Snail looks weird… what should I do?

[Sherry]

I bought three Mystery Snails on Tuesday. They are all in hibernation, I guess.

This one came with the split you see. This morning it has what looks like mold on it.

The other two look fine.

Thank you in advance.

Edited February 25, 2023 by Sherry

[The endler guy]

Did you make sure they aren’t dead (take them out and smell them)

[Sherry]

Still alive now... it moved some.

[Rube_Goldfish]

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea, paging Chick-In-Of-TheSea to the snail phone, please

[Sherry]

I bought 10 pygmy cory cats at the same time as I bought my snails and they are in my only tank right now - 10 gallon quarantine tank.

I just did what I should have done originally - put in the med trio. I didn't do it before because I questioned the employee about the quarantine procedures of their source - someplace in Minneapolis/St. Paul - and trusted that. Grr

What spurred me into action is seeing one of my little corys laying on its side with a big white fuzzy spot on it. I thought it was dead, but not so. It may not be able to survive the treatment, but maybe noone else will get sick.

Edited February 25, 2023 by Sherry

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Ouch.. I’m sorry you and your snail are dealing with this. There are no snail medications - even medications that say snail safe, hobbyists on the forum here have had trouble with and found the snails to be sensitive to. The best you can do is good water quality. Try to avoid powdery foods if you can. Offering a boiled vegetable such as a piece of zucchini or a green bean will help keep water quality better than store bought foods. At least until the snail’s health/injury improves.

Something else you can do is add catappa leaves a.k.a. Indian Almond Leaves) to the water, they have antibacterial and antifungal properties, and they are even a supplemental food source for snails. They may turn the water a little brown. That’s ok; those are beneficial tannins. Good for fish too!

Smell the snail daily if you haven’t seen movement in 24 hr. (They do sleep on and off throughout the day/night.) Newly adopted snails may stay in their shell longer as they adapt to their new surroundings. @Guppysnail

On 2/25/2023 at 12:07 PM, Sherry said:

one of my little corys laying on its side with a big white fuzzy spot on it.

@Colu

Edited February 25, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 2/25/2023 at 11:20 AM, Sherry said:

Still alive now... it moved some

Glad to hear it. After the snail moved, did the white stuff fall off of it?

[Lennie]

It looks like lots of stress slime to me. Something in the water might be hurting them. Did you have a chance to test the water?

 

Also I think that crack can be causing a lot of stress and  sadly you may need to euthanise it. Let's see what others think

@Guppysnail any idea?

Edited February 25, 2023 by Lennie

[Guppysnail]

The shell damage looks like the growth plate was damaged during young mating or a fall. I’ve seen my snails do this to each other when first old enough to mate. 
Stuff coming out could be debris or damage to the mantle. Only time and clean water will tell. Good high calcium diet is essential. I have one girl who repaired the new growth on hers so her growth plate had not suffered permanent damage. 
The slime does seem to be stress slime. Again clean water using a water conditioner that neutralizes heavy metals like Prime or Fritz is best. I’ll keep my fingers crossed. 
Cirydora fungus easily being bottom dwellers. Keeping the temp at 74-75 helps slow the fungus.  If they had a scale injury when netting it could have caused this. Other possible cause is a separate sickness exists and fungus is an opportunistic issue. 

Edited February 25, 2023 by Guppysnail

[Sherry]

On 2/25/2023 at 12:22 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

After the snail moved, did the white stuff fall off of it?

No

[Sherry]

I did a 20% water change before I put the medications in. I have my temperature set for 76 deg. F. I use Fritz Complete as my dechlorinator.

I tested my tap water 0 nitrate and nitrite, about 15 ppm hardness, about 120 ppm buffer, 7.0 pH, 0 chlorine.

From my tank I get 10 ppm nitrate, just under 1 ppm nitrite, 25 ppm hardness (I added Wonder Shell), 120 ppm buffer, 7.0 pH, 0 chlorine. I dechlorinate because I'm using town water and I assume it's treated in some way, even though it doesn't register. I have been doing about 20% water changes every other or every third day since I realized I had nitrites.

I am very confused why I have nitrites. I have added API Stress Zyme, then got Seachem Stability because I heard that the bacterium in these two products are different for different purposes. This tank was started January 27th with two Mystery Snails. Since then one has been moved to my granddaughters' betta tank Feb. 13th, and is doing fine. The one I kept has died. I would think if it was my tap water, neither would have made it.

I bought natural gravel from Walmart, and that seems to be when I had trouble with nitrites. I have since dumped it and am going bare bottom.

 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 2/25/2023 at 5:20 PM, Sherry said:

I did a 20% water change before I put the medications in. I have my temperature set for 76 deg. F. I use Fritz Complete as my dechlorinator.

I tested my tap water 0 nitrate and nitrite, about 15 ppm hardness, about 120 ppm buffer, 7.0 pH, 0 chlorine.

