Snail spa

[succinctfish]

So, I've been pondering a small snail spa, nothing too pretentious, just a nice place to hang out, have a wee salt bath, maybe a bit of nudge nudge wink wink say no more, and then return to the everday world feeling and looking 100% per cent better.   
I figure, you know, my nerites work so hard, and they deserve a break.  Besides, I'm curious to see if I can get little baby nerites.  So I was wondering what would be involved in a slightly brackish tank?  And does anyone know if I can just put the snails in, or is their some acclimatization necessary?  Should I play Barry White, or Under the Sea to create the right environment?

[babblefish1960]

I really like this idea, a mecca as it were for special snails that need to have their souls rejuvenated, (alright, not their souls, rather their shells), but it would mean that we could keep nerite snails in planted tanks and keep the snails healthy by these little jaunts into the nerite high pH higher calcium bath houses. I wonder if a tiny marine tank would be even better?

[babblefish1960]

Total dissolved solids would be nearly as important as pH, I wonder if this is a quasi-evil-brackish tank in the making?

[kennyman]

There are some Nerites that occur in brackish water but bear in mind there are also marine Nerites that would not fare well in Brackish. The same may apply for some species of fresh water nerites. I do not believe that all nerites are created equal with respect to osmoregualtion.

[fishycanuck]

Geeze, why don't you two just TALK to each other??    Oh never mind, it's a lost cause. I suppose you text each other at breakfast, too.
Not another word about evil brackish tanks, Babble. 

[babblefish1960]

Evil brackish tanks notwithstanding fishydear, I know that some of the more expensive snails we have, wow they are gorgeous too, seem to suffer a little from the lower pH our south american tanks have. I am just trying to be sure that a spa, as we are trying, has enough whatever in it to keep the shells of the freshwater nerites and spixies and malaysians, (some are quite large) from being predated upon and strong.  Now I know that the nerites won't stop laying eggs, but that they won't reproduce without being in a non-freshwater environment (evil brackish again), so I was wondering what sort of conditions would meet the requirements of the snails to make them happy, healthy, wealthy and wise?

So how was brekkers then kennyman, have you tried the golden arches supper club egg mcmuffin?

[Laura]

There was someone over at applesnail.net who reported some success with breeding nerites.  It could have been Pamelajo, but you would have to do a search for it. 

On a side note, my snails had shell detoriation too in my 65 gallon tank, so although I like them in there, eventually I need to move them into one of my other tanks where the water conditions are less acidic.  Interestingly, I was looking at Tom Barr's site, and I recall him having some references to ph not being the main issue with shell needs, although this is contradicted by the folks at applesnail.net.  I need to look into it more when I have more research time....

[kennyman]

Pamelajo is quite the champion of snaliens rights 

The Malaysans LOVE brackish water and I read that they will take right up to full marine conditions! What opportunists 

I like where you guys are headed though with the TDS and how PH is not an indication of healthy water but an indication that primary constituents of the water are equally present or lacking.

I wish I had some Nerites myself. With my amano shrimp living in the planted tank now my Brackish tank needs a little more activity.