Please help!! Mystery snail in BAD condition! Very scared

[clownbaby]

I love my boy Leroy, he is really struggling though. I do weekly water changes, feed him daily, etc. 30 gallon tank. stocked otherwise with pygmy cories.

His shell is clearly suffering from calcium deficiency. I have been giving him special snello that is high in calcium for the passed week. His foot is also wrinkly and his skin almost turned a blue hue at one moment. His shell is also much duller than usual. For the past two weeks he has been very inactive.  I am so scared, is he sick? Diseased? Is this just a calcium deficiency?? Please help I am really worried. Should I add aquarium salt?

He is 5 months old and he has been in the tank for 4 months. My camera quality is really poor but maybe pictures will help.

pH 7.0 gH 6 kH 8 . Temperature 74 degrees F . No nitrites, 10 nitrate, no ammonia

[clownbaby]

more pictures

[Colu]

Am going to tag @Guppysnail has a lot of experience with snail  

[Guppysnail]

Please do not add salt with snails.  
 

Mystery snails average lifespan is 1 year to 18 months.  Some live longer some shorter. 
 

what is your ph/gh?  They do best above 7 ph and with ample calcium and magnesium in the water.  It’s good you began feeding calcium rich foods.  Veggies also help in proper nutrition.

There are no medications for snails. Controlling diet and water conditions is really all we can do for them. 

[Tony s]

Unfortunately, when we get them, we have no idea how old they actually are either, probably several months to 6 months old. And that subtracts from their time with us. If your waters clean, you’re really doing the best you can. 

[clownbaby]

On 5/19/2024 at 3:26 AM, Guppysnail said:

Please do not add salt with snails.  
 

Mystery snails average lifespan is 1 year to 18 months.  Some live longer some shorter. 
 

what is your ph/gh?  They do best above 7 ph and with ample calcium and magnesium in the water.  It’s good you began feeding calcium rich foods.  Veggies also help in proper nutrition.

There are no medications for snails. Controlling diet and water conditions is really all we can do for them. 

My pH is 7.0 (usually around 7.0 to 7.4 range) and my gH is 6, kH is 8. How could I increase these if need be? Thank you for help, I am super attached to Leroy and really wouldn't want to lose him over something like this. 

[Tony s]

On 5/19/2024 at 10:23 AM, clownbaby said:

How could I increase these if need

Crushed coral works the safest. You can add it to the substrate. Or in a mesh bag behind a hob filter if you have one. Or just in a mesh bag near a sponge. That will raise it slowly giving your corys a chance to adjust. Pigmy’s don’t necessarily like hard water. The other way is to do it chemically via seachem equilibrium. Using it you could pinpoint exactly the gh you want. It’s what I use, you’d only add it back to water at water changes. Taking your gh to the level you want the new water to be. Don’t add on top offs only.

But if you’re not seeing thinning and cracking of the shell, it may not help. Good luck

[Guppysnail]

These are good. They eat them but some goes in the watero

Kats aquatics has a wide variety of snail calcium as well as Crayfish empire

[clownbaby]

Update: did a 40 percent water change and while he still is sick, he is much more active. I fed him and my cories a treat of salmon today (leftover from a fishing trip), they all really appreciated it. He even went up to the surface and fell down (one of his favorite activities!)... I am feeling much better now. I plan to still keep feeding him foods high in calcium. I will look into those banquet blocks! Thank you so much everyone you have no idea how scared and stressed I was.