Apple Snails have broken

[Minxnfella]

Hi
My apple snails have broken - one of their shells has caved in at the tip and the others are all looking extremely dinted. Any suggestions as to how to help them??
Ta very much
x

 

[Gibbo]

William's the Apple snail expert but it would appear to me that, like Shellfish, snails need calcium in the water for strong shells. Maybe your water is too soft. What do you supplement their diet with? I give mine catfish pellets and algae wafers as well as fresh greens. Also, if young, the shells may be thinner anyway. If left alone the damage may heal. What do they share the tank with?

 

[William]

Yes sounds to me like they need calcium.. there are a few ways to do this - it should be a regular part of maintanence if you keep applesnails All is not lost as their shell will regrow and in a few months it should be almost perfect.

Get calcium in tank:

1) buy the calcium vitamins - too expensive for my snails - but I have heard people using these.
2) Eggshells, grind them up really finely and add to tank.
3) Cuttlefish just place a cuttlefish bone in your tank- you can purchase cuttlefish from most petstores especially ones which are for birds as birds use cuttlefish to keep their beaks in check. Although treated to be good for birds I have always put it in boiling water before adding to tank, the outside of the cuttlefish will go soft and some may be lost but thats the external and so, it may well have been dirty anyway. Add the cuttlefish to your tank and replace when it gets worn down

 

[Minxnfella]

Thanks guys I'll give it a go with the cuttlefish to start. They're now in with my guppy babies. What temperature should they be kept at??

 

[Bradley]

About 80'F should do it.