# Zebra Nerite Help.



## Johno2090 (6 May 2011)

I recently got two zebra nerites and neither are doing anything in my aquarium, they are just sitting at the bottom of the tank all clamped. One of them came out for a little while then fell off the side and hasnt moved since. 

Anyone have an idea what's up?


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## alzak (6 May 2011)

do You have some shrimps in tank ??

very likely Your copper level is to high


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## Johno2090 (6 May 2011)

It's a new tank, never seen copper in it's life and it's going to stay that way! Was going to add shrimp later on but now I'm not so sure, could it be the ph or hardness? 

I've kept shrimp before and could try putting then into my 60ltr. I was also wondering if it could be due to them living in brackish water and now being moved into freshwater. No real idea tbh have kept apple snails no problem before too.


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## alzak (6 May 2011)

how about copper level in tap water??


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## Johno2090 (6 May 2011)

That's a point new house! Same water district tho. Anything I can add to make it safe or a test? Don't think I've ever seen a copper test.


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## Iliveinazoo (6 May 2011)

if it's an uncycled tank then it could be the high ammonia and nitrite levels


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## George Farmer (6 May 2011)

Johno2090 said:
			
		

> .... could be due to them living in brackish water and now being moved into freshwater.


How long did you spend acclimatising?

The more different the water chemistry, the longer you need to spend acclimatising.


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## Johno2090 (6 May 2011)

About an hour. They came in a plastic pot wrapped in wet tissue. Still sitting there  one is slightly open tho.


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## Johno2090 (8 May 2011)

Ok so I bought a copper test and its 0ppm as i'd expected. One is dead and the other is close behind :/

Any ideas?


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## dw1305 (10 May 2011)

Hi all,


> That's a point new house! Same water district tho. Anything I can add to make it safe or a test? Don't think I've ever seen a copper test.


 You won't have any copper or lead in your water supply, the EU limits are very tight now, all the water companies add orthophosphate to the water supply for "the control of plumbosolvency". In soft water areas they also add NaOH (Sodium hydroxide) to raise the pH above pH7. The excess of phosphate leads to "PIMS" - Phopshate Induced Metal Stabilisation. <http://www.fwr.org/waterq/dwi0829.htm>.

cheers Darrel


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## Johno2090 (12 May 2011)

Both died, No idea why pretty gutted tho 

Loved my Apple Snails, Could they have been wild caught and starved in transit or something/?


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## RudeDogg1 (12 May 2011)

id say ammonia


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## niru (13 May 2011)

Johno2090 said:
			
		

> Both died, No idea why pretty gutted tho
> 
> Loved my Apple Snails, Could they have been wild caught and starved in transit or something/?



Sorry to hear this John   

I also went through a similar situation. What whatever reasons, only Apple snails seem to survive in my tank. I tried luck with limplets (the bigger ones), Olive & Zebra Nerites, but none survived. They showed the same symptoms you mentioned, even after prolonging the acclaimatising them for well over 4 hours & buying them from the local LFS whose water isnt very different from my tap water. I was gutted..

Copper sure cant be the reason, nor could it be chlorine. Perhaps Apple snails are more robust to changes or a localised  ammonia micro-spike or some such thing  :?: I have a big Siamese Algae eater and a few corys who would be disturbing the gravel. Perhaps they do it too much once in a while leading to the trapped under-gravel chems being loaded?? Dont know for sure, speculating.

-niru


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## Johno2090 (22 May 2011)

Just got a new pair today from Carlisle (250mil drive) and both are doing great in my tank! Made sure I got some that were alive this time and not starved!


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## nayr88 (23 May 2011)

Unlucky on your first pair 

Always good to buy these snails where they have there own tank in the shop, so many times have I seen in a fish store 1 or 2 tanks with about 20 or more in each, most upturned and dead. 

I need a horned Nerite in my life but don't want to fish the same...

Good luck this time mate


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