Why does my snail have a white shell?

[Sgooosh3]

 

[mcordelia]

Do you know what your water hardness is? It may be related, but I am not a snail expert. If you don't have a test kit for hardness, you should be able to search for the "annual water quality report" of your municipal water provider. If you are on a well, it may be in your most recent well water test report.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Looks like your water isn't quite hard enough, and the shell is starting to corrode... do you know the hardness of your water?

Edit: Oops! Sorry @mcordelia, didn't mean to copy you.

 

[StevenF]

A sanil shell has two layers. The inner layer is calcium carbonate which is white. The outer lay is a protean layer similar in some ways to your finger nails. This thin outer layer has the color and protecs the calcium carbonate underneath it. Rubbing agains the substraight and tank decorations can rub off the outer layer. That appears to be what has happened. The white areas ar the places where the calcium carbonate is not protected by the outer layer. The snail cannot repair either leyer of the shell once it has been damaged.

The calcium carbonate layer can errode if your water PH is less than 7 (acidic water). Calcium carbonate will not erode if the water PH is above 7. Water harness has no effect on the erosion of calcium carbonate. Snails will do well in soft water if the PH if 7 or higher.

 

[Sgooosh3]

Do you know what your water hardness is? It may be related, but I am not a snail expert. If you don't have a test kit for hardness, you should be able to search for the "annual water quality report" of your municipal water provider. If you are on a well, it may be in your most recent well water test report.

i might have bought him this way, and i feed him calcium high foods such as bok choy, spinach, and spirulina. mi have a cuttlebone.

 

[Sgooosh3]

A sanil shell has two layers. The inner layer is calcium carbonate which is white. The outer lay is a protean layer similar in some ways to your finger nails. This thin outer layer has the color and protecs the calcium carbonate underneath it. Rubbing agains the substraight and tank decorations can rub off the outer layer. That appears to be what has happened. The white areas ar the places where the calcium carbonate is not protected by the outer layer. The snail cannot repair either leyer of the shell once it has been damaged.

The calcium carbonate layer can erode if your water PH is less than 7 (acidic water). Calcium carbonate will not erode if the water PH is above 7. Water harness has no effect on the erosion of calcium carbonate. Snails will do well in soft water if the PH if 7 or higher.

thank you, very helpful. my ph is like 7.5-8.2 so it should be fine, i feed him calcium rich foods too

 

[PheonixKingZ]

i might have bought him this way, and i feed him calcium high foods such as bok choy, spinach, and spirulina. mi have a cuttlebone.

That must be it. It seems like you are doing everything you can for him.

 

[Sgooosh3]

Looks like your water isn't quite hard enough, and the shell is starting to corrode... do you know the hardness of your water?

Edit: Oops! Sorry @mcordelia, didn't mean to copy you.

i am slowly transitioning to hard water, and his shell appears to not be getting worse but not really heling either. i feed him spinach bok choy and cuttlebone and spirulina algae

 

[Sgooosh3]

That must be it. It seems like you are doing everything you can for him

thanks how do you do this?:"

“The only easy day was yesterday"
[Navy SEALS]

 

[PheonixKingZ]

thanks how do you do this?:"

“The only easy day was yesterday"
[Navy SEALS]

You click on your name up here:

And then go to “Signature”.

 

[Sgooosh3]

You click on your name up here:
View attachment 124368
And then go to “Signature”.

thx

 

[PheonixKingZ]

No problem!