Snail Ph

[Sarah5098]

Can anyone explain why snails need a high pH, this has been reccomended to me several times, but wont a base solution erode the shell as much as an acid solution? Is a completely neutral pH better?
My apples seem fine but just one of them is starting to get a big algaey.
Just wondering
Thanks for any advice
Sarah

 

[AdAndrews]

Can anyone explain why snails need a high pH, this has been reccomended to me several times, but wont a base solution erode the shell as much as an acid solution? Is a completely neutral pH better?
My apples seem fine but just one of them is starting to get a big algaey.
Just wondering
Thanks for any advice
Sarah

im not sure but i think its to do with calcium, with a higher ph, there is more calcium in the tank, and calcium is needed for a healthy shell- dont quote me on this though

 

[Sarah5098]

Thanks My pH is 6.9, (with limestone chips in the filter) but i add snailstrong liquid calcium so i guess they must be ok

Im wondering cos theyve never bred. Id really like them to, but it just doesnt seem to happen.

My water is normal, no ammonia, nitrites, nitrates 20
I have 6 snails in a 30USG.
Water temp 21'C

Any advice?
Thanks
Sarah

 

[three-fingers]

Hmmm...raises a good question, ### chemistry . edit: wow, thats a tame word to filter out

The shells made mainly of calcium carbonate, which is soluble in all water but far more soluble at neutral and below. I'd rather not go into that chemistry as it would force me to get books out and/or trawl through the internet.

I'd guess it's because alkaline water tends to also be quite hard and contain calcium that snails need to build their shells strong, they can build it faster than it dissolves at neutral or above.

Different snails build different thickness of shells and at different rates, maybe even with some other different minerals too (no idea, just speculating), I say this because some snails are adaptable and seem to be able to thrive in soft acidic water (I have trumpet snails at pH6, I only ever see them at 0.5" long but there's thousands of them)

 

[Sarah5098]

Thanks for the advice, i guess its not going to happen...unless ive been really unlucky and got like 6 girls lol
Aslong as theyre happy though

 

[three-fingers]

How long have you had them for? You could try turning the temp up a bit maybe.

 

[Sarah5098]

How long have you had them for? You could try turning the temp up a bit maybe.

A couple of months now, i was a little bit worried about turning the temp up as they came from a cold water tank. What sort of temp is accecptable? Ive also ordered 2 more purple apple snails so will be interested to see if these guys breed, cos they have already bred once
Thanks
Sarah

 

[three-fingers]

These snails are tropical, it's silly that pet stores sell them as coldwater.

They always get put in the coldwater tanks at my work and I usually end up moving them all over to the tropical section myself.

I think thye must be sold as coldwater by the suppliers.

The higher the temperature the more active they are, and they are fine up to at least 30*C. When kept in coldwater (~18*C) they will eventually go into an inactive state from what I've seen.

I would keep them at 24-26*C if there's fish in there too, if you have fish that like warm water, put it up to 28*C or even 30*C in some cases (angels, discus, rams).

 

[Sarah5098]

Thanks for that! Ill start putting up the termometer then