Nerite snails and pH

[PrincessFish]

I'm considering picking up some Nerite snails but wonder if anyone can tell me how low a pH they will tolerate.  Thanks.

[KLKelly]

I've used this site before for profiles on snails - http://www.snailshop.ashopcommerce.co.uk/c/117916/1/tropical-snails.html.  I found the red onion/ruby snail profile here which was cool.

[succinctfish]

Zap at Aquanourriplus sells freshwater Nerites.  An important thing to remember about them is that they cannot breed in freshwater, so you can enjoy the snails you buy, not having to worry about being over run by them, but don't expect babies, even if you see eggs.
Here is a link to the snails he has available:

http://www.aquanourriplus.com/boutique/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=22_42&sort=20a&page=2

[PrincessFish]

Thanks for the links!  I hadn't found any that provided the info I needed.
It looks like I'll have to give up on this idea as one of the links says they can only survive >7.0 pH or their shells 'corrode' and my tank is lower than that.  Too bad!!

[PrincessFish]

Oops . . . the same site says that the Malaysian Trumpet snail can't abide pH of less than 7.0 either 
What is the experience of some of you who have them??  Babble??  Gonna b??  are yours in tanks with low pH?

[succinctfish]

How much lower?  They are happiest and have the longest life span at a higher pH, but can do quite well for some time at a lower pH.  Their shell will erode eventually, but frequent small water changes help.  I have some at quite a low pH and they look great still.  Any snail responds best to a higher pH, but if you really want snails and your pH is low, just accept that they will not live quite as long, and keep an eye on the condition of their shells.  You could always do a small invert tank at a higher pH, put in some shrimp as well...become the snail weirdo you know you are inside.   Besides, they are so cute.

[PrincessFish]

I've got a planted tank with CO2 . . . and a pH of as low as 6.5.  What about the babies?  will they develop?
Maybe an invert tank is a good idea . . .  . . . I am seeing MTS looming even though I want to keep it to 2!!

pH

[babblefish1960]

6.5 is not that low, believe me, and the malaysians will most certainly be fine and develop and live happy little malaysian lives under the gravel, the nerites too will live long and prosper just like any good Vulcan would, no worries, reach inside to your inner snail weirdo and let loose, the snails will be very happy to know you!

[PrincessFish]

Oh dear, the truth is out . . . I have an inner snail wierdo    . . . well, at least I'm amongst those who will understand 
Thanks Babble.  I sure have been enjoying them and am sad  that they spend so much time undergravel.  I look forward to seeing them late in the evening.
It seems that OttawaInverts has Caribbean nerites.  Will they be ok transferring to FW suddenly?  I could add a little aquarium salt for their adjustment 

pF

[Laura]

I keep brigs (applesnail - the non plant eating type) and they have a lot of shell damage in my lower ph tank.  I moved the one with the most damage out as I didn't want his shell to get perforated, and the other one will have to join him soon.

I've tried to compensate with high calcium foods, and although I expect it helps, it's not enough.  I expect you would see the same effect with nerites.

Mts seem to have much harder shells and I'm going to guess that their lifespan is shorter than a big snail, so maybe the impact of the lower ph won't be as much of a problem. (keep in mind I'm just guessing here  )

I've got two other tanks that are mostly inverts with higher ph where they're doing fine.  I quite like invert tanks, but I recognize that I'm a snail and shrimp weirdo and that they're not for everyone.

[kennyman]

MTS are incredibly tough. I have them in my planted tank as well as my brackish tank. They really don't have a maximum or minimum salinity tolerance. I should try some in my reef tank. But Nerites are mostly marine species with a few types that have adapted to Life in Estuaries. There are special adaptations that these creatures have made which allows them to regulate salts and take advantage of the ever changing  fresh to marine ratio.

I would really like to try some Olive nerites(I think that is the ones sold as FW) in my brackish tank, but would never dream of putting the ones from my marine tank in brackish, let alone fresh 

[beowulf]

The higher the pH the better they grow for sure.  I put some apple snails in my community tank which is normally around 6.5 and at the same time put some in my shelley tank which was at around 8.2 or so.  All the snails where around the size of a small marble at the time and within a couple of months the ones in the higher pH had grown to the size of golf balls and had nice shells while the ones that where left in the other tank seemed to have grown less then half that. I say ones left because most where eaten by my clowns.

