Quote:
Originally posted by newsalt
So, if I'm to trust the Salifert test over others, I guess my nitrates are not as bad as I thought. I still can't figure why my snails and hermits are dying. I use RO water, IO salt and Nitrates seem ok with the new kit. Maybe they're starving. What can I feed them if there is not enough "stuff" for them to eat? |
How do you acclimatize your snails and hermits? How long haveyou had them in the tank before they start to die? Are you hermits killing the snails?
One of the most common problems with introducing inverts to a new tank is improper acclimatization. INverts do not tollerate changes in water parameters very well and even the slight fluctuations in the water they came from to the water they are going in could be too much stress on them.
Even if the water they are in to begin with is bad and you are introducing them to what should be ideal parameters, the change needs to be done slowly. It's possible some people kill through kindness.
Try a slower acclimatization process should you get any more snails or hermits in the tank.
IF the snails have been in the tank for over a month and suddenly die, Iwould look to other contaminants being introduced to the tank through feeding, or air pollution. Have you changed anything in the air at you house? Used a new cleaning product? Burnt new incence or scented candles in the same room as the tank?
I highly doubt lack of food would be the case. In the wild these animals need to scavenge for thier food, in a tank there is more algae and organic matter they eat that we can't see then we realise.