[SaveZelda]

Hello, I'm having an issue with my tank at the moment. I'm about to buy some copper test strips but before I do I figured I'd make a post to maybe ask if there are other things I should be testing in my water.

I have a fully cycled tank with Japanese rice fish and a bunch of amano and cherry shrimp. I had 2 separate tanks but recently transferred them over to a 20-gallon tank. The new tank has soil underneath the gravel and is heavily planted.

I've had my nerites for about a year and a half but once I moved them, they died. It seemed to be a slow death as well, I could see them declining over a little under a week. I have the API test kit and my nitrates and nitrites and ammonia are at 0 and I've tested this many times. the ph is about 7.6. My heater is set to 72 degrees.

I'm at a complete loss here. I assumed it was their age and the move was maybe a bit too overwhelming. So I got new nerites, and I regret it because the poor things died and I feel horrible. I initially started using flourish by seachem and then came to realize it had copper in it, which I then learned is toxic to nerites. I already did a water change but I'm worried it wasn't enough or maybe even the soil might have copper? I'm not sure about this so sorry if that's a stupid question. but one thing is for sure; I have probably 50 shrimp 6 Japanese rice fish and healthy plants. Everyone is thriving. my fish are swimming constantly, my shrimp are always eating and cleaning up the tank and floating on their little duckweeds and my cherry shrimp are as vibrant as ever. My aquarium walls are starting to accumulate algae and honestly I miss watching the little guys race around the glass. the weirdest part is my bladder snails and ramshorn snails are going a mile a minute and I do have a lot of them which I don't mind. I also have a cuttle bone chilling in the tank as well so there is calcium being supplied.

I stopped using any plant supplements and I'm waiting to get my seachem refund in order to buy shrimp and nerite safe fertilizers. My biggest fear is that it's the soil and I will never be able to have nerites again... please help. what else should I be testing the water for?

 

[Zoidburg]

I doubt the Flourish is the cause.

If the soil is an issue, I would imagine that the shrimp would also be dying off?

Has the tank ever been treated with any kind of meds? Fenbendazole, No Planaria, Planaria Zero or anything else?

 

[SaveZelda]

About 3 months ago I had a hydra outbreak and used Fenbendazole while the tank was empty and only had plants. After the hydra died off I did a huge water change and I've done 4 more as well. Is there something I can do if it is the past use of Fenbendazole? Thank you so much for your reply.

 

[Griznatch]

Nerites are very sensitive to Fenbendazole (in my experience). I moved mine out of the tank last year when I treaded for hydra. I did all the water changes and even waited a month afterwards to put them back in. In a few days they all acted like they were going into shock, closed shells and would not move for days. I took them back out and it was weeks before they acted normal again in my other tanks. My bladder snails stayed in the tank during the treatments and had no ill affects...

 

[Plinkploop]

Maybe it's because nerites are a brackish/ saltwater snail?

 

[Zoidburg]

Wait until 3-9 months....


Sorry, but it's because of the Fenbendazole that they are dying.


I can't say Carbon or Purigen will help... time for sure can... but time seems to vary between users.

 

[SaveZelda]

Maybe it's because nerites are a brackish/ saltwater snail?

thank you for your reply, but I've had nerites for over a year living in my previous 10-gallon freshwater tanks.

Wait until 3-9 months....


Sorry, but it's because of the Fenbendazole that they are dying.


I can't say Carbon or Purigen will help... time for sure can... but time seems to vary between users.

oh, what a bummer. Thank you so much though! I'm happy I at least found out the culprit. I guess I'll wait a while longer. Do you know if mystery snails would die as well? I guess i shouldn't take the chance and just scrub my aquarium walls myself. Thank you again this was very helpful.

Nerites are very sensitive to Fenbendazole (in my experience). I moved mine out of the tank last year when I treaded for hydra. I did all the water changes and even waited a month afterwards to put them back in. In a few days they all acted like they were going into shock, closed shells and would not move for days. I took them back out and it was weeks before they acted normal again in my other tanks. My bladder snails stayed in the tank during the treatments and had no ill affects...

This seems to be my exact situation at the moment, thank you for your reply it was very helpful.

 

[Plinkploop]

thank you for your reply, but I've had nerites for over a year living in my previous 10-gallon freshwater tanks.

I meant their sensitivity

 

[Zoidburg]

@SaveZelda I imagine the mystery snails would have the same issue...

I've heard it can take at least 6-9 months after dosing before the aquarium is safe again for snails. I don't know of anything that can make it go by quicker.... but I also don't know of anyone who has tried bleaching or using vinegar in an attempt to clean everything that was in a tank when it was treated.

 

[SaveZelda]

@SaveZelda I imagine the mystery snails would have the same issue...

I've heard it can take at least 6-9 months after dosing before the aquarium is safe again for snails. I don't know of anything that can make it go by quicker.... but I also don't know of anyone who has tried bleaching or using vinegar in an attempt to clean everything that was in a tank when it was treated.

I've read to thoroughly clean the gravel, which I don't really do when I do my water changes because of how planted it is. But I'm going to try my best to clean the gravel every water change. You were a lot of help thank you again. I'll be counting down the days till I can get my little snails back in the tank. Hopefully, the pest snails will help out a bit in the meantime.