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Snails

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by kmcgill88, Jun 26, 2011.

  1. kmcgill88

    kmcgill88 Inactive User

    54
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    It appears I cannot keep any snails or crabs alive. I know some will die off or get stuck and can't upright themselves. I bought 6 more today include one giant one the size of a golf ball thinking I might have better luck. I put them in the tank around noon today and they haven't moved an inch. I'm starting to think it's something to do with the water?? I tested the water and everything seemed normal.
    ph 8.2temp 78 degrees0 ammonia0 nitrates0 nitirites10 dkh1.021 salinity
    What am I missing?
     
  2. iaJim

    iaJim Inactive User

    775
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    Have you treated with copper in that tank?
     
  3. vikubz Well-Known ReefKeeper

    734
    Cedar Falls
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    +8 / 0 / -0
    I've had snails sit for several hours when first put in the tank.
     
  4. doug6644

    doug6644 Inactive User

    125
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    And how did you get them, mail order or local?
     
  5. FishBrain Expert Reefkeeper

    New London
    Ratings:
    +399 / 6 / -0


    My thoughts exactly.
     
  6. kmcgill88

    kmcgill88 Inactive User

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    I have not, nor do I really know anything about copper in the tank. Please advise.
     
    snails are local, Petland in Iowa City.
    This morning I fed my fish and none of the snails have moved a muscle (no pun intended). I'm assuming its only matter of time before they are doomed too. My tank is starting to look like a graveyard of shells.
    What do I do??
     
  7. iaJim

    iaJim Inactive User

    775
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    Where did you get the tank? If someone used a copper treatment in the tank or live rock it could still be leaching out. I had the same thing happen in a tank. I took the snails out and put them in a different tank and all was fine.
     
  8. beckerj3 Expert Reefkeeper Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member

    West Des Moines, IA
    Ratings:
    +616 / 2 / -0
    You're salinity is very low.  Most reef tanks run salinity at 1.025 - 1.026.  Not sure how much that affects the snails - but you should get it up closer to 1.025 or 1.026
     
  9. kmcgill88

    kmcgill88 Inactive User

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    iaJim: The tank is mine which had been dry for over 6 months prior to me setting it up saltwater. I had African cichlids in it before that. I don't have another tank so i don't have anywhere else to go with the snail or crabs. I know i have never used a copper treatment before. I got my live rock from liverockranch.com and cured it for about a month in a Rubbermaid. I kept it in the rubber maid until all the above tested measures were acceptable. I have never tested for copper. My fish appear to be doing fine, just the invertebrates that are suckin it up. I'm assuming I can just get a test kit for copper? How does copper affect my tank?

    beckerj3: After Google searching snails I noticed my salinity was a tad low too. I am working to slowly increase it now.
     
  10. mthomp

    mthomp Inactive User

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    I dont feel your salinity will have any effects on your snails. you said you had cichlids in your tank at one time. have you ever treated for ich or any other kind of sickness when you kept cichlids? when you changed your freshwater to a saltwater tank, did you give your tank a nice vinegar wash? you said it was dry for 6 months, where was it stored durring this time? I strongly suspect something may of leached into the silicone and is what is poisoning your inverts.
     
  11. kmcgill88

    kmcgill88 Inactive User

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    mthomp: I don't recall treating for ich or any other illness when i had cichlids. I did not do a vinegar wash. I stored it in my attached garage where it is dry and temp controlled. I made sure it was 100% dry before I covered it up with plastic to keep it relatively dust free. I did store my drift wood, gravel, power filters, ect in the tank while it sat empty. I can't think of anything toxic that would have been in reach of leaching into the silicone? I did have biobags stored in there but the carbon were sealed in their original bags. I'm stumped. Why wouldn't my fish be feeling these affects too?

    What is this copper thing all about?
     
  12. iaJim

    iaJim Inactive User

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    Inverts have a much lower threshold for copper than fish do. Copper is in a lot of fish meds, most anything that's blue has copper in it.
     
  13. kmcgill88

    kmcgill88 Inactive User

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    I can't think of any reason why my copper would be so high but I'm going to pick up a copper testing kit after work to confirm. If it is high copper, how do I lower? Water change id assume. Another ways?
     
  14. FishBrain Expert Reefkeeper

    New London
    Ratings:
    +399 / 6 / -0
    Poly filter pads and Chemi-pure will remove copper from your water. Don't believe all the hipe that once copper is in a tank it can't be used for inverts. This is total internet hog wash. I had a 125g tank that was set up fish only and treated it for ick with coppersafe and then 2 months later turned it into a sps frag tank. Tank still had the same rock and crushed coral and everything. all I did was run some chemi-pure and changed alot of the water. I grew sps in that tank for over a year with no problems. And even used some of the rocks later in my 90g sps set-up.
    -Bill
     
  15. kmcgill88

    kmcgill88 Inactive User

    54
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    Thanks Bill. Right after my last post i remembered that the only recent change i've made to my tank was replacing some overflow plumbing. The best thing i could find for a drain was a metal-ish tub drain from ace hardware. I bet that's the corporate then! Again I'm going to run out for a copper tester for confirmation but thats the ONLY thing i've changed on my tank recently. I'm guessing its leeching off that small piece of metal and has accumulated over the last two weeks. Hopefully a large water change will help! I'll let everyone know how it turns out. Gosh I fee like a stupid n00b.
     
  16. iaJim

    iaJim Inactive User

    775
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    Bill's right about getting copper out of a tank. My tank had a copper treatment in it years ago too, and it's just fine. Follow his advice.
     
  17. blackx-runner Administrator Website Team Leadership Team

    Cedar Rapids, IA
    Ratings:
    +738 / 5 / -0
    Do they move at all when you put them in, or is it pretty much instant death?
    I don't know how sensitive crabs and snails are, but I have had problems with shrimp dieing if I do not acclimate them long enough. And it happens pretty fast after they are put into the tank.
     
  18. kmcgill88

    kmcgill88 Inactive User

    54
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    Well I thought they were just not moving because of the move but I think they died slowly? Not really sure. I acclimated them to the water for 15 mins probably before releasing them. I picked up a copper test and its reading at 0 ppm!! Its had to tell the difference so at max copper is 0.25ppm and thats being generous. WTF?!? Back to the drawing board.

    Now what?!?
     
  19. FishBrain Expert Reefkeeper

    New London
    Ratings:
    +399 / 6 / -0




    Yea that is a deffinate problem man. The only metal that I know of that is safe for a saltwater tank is titanium. Take that piece out and run some chemi- pure and do some water changes and you should be cool. I wouldn''t wast my money on a copper test as they arn't that sensative. I actualy have one and have copersafe in my tank as we speak and it hardly regesters on the test.


    -Bill
     
  20. kmcgill88

    kmcgill88 Inactive User

    54
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    Man I really don't want to redo the over flow plumbing. Think if I let it cycle more and did lot of water changes that it would eventually correct itself our leach out? Or would you suggest just redoing the plumbing all together? I mean the fish are fine. Live rock appears fine. All my crabs are alive just don't appear to be as active. I really don't know wanna change it but if I absolutely have to I will. I'm not real handy with the plumbing. 
    p.s. I'm loving my gurgle buster!! 
     

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