Quick Snail Question

[PrairieSunflower]

So, I've completely rescaped my betta's tank and changed the substrate... two reasons being because I wanted a dark color so my betta would stand out more and I wanted to be 100% sure there were no more baby assassin snails hidden in the gravel.
 
Now... I am planning to pick up a snail in the coming week, probably a mystery snail.  I was reading about their diets and found a page that said you had to have a piece of cuttlefish for the development of their shell.  Is that true?  That was the first I've read that.  Anyhow... just wanted to check on that piece of information.

 

[Maehlice]

I heard the same thing and so bought cuttlebone for my nerite snails last year.  To this day, the same cuttlebone is still there having never dissolved and having never seen a snail near it.
 
My tank is basic and slightly hard, though, so it's possible they just don't need it, because they get what they need from the water.  Perhaps if the water was acidic and soft, they'd be all over it.  Or maybe that's only for mystery snails.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

My water is pretty hard too.
 
I've had assassin snails for a good long time now and they are thriving with no shell issues (in the other tank now) and I've not had a cuttlefish for them.  Makes me wonder what would happen if I put a piece in.

 

[misterpro]

I myself believe the cuttlebone is completely superfluous when you have neutral or basic water, because it will have enough minerals/calcium in it already.
 
None of my snail species have shell problems

 

[Donya]

Bettas + large snails like apple snails is often a bad combination. Long feelers look like worms and usually get ripped off and eaten. The snails regrow them and they are eaten again...it is a source of constant stress on the snail. Some bettas do not do this, but most do even when otherwise well fed. Also, if you aren't already aware of it, apple snails are VERY messy animals compared to some smaller species. 
 
 

I myself believe the cuttlebone is completely superfluous when you have neutral or basic water, because it will have enough minerals/calcium in it already.

 
Neutral is often too low pH for species like apple snails and shell erosion will start and propagate if the shell gets a scratch anywhere. The KH is also important. A pH of 7.0 with a low KH can cause really bad shell deterioration in those snails and also in some Nerites.
 
Cuttlebone in general is not a great option for supplying the calcium carbonates snails need for their shells. It is an old and really out-dated method at this point. In fact, snails rarely eat much of it and you also risk getting an improperly treated one that has some tissue hiding somewhere that will decay and foul the water. Better options are weekend feeders (food pellets attract the snail to chew on it; can be home made to do it at lower cost) or liquid/powdered supplements to buffer the amount of calcium and carbonates in the water (be careful when adding them as they can be caustic). Aragonite (limestone, coral skeleton) is also used sometimes but often the snails will deplete the water too fast even with that since aragonite form of CaCO3 is far less soluble than the calcite forms found in things like weekend feeders. Usually it is best to have some standing source of CaCO3 like some crushed coral in a filter bag and then also to do WCs with new water that has been supplemented in some way to give a small dissolved CaCO3 boost.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I was told that the UK no longer allows the importing of apple snails... so I am assuming the mystery snails here must be something else.
 
 
Also, what type of snail do you recommend?  He has previously had assassin snails, I know they are smaller, but he never nipped at them.

 

[Donya]

Sorry, I read "mystery" as "apple" somehow and also missed the location. Viviparids are also sometimes sold as apple or mystery snails, also as trapdoor snails. For vivs, all of what I wrote before still applies although depending on the species some are coldwater and don't fare well in tropical tanks. The water/calcium issues apply even moreso to Nerites, which are the main other category of ornamental fw snails in the trade. Even with those other possibilities though, just because a species isn't supposed to be sold doesn't mean that it isn't being sold. It's worth IDing before you buy. Do you have a picture of the snails you're considering?

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Not yet, but maybe I will take a picture this week and report back.

 

[misterpro]

...
Neutral is often too low pH for species like apple snails and shell erosion will start and propagate if the shell gets a scratch anywhere. The KH is also important. A pH of 7.0 with a low KH can cause really bad shell deterioration in those snails and also in some Nerites.
...

 
Good point.  I suppose I have no problems even when very close to PH 7.0 (on the CO2 tank) because water comes out of the tap at a KH of 10 here...
 

I was told that the UK no longer allows the importing of apple snails... so I am assuming the mystery snails here must be something else.
 
 
Also, what type of snail do you recommend?  He has previously had assassin snails, I know they are smaller, but he never nipped at them.

 
It's no longer allowed to be imported but can it still be sold by local breeders?  Because there's a EU wide import ban on them since last year, but you can still sometimes find them in shops here (Belgium) and even more regularly in The Netherlands.  So I wonder if it's just a import ban for now.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Ok.... been to the shop and couldn't resist a cute little snail.  I did watch all the snails to see how long their tentacles are and I think this one should manage to stay nicely in one piece.  I bought a Spiral Horned snail.  I have read this one could be an escape artist so will have to  cover the two holes in the lid I think!
 
I was going to pick up some amano shrimp for my other than and was told their is an area wide shortage! How strange.  He tried to sell me different shrimps but I quite like the amano.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Horned Nerites snails

My GF really wants some if these! Had to make a new lid on her nano tank as gaps on side would have enabled these Nerites to escape! Like you, have heard these are escape artists apparently!

Personally I like the red tracked Nerites as attractive coloration and pattern.
Am thinking one day will have a small nano tank just for the purpose of having different snails....

Have not bought any horned snails yet but planned for tonight perhaps! Yay!

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Nelly the snail is now in the tank.... No idea about male or femaleness but I've decided it's a she.  LOL  I chose her because she was racing all around the tank at the shop and not all snails were moving.  She hasn't stopped and is now dashing about the tank too.  I shall tape some plastic mesh over the back of the tank where the cords go and that should do it.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Nelly the Speedy Nerite Horned Snail

Good idea about the mesh for back of tank.

Enjoy!

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Whoa Nelly!!
 
 
Here she is when she was first put in the tank.....
 

 
And here she is about an hour and a half later... she has munch so much algae off a bit of my decoration that I realized I didn't remember what color the decoration actually was!!

 

[Meeresstille]

The Very Hungry....Nelly the Snail! She's cute!