HELP!!! MY MYSTERY SNAIL HAS SHELL ISSUES HELP!!

[andy36yr19]

I have a mystery snail and it has white specks on its shell looking like ich but no ther fish has ich and it looks like the shell is turning black! Please help me

 

[andy36yr19]

Btw the ph is at 6.8 nitrite is at 0 nitrate is 10. Its in a 20 gallon with 1 betta, 12 neon tetras, 4 ghost shrimp, 2 bristlenose plecos, and one other healthy snail

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

It could be pitting in the shell caused by acid water. Snail's shells are made of calcium and dissolve in acid water (pH below 7.0). If your pH is 6.8 that might be contributing to the problem.

You could add a small piece of limestone or shell and it will raise the pH, however you only need a small piece otherwise the pH will go too high.

 

[NickAu]

Mystery snails need to be kept in hard water or they will suffer from shell erosion

You also need to feed them.

Please read this.
http://applesnail.net/forum3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6645&start=45

You could add a small piece of limestone or shell and it will raise the pH, however you only need a small piece otherwise the pH will go too high.

Adding a small bit is the same as adding a big bit, it will dissolve at the same speed.

 

[Colin_T]

Adding a small bit is the same as adding a big bit, it will dissolve at the same speed.

Big pieces of limestone have a bigger surface area and will raise the pH faster and higher than a small piece. You might need several small pieces to get the pH to just above 7.0 but if you add 1 small piece and monitor it for a week, it should raise the pH a bit. If the pH hasn't changed after a week then add another small bit.

If you add a big piece of limestone the pH could go up to 8.5 in a couple of days and that would be too high for the fish and too fast.