[babblefish1960]

I would suggest that the snails with your clowns rarely came out to eat wulfie, as they would be getting their foot poked at frequently, hence no time to chew. Though this is only a small part of your comparison, it is a different result from more than mere pH.

As for the marine nerites, never mind those, they are not for you at this time. However, there are many nerites that are, check out aquanourriplus, he has quite a few right now, and they are all very pretty and should do well in your tanks. Laura does have a point though, you will need to supplement clacium, just don't go throwing milk in the tank.

[succinctfish]

As far as apple snails go, we had some in low pH, about 5.5 actually  , and the little buggers grew as big as a baseball and kept laying snail clutches all over the place.  We got them as little things from gonna_be_no_1, and they grew nice healthy shells, so you never know.  The MTS (malaysian trumpet snails, not multiple tank syndrome) in our planted tanks do show shell erosion, but they survive, being tough little things.  We also had a vampire shrimp in low pH, and its shell was lovely.  I would not be worried, as 6.5 is not bad.  Just monitor their health like you do the rest of your aquatic residents, and be prepared to supplement with calcium or remove to a cute little invert tank. Remember, they don't need much room, so does it even count as MTS(multiple tank syndrome)?

[PrincessFish]

Thank you everyone!  You are sooo wonderful!!  My inner snail wierdo is feeling very safe and nurtured.  I will keep my eyes open for some FW nerites to add to my tank and talk to some other snail 'wierdos' about calcium supplements at the OVAS meeting - if I am able to make it.  Meanwhile I am thoroughly enjoying all aspects of this new hobby of mine. 

pH

[Melody]

The reason so many people have varying experiences is that for one, its a species thing.  Some shells are harder & less prone to damage.  Common MTS have shells that are amazingly hard.  Cana Applesnails have a much tougher shell than Bridgesii.

The pH range is 7-8 because scientifically speaking, any shell will start to disolve below 6.8 or so.  7-8 are the numbers used because they allow for testing errors, or so I'm told.  Symptoms such as slower growth rates or shortened lifespans are due to the fact that more energy is expended in building & repairing the shell.  If the snail can't get the calcium from the water, for example, they utilize ingested methods which uses more energy.  That energy could be taken from egg production or growth.

That said, some superficial shell damage doesn't necessarily mean the snail is unhealthy.  It is us who insist on perfect shells - in nature they're rare.  God doesn't care what they look like.   

I have found that Freshwater Nerites are not prone to shell damage, but they do seem to get their spires broken off very easily - go figure.  They vary in tolerance of your normal freshwater conditions.  Some seem to require marine salt or they'll remain above the waterline.  Mine responded well to calcium supplements in the water column.  We know very little for sure about freshwater Nerites, so don't take any of that as gospel, its just what I've read and experienced.

They're a beautiful snail - good luck with them!

[gonna_b_no_1]

My ph is around 7.4 most of the time.  They bred...literally 1000's of them have left my home in the last 7 or 8 months.

I did have to repair a cracked shell once when one of my guys (dad of the 1000's) decided to make a treck to the kitchen.  Took a 5 foot fall out of the tank and made it about 15 feet into the livingroom.  Aquarium selant and crushed steralized eggshells.  I made a "bandaid" for him and he lived on until about 2 weeks ago when he perished at the ripe age of 2 1/2 yrs old. 

Pegasus even housed some at his house for the summer (his wife claims there were no dandylions on his lawn all summer and offered to house more next summer  lol)

I did, however, keep a fresh supply of cuttlebone in their tank.  They munched on it, it floated in the tank (you can put into the filter too) and they all developed nice shells as they grew

[Melody]

Cuttlebone works for some, not for others.  I think its good supplement.  The weekend feeder blocks are also good.

There has been some reported success with breeding them - depends on the species.

[PrincessFish]

Thanks Melody and Gonna_b . . . what is cuttlebone?

[Melody]

Cuttlebone is usually sold for birds so you'll find it in that section of your petstore, or most department stores that sell pet supplies. 

I asked the same thing when I first heard it...lol...not being a bird person.