Sluggish Apple snails :(

littleme1969 · Aug 9, 2004

I recently purchased 3 apple snails for my tank about 1cm across so still only babies really. They have been in the tank for almost 3 weeks now .
When they came they were quite active now 3 weeks later..one has a daily wonder and has the odd float to the surface. the other seems to move every other day.. and the third.. well he never seems to do anything

. I'm aware they prefer the dark and only come out at night , but the really slugish one (pardon the pun) is always in the same place in the morning. So hes not going anywhere. They don't go to the surface much so the oxygen must be OK and all test are Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate .25 and always goes back to zero after my 20 % weekly water change. You can see from my fish list below there is nothing in there to bother them.. other than the corys who seem to enjoy rolling them round the gravel :huh:

. My PH is quite high at 8.2 due to a gravel issue that I'm trying to sort. and the water is hard also which is good for shell growth I understand.
I even tried to tempt them with a piece of cucumber

.. they came out and the senond one seemed a little interested, the third again just kinda popped his head out then went back in.

Any advice?.. they look ok.. 2 have perfect shells. strangely enough the 2 that are less active. the other one has a small patch across a growing seam that has a slight crack, but to be honest I think he came with that.

I'm just in the process of setting up an 8.5 gallon tank for any fry that I have.. would they be happier in there? as its in a corner away from any daylight. :dunno:

Bangin · Aug 9, 2004

Did you weigh the cucumber down and let it sit? They may eat some if it's left in the tank for a bit. My apple snails are active throughout the day and night. I feed them zucchini every other day, and they all seem quite happy.

I've read that the number one reason for apple snail death is starvation. I'd put some more cucumber in the tank, and see how everything goes from there.

littleme1969 · Aug 9, 2004

Bangin said:
Did you weigh the cucumber down and let it sit? They may eat some if it's left in the tank for a bit. My apple snails are active throughout the day and night. I feed them zucchini every other day, and they all seem quite happy.

I've read that the number one reason for apple snail death is starvation. I'd put some more cucumber in the tank, and see how everything goes from there.

Yes looking at them and the symptoms I think your right.. I think the poor little fellas are starving :no:

...
Rather than weigh the cucumber down I used 2 cocktail sticks , cut the cucumber in half put one piece on top of each other and scured it like a pair of crossing swords. Broke off the shap bits and left most of the stick pertruding from the bottom. This way it sticks nicely into the gravel and no need to weight down. I grow my own cucumber so I know its totally organic and fresh

.

I moved them into the new tank now.. and what do you know.. all 3 are hot tailing it up the side of a large piece of mopani wood..lol