Snail & Water Hardness

[CallMeJoe]

I recently got a black mystery snail to scavenge my betta's 5 gal tank, and also recently found a reference stating that snails can have minerals leached out of their shells in very soft water, leading to shell erosion and snail death. I live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge in South Carolina and my tap water and aquarium water test at <5 dH. Do I need to add anything to my water to protect my snail? If so, will it materially affect my tank's pH?

 

[morgan]

Hi, there is a product that adds extra calcium to the water for snails. I found it by going to the aquarium section on e-bay. There is a person on there who sells snail food and also the calcium stuff. I just bought the food. It arrived in good time and there is plenty of it. He makes it himself. If you can't find it let me know by pm and I will give you their name. I still have the invoice in my inbox. As you are not in the UK I am not sure if he sends things abroad but you could ask.

 

[guppler]

I didn't start my own topic before, so I'll borrow this one too. I think I have cuttle bones that i could use to get some calcium in my comunity for the eroding snails, and I actually have a ph neutralizing product too.
i'm just wondering if I really want to just dump a whole cuttle bone in or if there's a proper way to do it. I might even have a fresh one already. I'm guessing they don't really want the one that's been strapped to the wall of an empty bird cage ever since my budgie died.
Then there's tums, or malox, would something like that be good for snails?
I really should use my test kit. Maybe I'll do before and after tests. I haven't even cleaned the comunity for a while because it appears pretty healthy and the cories have spawned twice since I stopped rescuing babies and I still have tiny ones appearing up out of the gravel from the brood before. (and the plants are so healthy the little critters are loving it. ) Besides, school just finally got out for the semester.