My Snails Keep Dying

[markus]

I added Mardel Coppersafe to my tank 2 months ago to cure a case of ich. It cured the fish but I lost all my snails. My hermits survived and are still thriving but every time I try to add nassarius snails back to the tank they die within a few hours. Is there anything I can do? Thanks.

 

[tigger7652]

From what I understand the Coppersafe is not safe for invertibrates which I would think would cover your snails. However, I have tanks without coppersafe and my snails die off also. Would love to hear other opinions on this. Also, what kind of fish are in the tank? My wrasse can nail a snail before it hits the bottom.

 

[deadmanschest]

Copper + inverts = dead inverts. i dont think there is anyway to get copper out of your system.

 

[tigger7652]

I did many water changes when I first used copper safe and waited months before trying to add inverts.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by markus
Is there anything I can do? Thanks.
Sell your entire system to someone that wants a fish only tank and start over.

 

[sepulatian]

The problem with copper is that it is absorbed by anything porous in your system which includes your sand, filters, rocks, silicone ect. It then leeches back out over time. It is never a good idea to add any chemical to your display. Remember, ich is an invert. You cannot do anything to kill ich while other inverts (snails crabs etc) are in the same tank.

 

[bkvreef]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
The problem with copper is that it is absorbed by anything porous in your system which includes your sand, filters, rocks, silicone ect. It then leeches back out over time. It is never a good idea to add any chemical to your display. Remember, ich is an invert. You cannot do anything to kill ich while other inverts (snails crabs etc) are in the same tank.
If the copper is absorbed will it show up on a copper test?
Will it kill corals also?

 

[cannonman]

There are some copper "sponges" or copper absorbing media but how effective it is I don't know. It's not all that expensive and it may be worth a try, it's something that you would have to run from now on I would imagine..

 

[bkvreef]

Originally Posted by Cannonman
There are some copper "sponges" or copper absorbing media but how effective it is I don't know. It's not all that expensive and it may be worth a try, it's something that you would have to run from now on I would imagine..
Has anyone have an idea were I could find one of thesecopper 'sponges'?

 

[xdave]

It would take many years to get copper out of rock.

 

[cannonman]

I just seen some of this copper absorbing stuff in a certain fish catalogue... I agree that it would take years to get all of it out, the rock in particular, but if you ran it all the time it may keep enough of it out of the water to keep the inverts alive, I would suppose it would also depend upon the copper levels/pollution. I know Seachem makes some.. and there are probably others.

 

[bkvreef]

I've tested for copper and it's been zero. Could it still be in the aquarium itself and by now my lr but not show up in a test?

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by bkvreef
I've tested for copper and it's been zero. Could it still be in the aquarium itself and by now my lr but not show up in a test?
Yes. Copper tests only read copper in the water. It soaks in and is released over time. Enough to kill inverts, but it is trace amounts. Some tough inverts will be ok, but it is too small of a dose to test for. Copper in a display is a horrible thing!