avian calcium

[notropis]

Has anyone used avian calcium in their tanks?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...m?pcatid=22336

Would this raise gH or would I be better off just using crushed oyster shell?

[ravensgate]

I use oyster shell calcium tablets. My shrimp and snails SWARM it every time I put it in the tank (once a week). It keeps it's form and doesn't cloud the water. I'd be more prone to doing something like that than a powder but I've never used what you've linked so I'm just thinking outloud about it, no personal experience.

[GeToChKn]

I would just feed them fresh veggies along with a varied shrimp-specific-food diet and between that and their molts, they should get all the calcium they need without dosing more.

[Soothing Shrimp]

I'd almost be afraid that if the shrimp had too much calcium they would have a hard time molting. (?)

[ravensgate]

Originally Posted by Soothing Shrimp

I'd almost be afraid that if the shrimp had too much calcium they would have a hard time molting. (?)

I would agree, everything in moderation! Many animals will seek out what the 'need'. I know with the horses we can put out minerals for them and supposedly they will only eat what they 'need' (some horses are just gluttons though and this does not apply). This can be seen by putting those minerals out and the horse going to it frequently for the first day or two and then not going to it as often. Or only ingesting them at certain times of the year when those minerals are low in the forage.

When I put an oyster calcium tablet in my tanks, there is a huge frenzy over them, a ball, then shrimps line up to get their turn. But not all of the shrimps go to it. I have so many in my small tank I have no doubt not all of them are getting the food and veggies I put in at feeding time and many get left out or don't get enough. The 'fat' feeders that are ALWAYS in the dish at feeding time will rarely frenzy to the calcium tab. Or they may just eat a little here and there. In my other tank, the shrimp do go to it, but again, it's mostly the ones who would prefer biofilm to fresh veggies and food. The snails really pounce on it. I've most definitely noticed an improvement in the snail shells since I started feeding it (they were pitting). And these snails are ALWAYS on the fresh veggies I put in, so apparently for them, spinach, kale, and zucchini don't have enough calcium to support their shell health alone. This is just based on my observations and experience I have cuttlebone and mineral rocks in my tanks as well, but they seem to really enjoy the calcium tabs. They are easily broken, so you can regular how much you put in the tank by breaking off smaller pieces.

[notropis]

Right now my shrimp are having are hard time molting and I'm not supplementing the calcium and they're not touching the kale. I'm also workingto get the gH up.

[notropis]

They finally ate the kale!