(MTS and nerite) Snails in low KH (and low pH)

[Sebaquafly1]

Hi all,
For around a year now, I started using RO water in my tank (5KH and 0-0,5KH). I've used CO2 for years now. With 0KH, this gives me a pH of ~5.5 during peak saturation of CO2. With my tap water (300ppm, KH 8, GH unknown), I used to have a pH of ~6.5 during peak saturation of CO2. The reason why I switched to RO was that I would have better succes with certain plant species. Though I believe that technically most of my plants can grow in harder water.

I've pretty much had aquariums my whole life and always had different types of snails in the tank: tons of Malaysian trumpet snails (MTS), different types of nerites etc. Pretty early in the proces when switching to RO I noticed the nerites weren't doing too well as they were losing parts of their shell. I tried different supplements from Mineral Junkie but soon realized I was fighting a lost cause and gave them my dad for his aquarium (with tap water). I've also noticed the MTS are starting to lose the tips of there shell and there numbers have declined. I feel I have underestimated the effect of low pH (low KH) on snails and thought I could just supplement and things would work out. I would be lying if I would say that the tank feels a bit more empty to me now, even though I have fish and shrimps.

To boost my GH to 5 I use:
Magnesium Sulfate Hepta.
Calcium Chloride Di.
Calcium Sulfate Di.

When people have there tanks at 0KH and ~5GH with CO2 at ~30ppm, does it essentially mean that these people don't have snails in their tanks?

 

[Kwyet]

I still have pond snails show up, but I wouldn’t add any snails on purpose. As you noticed, that environment is terrible for their shells. You can feed calcium-rich foods, but I don’t think it would be enough to keep them healthy long-term.

 

[JayP]

It's the CO2/low ph combination. Even in my tanks with 2-4 kh, I struggled to keep nerites alive for more than a few months. I've had a few beat the odds and are still going, but thats out of more than a hundred across multiple tanks. Bladder snails seem to handle it much better, but of course, most of us really don't want those. I've also had a few assasin snails make it for an extended time.

 

[CincyScaper]

Same nerites did not survive my tank which is at a gh of 5 and kh of 2-3, ph gets to 5.8 at peak co2 and 7 when offgassed. They were a quicker indicator than the ph checker to know when co2 was on, they would be at the surface trying to escape.

Ramshorn snails and bladder snails seem to handle it better.

 

[Koan]

Very few snails can tolerate pH below about 7.4 for more than a brief period during the day.

Calcium carbonate dissolves away below pH 7.4, and that's what their shells are made of. Basically they are straight up chalk

All Marine snails are like this, as
are Mystery snails, Rabbit snails etc .

Ramshorn snails and bladder / pest snails have a large amount of chitin protein matrixed into their shell surface, which protects the calcium carbonate to a certain extent. So they are able to tolerate lower pH before their shells start to dissolve , maybe as low as 6.8 or 7.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Very few snails can tolerate pH below about 7.4 for more than a brief period during the day.

Calcium carbonate dissolves away below pH 7.4, and that's what their shells are made of. Basically they are straight up chalk

All Marine snails are like this, as
are Mystery snails, Rabbit snails etc .

Ramshorn snails and bladder / pest snails have a large amount of chitin protein matrixed into their shell surface, which protects the calcium carbonate to a certain extent. So they are able to tolerate lower pH before their shells start to dissolve , maybe as low as 6.8 or 7.

This makes sense. I have bladder snails that are quite large and been around for several months now, not slowing down. I have one nerite doing well too, but I think this is attributed to the stones I’ve been talking about that are eroding. I tested my kH the other day and it was 5-6dkh but that was with an expired titration solution. I imagine it’s higher, my gH test never changed color because it’s even more expired but I imagine it’s through the roof. Soon enough I’ll get the stones out, but for now I’ll let the snails enjoy their environment.