Do I need to give calcium?

**MCools** · 11-10-2010, 02:56 PM

Ok, so I finally went out and got myself a few snails. I wanted nerite snails, but my LFS doesn't stock them, so I ended up with a pair of golden mystery snails. They are doing really well in my tank, totally loving all the algae in there. I'm just wondering if I need to give them some type of calcium supplement for their shells. I have so called "filtered well water" and it is really hard. I get all the typical white crusty calcium/lime looking residue all over everything, so i was just wondering if adding more calcium would be necessary. I'm just not sure how much they can pull from the water they are in...

**MCools** · 11-10-2010, 05:19 PM

One more thing I just noticed about these guys... When I got them about a month ago they were the same size. One of them always preferred to hang out in the back of the tank while the other one zips along all over the place. I was just doing a WC since my last post and I noticed the more active of the two is now about twice the size of the 'shy' one. Whats up with that? I probably wouldn't have noticed this today but 'shy guy' was actually on the front glass while I was digging around in the tank and his speedy not-so-little-friend went zooming right past him. So, should I be worried about the little guy?

**Sursion** · 11-10-2010, 07:30 PM

All invertebres benefit from some calcium supplements, regardless of the water. It definitely wouldn't hurt and it would give your snails a nice hard shell.

That said, if your PH is too low, a snails shell made deteriorate. For example, my apple snails shell will start to erode if the Ph is lower then 7. My Ph is around 6.5, so I have to give calcium. I've never kept mystery snails, so I'd recommend looking online for the best resources.

**MCools** · 11-10-2010, 08:00 PM

Thanks! I kinda thought so but I wasn't sure. Is spinach a good enough supplement, or do I need something more?

I'm not worried about a low Ph, mines at the top of the scale at 8.5. I've actually been wondering if it's too high, none of the tests read past 8.5, so I could be over that number and I wouldn't know.

**mermaidwannabe** · 11-11-2010, 02:13 AM

The very tip of the spiral on one of my pond snail's shell is whitish-looking like it might be encrusted with a mineral deposit, and it appears to be slightly eroded. The snail is fine. My pH hovers between 7.2 and 7.6, averaging usually 7.4. None of my other snails have this on their shells. Since the snail seems unaffected by it, I'm not too concerned, but have noticed it. I really don't wish to drive up the pH in my tank any higher, nor do I want it dropping below 7.2, so I've refrained from giving calcium. It might have been that way while still outside in the pond, but I don't recall it then.

-- mermaidwannabe

**korith** · 11-11-2010, 04:52 AM

If you want to supplement their calcium you can add in a piece of cuttlebone. You can find it at most pet stores, or even at walmart. People use it for their birds. Good source of calcium and cheap. Good for keeping snail shells from softening.

**CassieLEO** · 11-11-2010, 05:45 AM

You can crush up some untreated shells and put them in with your filter too.

**MCools** · 11-11-2010, 11:10 AM

I've heard of giving cuttlebone before, but wouldn't that drive my Ph higher? The same with shells? The last thing I need is for my goldfish in there getting irritated with an even higher Ph. Like I said, I'm already at the top of the scale, so if I put anything in there that has the potential to up the Ph I won't actually know if it's effecting it, which could end up being a very bad thing!

**Lady Hobbs** · 11-11-2010, 11:48 AM

You have a pH of 8.5. The "high range" pH chart only goes to 8.8. I would say at that pH you have more than enough calicum for snails but pH that high would be scaring me. Are their any fish in that tank?

**MCools** · 11-11-2010, 11:59 AM

Why is that Ph so scary? I've read about a lot of others on here that have a real high Ph as well. I do have a Ryukin goldfish in there, he seems happy enough, too. I've read where they do well in 7.0 to 8.0, so I'm not too out there for him. Constant is more important than exact values, right? I don't want to play around with my Ph if i can avoid it!