snail??

[Matt1351]

i have been buying snails from my LFS and they just dont do well in my tank?? anybody know why?? my water test is fine i just cant keep snails in my tank for some reason

 

[laskopyre]

How did you acclimate them? I had the same problem when I first started, but after I started acclimating them they live longer. I use to do the temp acclimation for 15 minutes, then a quarter cup of tank water every 15 minutes for an hour. I now do drip acclimation on everything.

 

[Matt1351]

I just placed the bag in there and did a temp. acclimation

 

[laskopyre]

I edited the above. They might be dying of shock.

 

[itZme]

That could be a problem. If you have way different parameters than the LFS then it will shock your new critters with different PH, alk, ammonia, nitrate etc...

At the very least, add some of your water into the bag a couple of times to help get them used to the combination of yours and the old water before going straight to your water. Just a cup or so each time. then pull them out of the bag and throw away the water in the bag. You never know if LFS have been treating with copper or anything that may harm your tank.

If you have dumped them in and find empty shells around it could be a predator (wrasse or other snail eater)

 

[Matt1351]

how do i do a drip acclimation?? any good sites for info. on it

 

[Briney Dave]

air line tube with one of those little valves; create a siphon and let it go drip by drip.
I usually take an hour or so to double the water for things such as snails and hardy fish
two hours for the more touchy guys

 

[aerius007]

if you dont have a valve, just tie the line in a knot or two to slow the drip

 

[Matt1351]

Thanks...do i temp acclimation stuff first.. or just go straight to dipping

 

[laskopyre]

Temp acclimate first. Don't want to shock the critters. Saltwaterfish.com has a little movie that shows you how to drip acclimate.

 

[Kingpin616]

i just ran four lines with knots in the air tubing last night for about 40 snails for two hours. I have read that snails are among the most sensitive creatures to acclimate. I lost a batch and found out my sg was at 1.029 (1.025 by hydrometer) even after 4 hour acclimate. Someone on the board suggested letting them grab ahold of glass at water line and they will slowly acclimate at their own pace. I wasn't going to do this for 40. I think we all take it for granted because they only cost a dollar.

 

[Matt1351]

i cant stand those darn hydrometers!!!!

 

[laskopyre]

Refractometer is the only way to go. Hydrometers are so unreliable, IMO.

 

[Jeff Trout]

salinity will mess with them!

 

[Jim Morrison]

Check to make sure your saltinity is above 1.023 if its much lower that could kill them as well. Do you find empty shells or are there dead bodys in them? If its just empty shells it might be a predator. Check phosphates too.

 

[Matt1351]

dead body's. ill check my salinity that might be my problem..