Mystery snail eggs & inverts journal

[nabokovfan87]

On 1/14/2023 at 3:18 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

What I mean is, to take them from 180 gh.. to 10 gh (for example). Would that have an ill effect? Too drastic a change? Or would that put them into a more ideal, healthier environment.

I've seen people keep them at much higher GH without any issues at all. Amano and neos do like harder water.  All neos are a color form of cherry shrimp and cherry shrimp (standard ones) are notorious for harder water.  Most times this means high GH. Sometimes it means high GH and high KH. Depending on what your case is they have GH buffers or they have GH+KH buffers and you'd dose in the applicable one.  This is similar to how reefers or EI dosing is done. You test what's in the water and have a very good idea, then you can dose in what you need to keep it for the species in question.

The other method.... Struggle for a bit, get some fry, then after 2 generations they are used to your methods and your water and can basically do their own thing with a lot less stress. 

I've had corydoras lost well after normal acclimation would be considered over with. I am confident that death (in my case) was because of long term acclimation issues because I really didn't know where to keep them. I started at one end and shifted things to the other until I saw the behavior I wanted.  As long as your water is in the range you think is acceptable, you aren't seeing and irregular behavior, and you aren't seeing any diseases, then I would lean towards that type of a death. Especially if it's just one in a blue moon type of thing.

Everything you've said, behavior seems very normal and the shrimp are happy and doing shrimpy things. Could've just been the runt of the group or one of the ones that didn't quite get feisty enough in the food department, might've been older, who knows. It's got to be something small causing the stress and just that little bit of stress is causing some of those deaths. Could be a few things, but ultimately time and shrimplettes is the end goal.

On 1/14/2023 at 3:18 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I’m confused because I was doing all the stuff she recommends. Such as making sure temperature is the same, using Prime, and ph, gh, kH were the same. The one thing I was not doing initially though, was dripping water back in. I was pouring it. 
 

I will also add that I did have some shrimp successfully molt. I have found perfect molts since I adopted them. (Blue dream shrimp molts are whitish-clear).

Then everything you're doing is fine. Honestly. You could have had just a weak shrimp and it was a long term issue that eventually led to that death after travel and other things.  It could be as little as shifting things to offer more omnivore nutrition, slightly more protein, or even feeding less if that's a concern.  (Mostly due to limitations on water changes, KH ions building up, and that side of the equation)

Are you testing TDS at all?

[Guppysnail]

On 1/13/2023 at 9:37 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Others say you’ll lose most of the first group and that’s normal, but the babies born into the water will be resilient and will not have issues. 

I’m one of the others. I have introduced 7 different new groups of neos near the start of my shrimp keeping because I liked the colors or because the group did not have babies before I lost the original group. It was consistent that the original groups did not last long. The exception was any shrimplette I purchased. Those adapted and thrived where the adults could not. Also consistent that the new generation babies thrives. Now I give shrimp away by the coop medium net scoop full to friends. 
Fingers crossed for your new kids to get busy soon. 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 1/14/2023 at 11:20 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

Are you testing TDS at all?

No. I do not have a TDS meter. Based on what I’ve read here, perhaps that is only necessary for caridinas.

On 1/14/2023 at 11:27 AM, Guppysnail said:

The exception was any shrimplette I purchased. Those adapted and thrived where the adults could not.

I did get a shrimplet in my last purchase. Active little one, cute, all over the place. I posted a video. @Guppysnail did you see my question about York’s poor operculum? 😕

[Guppysnail]

On 1/15/2023 at 5:44 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

did you see my question about York’s poor

No I missed it sorry. I just scrolled back. 
Im not convinced it’s protein but I’m not convinced it’s not either. I think it’s a combination of things plus age. 
My big guy’s operculum started getting soft and eroding. I got him October 2020 and he was small. I noticed operculum issues May 2022. He passed on last week after slowing down for about a month. He just went to sleep and did not wake. It was peaceful.  That age for mystery snails is considered a long life. My kids get a very high protein, calcium and magnesium diet.  I increased his protein and minerals but it did not help. 
One thing I did notice around May is his operculum was no longer growing and was no longer large enough to cover the opening. 
I don’t really have much useful insight though. 

