So, I'm relatively new to snails. My boyfriend always wanted me to get one, but I wasn't really interested (too worried about crazy snail reproduction after hearing some horror stories from friends). But I found a beautiful little tiger nerite at the fish store and I fell in love. After a quick google search on my phone, I found out nerite snails can't reproduce in freshwater and that was that. So, long story short, I have multiple snails now in my 40 gallon tank.
After more research, I found out that snails need a lot of calcium, but I'm feel like I'm getting mixed messages. Some site say I just need hard water. Others are saying I need to feed them spinach, or put a cuttlebone in the tank.
After checking the carbonate hardness and the general hardness (KH = 120mg/L and GH = 180mg/L). Based on what I can find, that is a decent range, but there was some shell erosion on a two of the snails (the tips of their shells were white when I got them) so I threw a cuttlebone in the tank just to play it safe. My question though is if the snails actually need to be eating the calcium. The cuttlebone floats and I haven't weighed it down because I kinda like it floating around, but I've read a few things that mentioned they should be eating the calcium. I have a heavily planted tank and there is plenty of algae that the snails are working through, but should I give them blanched spinach to eat too? Or sink the bone so they can easily get to it? Or is the hard water enough?
After more research, I found out that snails need a lot of calcium, but I'm feel like I'm getting mixed messages. Some site say I just need hard water. Others are saying I need to feed them spinach, or put a cuttlebone in the tank.
After checking the carbonate hardness and the general hardness (KH = 120mg/L and GH = 180mg/L). Based on what I can find, that is a decent range, but there was some shell erosion on a two of the snails (the tips of their shells were white when I got them) so I threw a cuttlebone in the tank just to play it safe. My question though is if the snails actually need to be eating the calcium. The cuttlebone floats and I haven't weighed it down because I kinda like it floating around, but I've read a few things that mentioned they should be eating the calcium. I have a heavily planted tank and there is plenty of algae that the snails are working through, but should I give them blanched spinach to eat too? Or sink the bone so they can easily get to it? Or is the hard water enough?
