Does Flourish Kill Snails???

[WhistlingBadger]

Hi, all. I've noticed my freshwater nerite population dwindling drastically since I started using Flourish to grow my plants. (and the dead snails aren't doing the fish any good, either) I haven't been using any things else that might kill them...

[bignellm]

Never had a single snail death in my tanks, associated with Flourish. Which one are you using? Excel, Trace, Iron, Etc?

Only way I could see it killing Nerite is if it is being used in such quantity (the trace) that the Copper builds up to lethal levels for snails, or with excel that carbon is built up soo much everything is suffocated.

[genocidex]

Copper will kill snails... Look to see if any is in it.

[WhistlingBadger]

I'm using excell, and measuring carefully according to the directions. I used a bit of trace element fertilizer in my big tank (also measured carefully), which might have done it there. But a few days after using excell in my little tank, I notice dead snails there too. Maybe just a coincidence, but I've had those snails for around a month, and haven't changed anything else that I'm aware of...

Weird.

Thanks.
T

[genocidex]

maybe is possible the excell is causing the plants to change the parameters of the water too much for the snails? it might (big might) be possible for the hardness and ph to swing and cause the snails to die. if i remember correctly those snails are brack snails, tho they can live in fresh water. my guess would be if they are in full fw then they might be more fragile. sorry for the losses regaurdless. did you take any readings?

[bignellm]

A big swing in chemistry could be making the environment too harsh for them to thrive.

[dbosman]

Continuing doses of Seachem Fourish Excel won't do harm to the snails, but the initial dose may have done some damage.

If they aren't all dead, I'd consider it a coincidence. This time.

[WhistlingBadger]

Thanks for the feedback. I think it must have been the trace element fertilizer I used. I quit using it, but have kept using the Excel, and haven't had anymore deaths for quite a while. The plants are healthier than ever, and the fish are loving that!

Tom

[bignellm]

Sounds great. Good luck