Edited January 15, 2023 by Guppysnail

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 1/15/2023 at 6:20 AM, Guppysnail said:

My big guy

Caramel?   I’m so sorry. 😢

This morning I took York gently off the wall and placed her on the Repashy, and she started eating right away. (My version of, “make sure you take your vitamins!”) She is an active snail. I haven’t noticed any changes in behavior. Although someone laid their eggs underwater this week and I don’t know who.

Edited January 15, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Minanora]

Eventually I'll get out of bed and compare all of my water parameters across all my tanks....

I'm one of the "most of the original shrimp will pass away faster but the babies will be bullet proof" people as well. That's been my experience consistently between my orange and yellow neocaridina.

Shrimpletts are far more resilient than adult shrimp in my experience as well.

I have moved to feeding primarily prepared glasgarten foods. Mainly shrimp baby, mineral junkie, and shrimp dinner 2. At least that's what I feed three of my colonies.

Every tank gets mineral junkie about once a week, except the 75, I don't usually put any in there. Not for any particular reason, I just don't usually do it. I don't usually feed the shrimp directly in the 75 at all. They eat everything that goes in for everyone else.

I try to have a piece of mineral junkie where I can see it, I watch how fast it's getting eaten. I only put enough in to last 3 days. Then once it's gone, I wait a few days and add a bit more.

I add shrimp baby food once every other day if I see shrimpletts. Once a week if there aren't tiny shrimp. I add about 1/3 a scoop for my 5.5 colony. Same for the plaza. Half a scoop for the colony in the 20H that shouldn't exist. A tiny fraction for the shrimp in the 2.6G.

I add shrimp dinner every few days. 5 pads in my 5.5.  half of one in the 2.6. 4 in the 20H. 2 in the 40B plaza. I try to make sure they only get enough that it lasts 24-30 hours in the tank max. I feed mineral junkie and shrimp baby at the same time usually. To make sure they're eating what they need, not just what's available at the time. The feedings usually line up naturally. Mineral junkie lasts longer.

They usually have catappa leaves to eat. Alder cones as well. I only put in one to three cones every few months. I use tiny ones in the small tanks, bigger ones (or more of cones) in the bigger tanks.

 

I do generally do 50% water changes on all my tanks. Even the shrimp sanctuary.

I use hard hose water in the 75.

Softened water/RO mix in the plaza. RO water in the 2.6,

softened water/hard water mix in the 20H,

and RO water remineralized with salty shrimp GH/KH in the 5.5 shrimp sanctuary.

 

I add new water in the sanctuary with an air line tube. (Room temp)  The 20 and 40B are added by 10L totes at a time (room temp ish), the 75 gets the hose at 3gpm (cold), and the 2.6 gets water added by large taco bell cup full (room temp).

I probably change water once a month on every tank except the 75. 75 is usually biweekly. I try to change more water in the summer when I feed more and it's warmer inside and outside. I feed less in the winter to limit water changes since all the water is cooler. I don't mind if that means less babies in the winter.

I'll get my parameters posted in a bit. I need coffee....

[nabokovfan87]

On 1/15/2023 at 2:44 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

No. I do not have a TDS meter. Based on what I’ve read here, perhaps that is only necessary for caridinas

Might be a tool to have on hand, just to verify things like tap changes in case you run into issues.  I prefer the seperate KH/GH tests, but it's a tool to think about.  Used a lot in EU side of the hobby.

[Minanora]

Ok. Here we go.

Plaza - 13° GH 8° KH 

20H - 8° GH 10° KH 

Chili ruins - 17°GH 11° KH

Shrimp Sanctuary - 14° GH 7° KH

75 - 15° GH 9° KH

I think the chili ruins is going to get a water change.... Poor chili rasboras. Sheesh.

[A3M0N]

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea maybe you and/or @Guppysnail can help! I made some "snello" with pea/squash baby food, ground up calcium tablets, fish flakes, and threw in some dried blood worms because I have them sitting around. My mystery snail hasn't touched it in the four or so times I've put it in the tank, I've only seen a neon nibble it once or twice. Any ideas why? Should I be concerned? 

