welcome to the community!
Are familiar with the cycling a tank, also known as denitrification?
Check out the article in the link of my signature to get a really good foundation about keeping tanks.
Do you have any fish?
What size is your tank?
Do you use dechlorinator and if your towns water supply facility uses Chloramines? Not all declor brands treat chloramines, and some need a 2x the normal dose for them. Check the label.
My guess is that the water quality is causing it.
What are your parameters for (you need to get the water tested and get a liquid master kit) Ammonia, NitrIte, NitrAte, pH, alkalinity aka kH, GH.
Water temp?
Are these big Columbian Ramshorns or similar to the snail in my signature type RH snails?
Are familiar with the cycling a tank, also known as denitrification?
Check out the article in the link of my signature to get a really good foundation about keeping tanks.
Do you have any fish?
What size is your tank?
Do you use dechlorinator and if your towns water supply facility uses Chloramines? Not all declor brands treat chloramines, and some need a 2x the normal dose for them. Check the label.
My guess is that the water quality is causing it.
What are your parameters for (you need to get the water tested and get a liquid master kit) Ammonia, NitrIte, NitrAte, pH, alkalinity aka kH, GH.
Water temp?
Are these big Columbian Ramshorns or similar to the snail in my signature type RH snails?
Ok so the tank the mystery snail is in should be cycled. It has been up for a little longer than I've had the snail. It is a 10 gal tank with the mystery snail, 2 cory catfish, 2 guppies, and 3 wag tail platies who have just had a bunch of babies. The other snails lived in the 20 gal tank with 6 danio fish and a red tailed shark.
I have changed water conditioners recently so that might be the problem. I'll take a closer look at the bottle and the instructions next time I use it. I found the regular type that I have been using and used it for the last water change. Will watch and see if that helps.
I have changed water conditioners recently so that might be the problem. I'll take a closer look at the bottle and the instructions next time I use it. I found the regular type that I have been using and used it for the last water change. Will watch and see if that helps.
We tend to over feed when there are fish babies.
Okay report back if the snails feel better.
What is the pH and KH as well as the rest of the parameters? How many days /weeks/months has the tank been running?
Have you been replacing the filter pads/media on a regular basis or rinsing them off in tap water? The water chemicals used to treat the water to make it safe to drink make it unsafe for beneficial bacteria.
As a side bit of info, you might check with your water department and see if they have used any treatments for algae or other pests/bacteria or worked on main lines around the area. That type stuff is toxic to snails.
Okay report back if the snails feel better.
What is the pH and KH as well as the rest of the parameters? How many days /weeks/months has the tank been running?
Have you been replacing the filter pads/media on a regular basis or rinsing them off in tap water? The water chemicals used to treat the water to make it safe to drink make it unsafe for beneficial bacteria.
As a side bit of info, you might check with your water department and see if they have used any treatments for algae or other pests/bacteria or worked on main lines around the area. That type stuff is toxic to snails.
