# Snail paling?



## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

hes gotten paler since i got him, at the beginning, he was only eating diatoms and maybe some lefotver fish food, but Pog is very clean. wait.. no hes not! lol i just remembered there were some semi-buried pellets at the endof feeding the snail could have got. 

But now we have green algae and i dont see snail marks in it, but he could get some :/ lol heres some pics, you can see the new shell is paler than the older shell. or the palness just spreads up, does the shell grow?

lol never mind cant find pics


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

What type of snail is it? Typically you should feed supplements to the snails such as cucumber, algae wafers, zucchini, and lettuce to keep the snails healthy, the main reason why they die in freshwater tanks is because most people aren't aware of the feeding needs


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

I used to give algae wafers but i dont anymore and idk if he ever got them much. and actually bottomfeeder wafers. should i feed him some? my other fish usually get fat off of them before he even has a chance to eat them


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

What type of snail do you have? Different snails have different dietary requirements and some will easily accept algae wafers and a diet of algae while other like to have other dietary supplements


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

If his shell is paling it is due to a calcium deficiency in the water. What this means is your GH is low (not a problem for your betta). Snails actually come from rather hard water. I have a GH of 3, and all my snails have slightly paler and more fragile shells. Some recommend giving the snail calcium supplements in the form of tums tablets. But it's really going to help us if you tell us what kind of snail you have.


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

I'm not sure I got him a long time ago at petco. I can add a recent piic if u want but I lost all my old ones.. 

....so you can seriously just drop a tums in there?


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

they go gaga for weekend feeders, but not a wise option with piggy bettas. A calcium supp would be better. I've even tried calcium rich snail food (Very simple recipe).


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

you make it urself or buy it?


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

Btw i forget why i bought a cucumber, for my snail or my fish? lol


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

The cucumber would be for the snail as betta are insectivores. There are some people who just drop a tums in the aquarium, but others will remove the snail and place it in a cup with the tums once a week. The problem with putting the tums in the water is that it will cloud the tank; however this is purely aesthetic. If you can make your own food for the snail, that is always recommended because we know every ingredient and in what ratio in homemade food.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Do you have the recipe for the snail food? I might want to try it for my nerite.


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

same


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Hmmm... Nerite snails feed of algae. You can try the "home-made Snail Jello".
Find Algae-based foods. I heard that U can even try "Snail Biscuits". Alot of people try different ways 4 these foods. Good luck on finding one that fits 4 U.


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## Micho (Aug 22, 2011)

Well, you could do either these things:

Adding a handful of crushed coral into a mesh bag and hang it on the side of the filter, or add it into the filter itself. Now, this will only be safe if your pH is also low, crushed coral will increase your pH, so, if you already have normal ~ high pH, I wouldn't recommend it.

Marine liquid calcium would work either, be careful with this, and don't overdose. 

Vegetables that are high in calcium like spinach, blanching them and letting your snails feast on them will work too.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

My PH is 7. I feed my nerite algae pellets with the occasional raw cucumber.


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

Blanching?


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## Micho (Aug 22, 2011)

Pogthefish said:


> Blanching?


Basically cooking the vegetable for like 30 seconds to ensure it's softened enough so your snails/otos/shrimps can eat them. 

Just plop your veggies in boiling water for like 30 seconds.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I give my nerite cucumbers raw?


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## Micho (Aug 22, 2011)

MaisyDawgThirteen said:


> I give my nerite cucumbers raw?


Cucumbers don't need to be blanched because they're soft on the inside, while zucchinis and spinach when raw, are hard and tough, blanching is recommended.


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

cool! My snail ate like 3 THICK slices, ima wait before i giv him more


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

Instead of tums, I would buy calcium pills at the grocery store (in the vitamin aisle). Just break them in half and drop them in. (1/2 a pill per week or so)


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

mmmm, I'll stick with tums, cuz my mom is very against human things in the tank, she barely let me use cucumbers and tums.. she kept fish a long time ago, so she knows best i guess....


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

snello (snail jello). I'll dig up the recipe, I just used the basic recipe with a few extras. I couldnt feed it to them, the girls decided it was nommy. The ghost shrimp attacked it and frightened the girls I think

Edit: here's the recipe, copied from applesnail.net



> *CatCov's Snail Treats*
> 
> I designed these while on a quest for a really simple, low-cost, low-hassle snail food recipie that could be made in small quantities (so that you can test out new flavors or feed a single beloved snail).
> 
> ...


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

ooh, i cant wait! lol  

I dont use much baby food, but does gerber come in dif. sizes? lol what size to use?


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

just the small one, it's about half a cup? maybe


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Haha! That recipe looks very similar to the gel food recipe I use to feed my goldfish. Instead of fish food I use canned salmon. 



Pogthefish said:


> mmmm, I'll stick with tums, cuz my mom is very against human things in the tank, she barely let me use cucumbers and tums.. she kept fish a long time ago, so she knows best i guess....


Well you be sure to tell your mother that things have changed a bit. Fishkeeping has come a long way in the past 20 years, and we understand a lot more about these little ecosystems in a bottle. Unless she has kept up with it, I wouldn't take her advice over someone a little more current. I've seen people come back to fishkeeping after 10 or 20 years away from the hobby and be amazed at how much we know now and how wrong things were done "back in the day." I don't mean to be insulting; I'm just trying to make you realize that things have changed. The old ways aren't the best ways anymore.


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

I know.. but it cant hurt! lol  ill have to talk to her, but were alos short of money.. lol


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