[nabokovfan87]

Maybe add some garlic.  Hopefully someone has some indications or experience with that!

[Guppysnail]

On 1/16/2023 at 4:32 PM, A3M0N said:

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea maybe you and/or @Guppysnail can help! I made some "snello" with pea/squash baby food, ground up calcium tablets, fish flakes, and threw in some dried blood worms because I have them sitting around. My mystery snail hasn't touched it in the four or so times I've put it in the tank, I've only seen a neon nibble it once or twice. Any ideas why? Should I be concerned? 

I have no idea. How long do you leave it in?  It takes them often a whole day to realize something new is food for me. 

[A3M0N]

On 1/16/2023 at 4:29 PM, Guppysnail said:

How long do you leave it in?

I've left them for 2 days at a time, I think. Or until they start to fall apart and get messy. I put one in this morning, I'll leave it there for a couple of days. Could the blood worms turn them off? Maybe make another batch with just the baby food and calcium? 

[Guppysnail]

On 1/16/2023 at 5:51 PM, A3M0N said:

I've left them for 2 days at a time, I think. Or until they start to fall apart and get messy. I put one in this morning, I'll leave it there for a couple of days. Could the blood worms turn them off? Maybe make another batch with just the baby food and calcium? 

I’m uncertain. My kids gobble up blood worms but maybe the hot water is cooking them and making them yucky?  Check the ingredients on the baby food. I’m totally guessing I really don’t know why they won’t eat it. 

[Odd Duck]

On 1/16/2023 at 3:32 PM, A3M0N said:

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea maybe you and/or @Guppysnail can help! I made some "snello" with pea/squash baby food, ground up calcium tablets, fish flakes, and threw in some dried blood worms because I have them sitting around. My mystery snail hasn't touched it in the four or so times I've put it in the tank, I've only seen a neon nibble it once or twice. Any ideas why? Should I be concerned? 

Might be your proportions are off?  Can you post your actual recipe (or as close as you can estimate if you’re “a pinch of this” type cook and see if we can spot the problem?

[A3M0N]

On 1/16/2023 at 8:55 PM, Odd Duck said:

Can you post your actual recipe

Sure can. As close as I can make it: 1 package unflavored gelatin, 8oz (2 jars) "Beech-Nut Naturals Stage 2, Spinach Zucchini & Peas Baby Food", 8 ground calcium pills (600mg per tablet, no additional additives), and I would say a healthy pinch of TetraMin tropical flakes and freeze dried blood worms. 

I didn't grind the flakes or bloodworms, I just mixed them in with the other ingredients. The calcium pills did have a bit of coating, but they stayed together enough to pick them out. 

edit: I hate to hijack @Chick-In-Of-TheSea's journal with this! Sorry! 

Edited January 17, 2023 by A3M0N

[Odd Duck]

On 1/16/2023 at 9:30 PM, A3M0N said:

Sure can. As close as I can make it: 1 package unflavored gelatin, 8oz (2 jars) "Beech-Nut Naturals Stage 2, Spinach Zucchini & Peas Baby Food", 8 ground calcium pills (600mg per tablet, no additional additives), and I would say a healthy pinch of TetraMin tropical flakes and freeze dried blood worms. 

I didn't grind the flakes or bloodworms, I just mixed them in with the other ingredients. The calcium pills did have a bit of coating, but they stayed together enough to pick them out. 

That does seem like a lot of calcium on the face of it but that’s a pretty big batch.  Let me go look at the recipe I used last (which I can’t say my snails are completely crazy over but they do eat it).  I used on the high end on both fish food and calcium powder - about a tablespoon of each.  I have straight calcium powder so it doesn’t have any binders or coating to worry about - not sure if that would make much difference.  I used a mold for tiny cubes so it would be easier to portion for my smaller tanks.  I finely crumbled the fish food.  Hopefully others will chime in that have made more batches and feel like they’re snails like their mix.  Mine weren’t that impressed but will eat it before it disperses.  They still like their veggies much better.

Sorry for the format/font, this is how it copies from “Notes” app and it’s a bugger to change font size on my iPad.

