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Nerites cant keep em alive

1K views 14 replies 6 participants last post by  Blacktetra 
#1 ·
Ive bought 6 total... 2 different occasions each time they die ph is around 6.4 i dose micros and macros i dont think the amount of iron is it... ammonia arent there

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#3 ·
From googling to verify #s nerites prefer alkaline and hard water 7.5+pH 5-15dkh. Nerites need hard water (specifically calcium for their shells) and do better in well matured/aged tanks with plenty of natural food for them (such as diatoms).
If you have soft water and low pH you can consider adding crushed coral, or even limestone (texas holey rock) to raise pH ad hardness for the nerite.
 
#7 ·
I have calcium rich water (water stains galore on glass =.=) and 7.5 pH so I had no issue with the 2 I kept in my 55g.
 
#8 ·
Nerites often get bunched together as if a horned nerite and an olive nerite are the same thing but just a different color and size. They aren't like dogs that have been bred to be different in appearance, and I personally believe that some species do better in one environment more than another. I've tried olives twice, both times they died within a few days though they were live and active after purchase.
I think there are a few likely problems:
1) you really don't have enough food for them (keep in mind they won't eat some forms of algae, namely some of the harder varieties, and BGA is toxic for them, at least in large amounts)
2) they aren't true freshwater snails, they are likely shocked from being taken from a brackish environment, where they are shipped to big box stores which dose their systems with salt (yes, freshwater fish at stores like petco/petsmart are kept with some salt in their water, so I've been told) and then suddenly they are moved to a salt-free environment.
3) Even with salt, and food, the stress of constant relocation can kill them.

Buy from a reputable online source, if possible get a few species, (track, zebra, olive, etc) and introduce them to your tank slowly over a few hours before dropping them in. Past that point I have no idea what's wrong.
 
#9 ·
I suppose I should add that the Nerites I use are olive nerites..

Guess where they were from..
User ID fossilneoceratodus

Olive Nerites in the Aquarium

Another point to recommend the olive nerite is the fact that it feeds only upon the brown and green algae that often coats plant leaves, rocks and aquarium glass, and leaves living plants untouched. When algae populations decline, its appetite can be easily satisfied with algae wafers and Spirulina discs.

The attractive shell of marble-sized olive nerite is often colonized by tiny barnacles, adding to its interesting appearance. They are as resilient to environmental conditions as they are to habitat changes, doing well at temperatures ranging from the upper 40’s to the upper 90’s (F) and in waters of 6.3-8.4 in pH.
http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatf...sh-brackish-or-marine-aquariums/#.Vru5_FJ2HAM
 
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#12 ·
oh, last thing to consider is nitrate shock. While Nerites can adjust to nitrate levels just fine, if they are changed from 0 nitrates at the store, then dumped into a tank with 100ppm nitrate it can lead to additional stress. I personally try to stretch out any nitrate change over 50ppm over at least an hour or so. Nitrate shock is a real threat sometimes. I've lost a guppy to it, and guppies can withstand hundreds of ppm nitrate. Went from maybe 150 to 0 and it killed him.
 
#14 ·
Never knew that thanks ....i tried again today acclimated then for over an hour and i think they arent going to make it ....nitrate in my tank is in around 20ppm so next time ill dona few water changes and wont dose to lower it then buy some and try again

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