From my tank I get 10 ppm nitrate, just under 1 ppm nitrite, 25 ppm hardness (I added Wonder Shell), 120 ppm buffer, 7.0 pH, 0 chlorine. I dechlorinate because I'm using town water and I assume it's treated in some way, even though it doesn't register. I have been doing about 20% water changes every other or every third day since I realized I had nitrites.

I am very confused why I have nitrites. I have added API Stress Zyme, then got Seachem Stability because I heard that the bacterium in these two products are different for different purposes. This tank was started January 27th with two Mystery Snails. Since then one has been moved to my granddaughters' betta tank Feb. 13th, and is doing fine. The one I kept has died. I would think if it was my tap water, neither would have made it.

I bought natural gravel from Walmart, and that seems to be when I had trouble with nitrites. I have since dumped it and am going bare bottom.

 

The medications likely caused the nitrite. Certain meds can kill the bacteria on the filter.

[Colu]

Sounds like your Cory has a fungal infections what I would do is treat with ick X and maracyn @Sherry

 

Edited February 25, 2023 by Colu

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 2/25/2023 at 2:40 PM, Guppysnail said:

damaged during young mating

Wow! I did not know they could hurt each other!

[Sherry]

Thank you

[Guppysnail]

On 2/25/2023 at 6:32 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Wow! I did not know they could hurt each other!

I moved this little girl as soon as I seen the boys would not let her eat they were mating her non stop for 2 days. Resulting damage where their shell was hitting hers. The one boy has a scuff that continues as he grows but not growth plate damages like this. ☹️

Edited February 26, 2023 by Guppysnail

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 2/25/2023 at 7:10 PM, Guppysnail said:

growth plate

Aw, the poor lady. My boy, even when he’s not mating, moves differently than all the other snails. Jerky, like he’s aggravated. He twists around when he mates with the girls and then he falls asleep on them and they have to haul his butt around for 2 hrs if they want to go anywhere. Here he is plowing right over poor Kratos on Kratos’ adoption day.

 

Edited February 26, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Sherry]

Well, we are in day two of the med trio treatment. Yesterday there was a bacteria bloom and I noticed a film on the glass - algae I presume. The snails looked better this morning. They still appear dormant but there is movement.

Yesterday the fish were at the surface a lot, so I moved my HOB filter to circulate better, I hoped. This morning they seem to be swimming more naturally.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 2/27/2023 at 8:42 AM, Sherry said:

Well, we are in day two of the med trio treatment. Yesterday there was a bacteria bloom and I noticed a film on the glass - algae I presume. The snails looked better this morning. They still appear dormant but there is movement.

Yesterday the fish were at the surface a lot, so I moved my HOB filter to circulate better, I hoped. This morning they seem to be swimming more naturally.

If you can, give them an extra air stone.  The meds will change the viscosity of the water (make it thicker) and that makes it more difficult for fish to breathe.

[Sherry]

On 2/27/2023 at 10:49 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

If you can, give them an extra air stone.

I thought about that. I ordered one, but it will be a few days before it arrives. May need to check at Walmart to see what they have. Any other pet store is about 50 miles away.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 2/27/2023 at 12:19 PM, Sherry said:

I thought about that. I ordered one, but it will be a few days before it arrives. May need to check at Walmart to see what they have. Any other pet store is about 50 miles away.

Walmart should have them. I saw them in my Walmart about 2 days ago.

[Sherry]

On 2/27/2023 at 11:23 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Walmart should have them. I saw them in my Walmart about 2 days ago.

I got an air stone and pump and the fish quit gulping at the surface. Thank you.

Now the 7 day med trio is over… all my Mystery Snails died.

Of the ten Pygmy Corydoras I bought, four are left.

I did a 30-35% water change as recommended by Cory. What’s next? Another water change tomorrow?

Here’s my big question… why do I have nitrites? My tap water doesn’t show any. My test is after the big water change, but I had also added Easy Green. I also put Wonder Shell in the tank.

Any suggestions?

[Lennie]

On 3/4/2023 at 9:45 PM, Sherry said:

Here’s my big question… why do I have nitrites? My tap water doesn’t show any. My test is after the big water change, but I had also added Easy Green. I also put Wonder Shell in the tank.

Your tank is either not cycled or your cycle is crashed. This much nitrite is highly toxic to fish and snails. thats why they are dying.

Can you test for ammonia as well? 

Did you cycle your tank?

I would immediately do a huge water change. I think it is a miracle some fish are still alive ngl.

[Sherry]

On 3/4/2023 at 12:56 PM, Lennie said:

Can you test for ammonia as well? 

I ordered ammonia test strips - they will be here Monday.

[Lennie]

On 3/4/2023 at 10:11 PM, Sherry said:

I ordered ammonia test strips - they will be here Monday.

It may give an idea about the cycle situation later on. 

I would highly recommend doing a huge water change that matches your tank parameters and temperature, and dosing prime.

Have you used anything to cycle the tank? Or start the cycle somehow?