Snello 1

1 jar veggie baby food

1-3 tsp fish food ground/powdered (may be omitted)

1-3 tsp calcium powder

1 packet (1T) unflavored gelatin

 

Put baby food into microwave safe bowl and heat for 60 seconds (will be very hot). 

Stir in the gelatin adding slowly and crush clumps with spoon (don’t use blender, incorporated air will make them float). 

Stir in calcium supplements and fish food. 

Pour into flat bottom dish and refrigerate until set then cut into pieces.  Once cut, can be frozen for 6 months.  Can use molds. 

Can do double or triple batch and mix baby foods. 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 1/16/2023 at 10:30 PM, A3M0N said:

edit: I hate to hijack @Chick-In-Of-TheSea's journal with this! Sorry! 

No worries at all. Post here anytime. 🙂 Seems like it would be a food they would enjoy. Mine locate Snello quickly. When I use calcium, I either use powdered eggshells or calcium carbonate. Were there any other ingredients in the tablets you used? 
edit: I am sorry; you said there were not.

next question- does the snail eat other foods you offer, and is the snail pretty active?

I have not ventured into the baby food snellos yet. I’ve done boiled/puréed vegetables and I’ve also done a different recipe with Repashy.

—-

I’m having the other issue where my snails eat too much Snello. Everyone is sleeping it off today. I need to cut back my portions because they just binge til they are uncomfortable. Heh. No restraint!  (But we humans do this too, with tasty food.) Those molds I used: the penguin, the candy cane etc. They are really cute but that portion is too big for my gang, I’m discovering.

Edited January 17, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

No treats today, but if they get hungry they may graze on the catappa leaf.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

A really good molt today.

 

@nabokovfan87. @Minanora

Edited January 17, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

2 here eating shrimp cuisine

Button:

 

[A3M0N]

On 1/17/2023 at 5:50 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

next question- does the snail eat other foods you offer, and is the snail pretty active?

It (I don't know its gender) eats algae wafers pretty well. Usually, the same day I put them in the tank it has been eaten a good bit and I remove the leftovers the next day. And I'm pretty he cleans up any leftover fish food as well. I don't think he really eats much algae though. 

It used to be pretty active before the plants started to fill in, now I think it's either active but mostly around the plants or hides in the plants mostly. When I do see it moving around its closer to lights out for the night. 

The snello I put in the tank last night seems like it may have been munched on some, or it could just be breaking down. I boiled a baby carrot today and dropped it in just before I started work. I'll check it out on my next break. If the snello isn't going anywhere I'll try to make some more but with less of everything, maybe only with gelatin, baby food, and calcium. 

Edited January 17, 2023 by A3M0N

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 1/17/2023 at 4:07 PM, A3M0N said:

It (I don't know its gender) eats algae wafers pretty well. Usually, the same day I put them in the tank it has been eaten a good bit and I remove the leftovers the next day. And I'm pretty he cleans up any leftover fish food as well. I don't think he really eats much algae though. 

It used to be pretty active before the plants started to fill in, now I think it's either active but mostly around the plants or hides in the plants mostly. When I do see it moving around its closer to lights out for the night. 

The snello I put in the tank last night seems like it may have been munched on some, or it could just be breaking down. I boiled a baby carrot today and dropped it in just before I started work. I'll check it out on my next break. If the snello isn't going anywhere I'll try to make some more but with less of everything, maybe only with gelatin, baby food, and calcium. 

When I boiled spinach for my gang they refused it. If you find a baby food that’s green beans, I think they would love that. Green beans are like crack to snails. 

Edited January 17, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I moved this rock to the shrimp tank and it is undergoing routine inspection as all new things do. It also has yummy algae.

 

[A3M0N]

On 1/17/2023 at 3:27 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Green beans are like crack to snails.

The baby carrot seems untouched overnight, but it has seemed to float to another area somehow. We have some green beans in the fridge, I'll boil one today and see how that goes. 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 1/18/2023 at 10:43 AM, A3M0N said:

The baby carrot seems untouched overnight, but it has seemed to float to another area somehow. We have some green beans in the fridge, I'll boil one today and see how that goes. 

Hmm. Split it in half so they have access to the flesh inside the green bean. Do you have a lot of algae in the tank that they might be eating instead?