# How do I increase calcium levels in my tanks?



## lisaemc2 (Sep 28, 2009)

I'm having problems w/ my Black Mystery snails. I've had 3 die in the last 2 months. Before this happened I had snails living over 6 months. I have Mollies who've been in the tanks (10g) for nearly a year & no problems. I've been advised to put veggies in the tank to up the calcium level, they seem to love zucchini. I've also been advised to NOT put veggies in, just algea wafers & sinking pellets. The thing about that is my fish get to the wafers first. I have Mollies, live plants & I leave one pane to grow algea slime. I do water changes once a week. Which advice is right or do I do something different? :-?


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

There's absolutely nothing wrong with putting fresh veggies in the tank. Just make sure you take them out after 12-24 hours so they don't foul the water. When I had Mystery snails they loved zucchini. Spinach, cucumber, cooked carrots and Romaine lettuce are some other veggies you could feed them. I also used to put in a calcium tablet a couple times a week.

On a side note, did you test your water for ammonia, nnitrites and nitrates? I don't know that the lack of calcium would kill them. You would see their shell start to deteriorate first.. But I'm no snail expert. This has just been my experience.


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## PrettyKitty187 (Nov 29, 2007)

I've been throwing tums in there...they seem to be doing just fine :-D will cloud the water a bit though...the other fishies didn't seem to mind and the chinese algae eater ate more of the tums than the snail did

edit: and I read in the invert section of the forum some people are putting cuddle bones (find 'em in the bird section) in their tanks for a more lasting calcium source


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