How to Feed Tums to My Snails
Calcium For Mystery Snails
It is sometimes thought that Mystery Snails require no extra care and can coexist and share the same diet of their tank inhabitants. But these beloved invertebrates do have certain specific dietary requirements for optimal health. Snails need fresh vegetables, algae, protein and calcium. There are a number of ways to provide enough Calcium for Mystery Snails to grow and be healthy.
Why is Calcium So Important for Mystery Snails?
Most invertebrates have a hard outer shell to protect their soft bodies. Some are able to pick and choose the shell they will live in and replace it with a shiny new one when it is outgrown. Mystery Snails however, hatch from their egg clutch with a tiny attached shell. This shell grows with the Mystery Snail for its whole life and is not removable. If there is not enough calcium in the new snabies diet or habitat, the shell will grow weak, brittle and discolored. Calcium for Mystery Snails and proper pH levels will encourage strong shiny shells.
Mystery snail diet requirements are pretty straightforward. But how does a Mystery snail get enough calcium?
Mystery Snail Food Sources
Some of the foods that Mystery Snails love are already high in calcium. Most members of the greens family contain high levels of calcium such as collards, turnip greens, spinach and kale. Other good vegetable sources of calcium are broccoli, cabbage, bell peppers, zucchini and green beans.
How to Serve Vegetables to Mystery Snails
When adding vegetables to an aquarium, it is a good idea to blanch them first. Otherwise random vegetables will be floating around the surface making it more difficult for snails to eat. In nature, Mystery Snails feed on dead rotting plants. A wilted blanched piece of spinach is closer to their natural diet than a raw and floating one.
Blanching Vegetables for Mystery Snails
To blanch vegetables is to lightly boil them. First wash the vegetable of choice and slice into small pieces. Boil a pot of water and add the vegetable pieces. Let it boil for about 3-4 minutes. The vegetables should be slightly darker and softer. Remove vegetable pieces and put them into a bowl of cold or ice water for a minute or so. It should sink to the bottom. Now it is ready to add to the tank for a Mystery Snail feast.
Anchor Down Aquarium Vegetables for Mystery Snails
We all want our Mystery Snails to grow strong and healthy but nobody really wants chunks of old zucchini and broccoli swirling around the tank.
There are a few ways to anchor down food that is added to the aquarium to avoid a swirling spinach vortex.
1. Bamboo Skewer or Fork
I like to jab a few blanched vegetables onto a bamboo skewer like a snail shish kabob and push one end under the substrate or a rock. The Mystery Snails will climb the skewer and hang out to feast. All uneaten vegetable bits should be removed after 24 hours to avoid nitrate and ammonia spikes. The skewer makes it easier to pull out old uneaten food and add more.
2.Under a Rock or Decoration
Sometimes leafy vegetables such as spinach or greens are too flimsy to stay on the skewer. I will take the blanched leaves, lay them on the bottom of the tank and lay a small rock or tank decoration on the edge to anchor it down.
3. In An Aquarium Cup or Dish
I originally ordered the aquarium cup because I just thought it looked cool. But it works wonders for keeping vegetables and other messy dissolvable snail foods contained in one area. They are inexpensive and sold on Amazon or pet stores and usually suction cup to the side of the tank. My snails and fish seem to enjoy tucking into the little cup for a private dinner.
Adding Calcium to Aquarium Water for Mystery Snails
Calcium for Mystery Snails can be directly added to the water. It is safe for other tank inhabitants as well.
1. Cuttlebone for Calcium
Cuttlebone is the most common and safe way to add calcium directly to the water. The cuttlebone is the bone of an aquatic animal that will slowly dissolve over time adding valuable minerals to the water. Some cuttlebone is sold for birds and has other additives that are not necessarily safe for aquarium life. Watch that cuttlebone is the only ingredient.
Cuttlebone will float in the tank and eventually sink. I have had Mystery Snails hop aboard the floating bone and 'ride it' to the bottom with their weight, crawl off and the cuttlebone will float back to the surface.
I keep my cuttlebone floating above the sponge in my filter area. Some people like it in the main tank for the snails to crawl on. Mystery Snails generally don't eat cuttlebone. It just adds calcium to the water over time. Cuttlebone will sink to the bottom if it is boiled for about 10 minutes before adding it to the tank.
2. Calcium Blocks or Wonder Shells
Sold online or in pet stores, calcium blocks and Wonder shells are made for fish tanks. They slowly resolve, leaving the aquarium water rich with calcium. Add to the tank about every 6 weeks.
3. Veggie Sticks or Calcium Chips
There are many online sources for calcium treats or drops for snails and shrimp. The ones I have purchased are through Crayfish Empire. Some people make their own ' snello ' with calcium carbonate, gelatin, fish food and ground vegetables made into little cubes.
More Methods of Adding Calcium to Aquarium
Other methods to raise calcium levels in the aquarium are: adding liquid minerals sold in pet stores, using crushed coral in the substrate and adding plain Tums to the water. These methods are not as safe for water parameters. Crushed coral can release salt into the water and Tums can be messy and add unnecessary elements.
Mystery Snails are such a fun addition to any aquarium. They just need a little extra care and calcium to stay strong, shiny and healthy.
Click here to read more about Mystery Snail Care
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Source: https://mystery-snails.com/calcium-for-mystery-snails/