Nerite snail shell erosion has always been a headache for many aquarium owners.
It ruins the beautiful appearance of your nerite snail and threatens its health and well-being.
So, what are the causes of nerite snail shell erosion? What can you do to prevent and cure the shell erosion symptoms in snails?
I will discuss these issues and bring you an in-depth answer. Keep reading to find out!
Contents
What Causes Nerite Snail Shell Erosion?
Before treating the nerite snail’s eroded shell, you have to check its condition and find out the cause of this problem first. Many factors can lead to shell erosion in nerite snails.
The causes range from poor living conditions to improper water parameters to physical impacts your nerite snail is bearing.
You should monitor the snails carefully to check if they suffer from one of these conditions.
Poor Living Conditions
If the tank filter has worn down or gotten damaged, the water quality inside the tank will slowly decrease.
It creates an ideal environment for harmful bacteria and fungi to grow.
As a result, poor water quality can lead to bacterial or fungal infection in snails, causing their shells to erode.
Therefore, you should recheck the water quality carefully and filter out the tank once a week to ensure the cleanest water.
Unsuitable Feeding
It would be best if you supplied the nerite snails with a calcium-rich diet to enhance their shell growth and protection.
Without calcium and minerals, the neurite snails’ shells weaken, making them susceptible to fungal and bacterial infection.
I recommend you diversify the nerite snail’s diet with ideal food sources like canned green beans, blanched zucchini, or algae wafers.
They will supply essential nutrients for the snails and make their shells stronger.
An Overstocked Tank
Though nerite snails can live with other snail species and fish, it would be best to avoid overstocking the tank.
Too many snails concentrating in a tight space will lead to collisions and physical contact with their shells.
In addition, the nerite snails can compete and get in fights with the other snails, increasing the risks of shell erosion or damage.
If you raise too many nerite snails in one tank, please reduce the stock and separate them in another. This will protect the snails and increase their comfort.
Physical Damage
Though the nerite snail shells are made to protect their soft body with high sturdiness, they can still get broken or damaged.
Besides harmful bacteria, the physical impacts generated in the tank can damage the nerite snail shells.
The shells of nerite snails can get eroded when they collide with small objects, tank sides, or creatures in the tank.
The likely cause is that your tank is overstocked, which limits the space and comfort of nerite snails.
Can Nerite Snails Survive When Their Shells Are Broken?
Typically, the nerite snail shells can automatically if they only erode at mild levels.
However, you need to adjust the tank conditions, water quality, and diet of nerite snails to enhance the healing process.
If the shells are entirely eroded or broken, the chance of your nerite snail not surviving is very high.
Restoring a broken shell is nearly impossible, leaving the snails susceptible to bacterial infection and physical impacts.
You should not worry too much when the shell starts to erode. Please monitor the snails closely to determine the causes and make necessary adjustments.
How To Fix A Broken Snail Shell?
To help a snail heals faster, you can separate it in another aquarium tank. Ensure that there is sufficient humidity inside the tank so the snail’s body won’t get dried out.
Then, you can use the membrane taken from boiled eggs to cover the loops on the nerite snail shell.
Then, feed the snail with nutritious and mineral-rich food to speed up its healing process.
Please note that this method can only save snails with mildly damaged shells. You also need to create an ideal living condition with clean water quality.
FAQs
The sections below contain more exciting information about nerite snails that you will find helpful.
Check them out and discover many tips to care for your nerite snail better.
Do Nerite Snails Feel Pain In The Shell?
There hasn’t been any research that can prove the pain nerite snails feel in their shells.
However, the snails can still react and feel the physical impacts applied to their shells.
How Long Does It Take For An Eroded Shell To Recover?
With a nutritious diet and ideal living conditions, the nerite snail can restore its shell’s condition very fast.
It typically takes between one and two weeks until the eroded shell is fully cured.
How To Raise The Ph Level In A Tank?
The simplest method to raise the pH level in an aquarium tank is to put in baking soda. Most baking soda products can increase the pH and kH level of water; you need to use them in small quantities.
Does Lack Of Calcium Cause Shell Damage?
Both lack or excess calcium is not healthy for the neurite snail shell.
Therefore, it’s best to feed them a nutritious and balanced diet that can provide the snails with sufficient minerals and calcium.
Can A Snail Repair Its Own Shell?
Nerite snails and other snail species can restore minor damages their shells have to bear.
However, it’s nearly impossible to restore when the shells are entirely rotten or broken.
Final Thoughts
In summary, an overstocked tank and nonideal living conditions can lead to nerite snail erosion.
However, the nerite snail shells can automatically heal if you detect the problems soon and make suitable adjustments.
An eroded shell ruins the aesthetic aspect of your aquarium tank and threatens the lives of nerite snails.
I hope the answers and tips in this post can help you deal with this problem successfully. Have a nice day!
