Apple Snails

[CameraGeek]

Hi everyone,

Hope I get a reply on this topic... my first flopped! |

I've now had three pairs of candy snails (mini apple snails) and each pair has died within 48hrs. The water has been tested and it's perfect. I have two angels, a garra rufa, golden gourami, rainbow fish and an albino bristlenose plec. The tank is 100litres with an external eheim filter. Carbon has been changed recently and 10-20% water change done weekly. Its only been set up 4 months and I'm trying to build it slowly.

I know snails are sensitive so they ge climatised over two hours and started off magnificently, 24hrs later doors are open and as they are so small (thumb print size) you can see the lung isn't pumping. Never had a problem keeping snails in my smaller tank...

.... anyone have any ideas??

Thank you from a bemused and concerned newbie /

 

[Donya]

I am going to move this to the other inverts section, as that is where most snail-related questions take place.

It is important to know what species of snail you have. I have never heard of "mini apple snails" or "candy snails." Are these Ampullariids, or something else? Do you have a picture? I am concerned that one of the only reference I can find to "candy snails" seems to be showing Nerites of a variety that are brackish.

 

[CameraGeek]

I am going to move this to the other inverts section, as that is where most snail-related questions take place.

It is important to know what species of snail you have. I have never heard of "mini apple snails" or "candy snails." Are these Ampullariids, or something else? Do you have a picture? I am concerned that one of the only reference I can find to "candy snails" seems to be showing Nerites of a variety that are brackish.

Hi,

They are apparently apple snails but much smaller and a variety of colours. Maybe it's the name the aquatic centre gives them?? I couldn't find many references to them either when I researched them. Here is very brief synopsis on a website. http/shop.sweetknowleaquatics.co.uk/Algae-Eating-Candy-Snail Not sure how to put pics on here, I have an iPad. They guy at the aquatic centre did say to add some aquarium salt to my tank. I was a bit taken aback by that as I've never had that advice before. I haven't done anything like that yet as I'm concerned for the fish.

Jo

 

[Donya]

Hi,

They are apparently apple snails but much smaller and a variety of colours. Maybe it's the name the aquatic centre gives them?? I couldn't find many references to them either when I researched them. Here is very brief synopsis on a website. http/shop.sweetknowleaquatics.co.uk/Algae-Eating-Candy-Snail Not sure how to put pics on here, I have an iPad. They guy at the aquatic centre did say to add some aquarium salt to my tank. I was a bit taken aback by that as I've never had that advice before. I haven't done anything like that yet as I'm concerned for the fish.

Jo

That's unfortunately the exact pic I found before. If you really do have what is pictured there, those are not apple snails (Ampullariidae) but rather some Neritina species. Species in the Neritina genus are brackish but vary in their tolerance for freshwater depending on the specific species (looks like it may be more than one in the pic; I'll have to check) and also the collection location within a species. I am a bit rusty on my Nerite IDs, so I will have to get back to you with more information after I've had a look through my references. The variation in appearance within Neritina species is wide enough that's not always easy without the animal in-hand.

However, stores don't always use photos that correctly represent what's being sold, so photos would still be the next step to be sure of what you have. I don't know what the forum interface looks like from an ipad. If you have pics, upload them to someplace like photobucket or imageshack and then post them with the img open/close tags in your post (or use the little "insert image" button that looks like a tree).

 

[CameraGeek]

I have been into the store and they have suggested that the gravel has taken on medications used previously for the fish and the snails are sensitive to some of them. He said even months later the gravel can hold chemicals from previous treatments and affect snails and other sensitive fish?? I'm not sure how true this is??
I've decided on a snail-less tank until I've swapped over the substrate and cycled for a while. All my fish are fine and my water is good.

ph 7.6
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 40

Thank you for ur input.

Jo x

 

[babystarz]

I had this problem with my apple snails as well, on two different occasions with more than 3 different tanks. Including tanks that have never been medicated. All water parameters tested fine. Someone suggested to me it might be copper in my water but I keep other snail species and they've never had any problems. Recently I've started hearing about more people with this issue. All other snail species are fine but apples won't stay alive for more than 48 hours. No one can seem to figure it out

I would try a different type of snail and see if it's just the apple snails that can't handle it.

 

[alistairw]

I saw some "candy snails" for sale in a shop in herts a month or so ago (you didn't buy them from the shop in the Hilliers Garden Centre in Hemel?). They did look like apple snails to me, just smaller.

One thing I have noticed with my Apple Snails is that every now and then I will find one floating on the surface. Now the first time I saw this, I thought it was dead and got rid of it before it poluted the water. I have since learned after another one did it, that in the wild they would do this to move down to another part of the water system (they just float down using the current). I decided to leave them be and after a while they just sink to the bottom and carry on munching on things.

If it turns out that they are Nerites as suspected by Donya, then I don't know if they show this behaviour too.

How did the snails look when you found them? Were they floating on the surface? Or were they obviously dead? It can be quite hard to determine if they are dead if they have receded into their shell. Did it smell particularly bad?

I am not an expert on snails, just sharing what I have learnt an experienced since I have had mine.

Hope this helps.

Alistair

 

[CameraGeek]

Hi guys,

Only just saw your posts!!

Donya, I left it until this week and tried with full apple snails. Gravel completely changed and still the poor thing didn't survive! I tested things and bought an apple for my 20ltr, he's happy and sliding along!? I do think its just that tank!!

Alastair - yes that's exactly the centre I got them from! They were definitely dead. I let them float for ages until they protruded from their shells, were hanging. I tried to rescue one into my 55ltr but it was too late.

I think I am reserved to the fact my 100ltr doesn't 'do' snails!?

 

[alistairw]

Hi guys,

Only just saw your posts!!

Donya, I left it until this week and tried with full apple snails. Gravel completely changed and still the poor thing didn't survive! I tested things and bought an apple for my 20ltr, he's happy and sliding along!? I do think its just that tank!!

Alastair - yes that's exactly the centre I got them from! They were definitely dead. I let them float for ages until they protruded from their shells, were hanging. I tried to rescue one into my 55ltr but it was too late.

I think I am reserved to the fact my 100ltr doesn't 'do' snails!?

No idea then why your snails keep dieing!!

What do you think to that shop? I am not totaly convinced by it yet and prefer to go to MA near St Albans.

 

[CameraGeek]

No idea then why your snails keep dieing!!

What do you think to that shop? I am not totaly convinced by it yet and prefer to go to MA near St Albans.
[/quote]


Me either it's a mystery!!

Hmmm I initially liked it. It's bright and clean and the guys seem more than happy to help. However.. I have only ever bought my stock at P@H as I didn't know of any others in the area without a #105###e reputation. Another site recommended DeepBlue and we went over. Mostly great fish but.. I got 6 guppys and within a few days they were all dead. Went back and they admitted to loosing the whole batch, replacements given (diff colours) and after a fortnight all were gone too. Two rufa's one got dropsy immediately and the other was brilliant then suddenly died a few weeks in. Really was starting to think it was my tank what with the snails. I persevered and got two silver sharks.. one died, other is great. The only successes so far have been the widow tetras, bristlenose plec and the giant danios.

I'm not buying anymore now. I'm leaving all my tanks for a few months and getting some cycles done and keeping the water perfect. I may try again then and see what happens. If I get anymore die like above I won't go in anymore.

On the plus side, their plants are great! lol