Nerite snails keep dying

Okay, so I've gone through this with 2 snails already, thought I solved the problem, and apparently not. I've got a 3-gallon betta tank. I have plants in the tank. I had monte carlo but removed it as it was dying, so all that's in there is a piece of Mopani wood and dwarf sag. which is fed via root tabs. The monte carlo was fed with liquid fertilizer (Leaf Zone with the occasional CO2 booster) as it was on the wood, not in the substrate. I do 30-50% water changes every week with Quick Start and Prime, and the levels are as follows:

Ammonia: 0.25 (false reading)
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5-10
ph: 8.0
gh: 180
kh: 80

I had a nerite snail die and assumed it was a bad batch of snails. A worker at the store said it could be the liquid fertilizer I was using. I picked out a different, more active snail and I lowered the amount of liquid fertilizer I was using, but it died anyway. So, I stopped using the fertilizer completely, removed the monte carlo that was dying, and did a water change. I left the tank for a few days. I then got another active snail and added it 4-5 days ago. It's now lying on the bottom of the tank like all the others (still alive) and I'm not sure what's wrong. All three snails did the same thing. They eat and are active for a few days. Drop to the bottom of the tank. Keep their trapdoor open and tuck themselves in when touched before opening again and leaving themselves open. None of them smelled until they were dead.

I can't think of anything else that's wrong. The algae in my tank isn't too bad but it's still there and I'd rather use snails than chemicals to get rid of it (though the algae has lessened since I stopped using the fertilizer). I've tried shrimp but my betta chases them so snails are my only option. The only other thing I've seen is a recent abundance of detritus worms. When I see them I do a water change to suck them up and vacuum my sand substrate. The only part I don't stir up is where the dwarf sag. is because of the root tabs, but I still vacuum what's on top. I do plan on getting more monte carlo and have a mini ludwigia on the way as well. I got ThriveC because it's better for nano tanks, harder to overdose, and safe for shrimp/snails. I just want to know what's killing off my snails and how to fix it.

 

First thing I thought of while reading this was you ferts then came across the worker mentioned it
Is there any copper in the old fertiliser??
It's a good move going to thrive c
I'd try doing a few good water changes and not disturbing the substrate at all just lightly vac over the top and see if that makes a difference
Im not sure if you're a female but if you are do you use any type of hand cream

 

First thing I thought of while reading this was you ferts then came across the worker mentioned it
Is there any copper in the old fertiliser??
It's a good move going to thrive c
I'd try doing a few good water changes and not disturbing the substrate at all just lightly vac over the top and see if that makes a difference
Im not sure if you're a female but if you are do you use any type of hand cream

There is no copper in the old fertilizer. It only has "Soluble Potash (3%) and Iron (0.1%)" and it says it's safe for shrimp and snails but I stopped anyway thinking this was the problem and apparently it's not.
I haven't used the ThriveC yet as my plants will be here tomorrow and I'll use it then. No point in using it now when the only plant is the dwarf sag that's doing fine with root tabs.
I usually do water changes without disturbing the sand but because of the detritus worms (which I heard live in the substrate), I stirred the sand the other day (Sunday was my last clean/water change) to help get rid of them (it did nothing as the worms are back so I won't do it again).
And yes, I am female, but no, I don't use hand cream or anything on my hands/nails.
The betta in the tank is fine, by the way. Acting normal so it's just the snails for some reason.

 

D

There is no copper in the old fertilizer. It only has "Soluble Potash (3%) and Iron (0.1%)" and it says it's safe for shrimp and snails but I stopped anyway thinking this was the problem and apparently it's not.
I haven't used the ThriveC yet as my plants will be here tomorrow and I'll use it then. No point in using it now when the only plant is the dwarf sag that's doing fine with root tabs.
I usually do water changes without disturbing the sand but because of the detritus worms (which I heard live in the substrate), I stirred the sand the other day (Sunday was my last clean/water change) to help get rid of them (it did nothing as the worms are back so I won't do it again).
And yes, I am female, but no, I don't use hand cream or anything on my hands/nails.
The betta in the tank is fine, by the way. Acting normal so it's just the snails for some reason.

Did you recently put salt In Your water

 

D

Did you recently put salt In Your water

No. I haven't used any salt.

 

No. I haven't used any salt.

I could be high nitrates

NItrates fluctuate between 0-10. Nothing higher and usually around 5ppm average.

Do you provide enough food?

 

I could be high nitrates

NItrates fluctuate between 0-10. Nothing higher and usually around 5ppm average.

Do you provide enough food?

There's algae on the wood, my heater, and the glass but I also have algae wafers and sinking pellets. There's also leftover food from the betta on occasion, that I clean up at the end of the day.

 

Detritus showing is normally a sign of overfeeding and your beta will probably eat some of them but this as no baring on your snails dying,
I'm wondering if you've just been unlucky and have had bad snails the first couple of times

Have you a picture of the tank

 

Detritus showing is normally a sign of overfeeding and your beta will probably eat some of them but this as no baring on your snails dying,
I'm wondering if you've just been unlucky and have had bad snails the first couple of times

It’s just strange that I’ve gotten 3 (two that I made sure were active, on the glass, eating, from a different batch (as the store gets weekly shipments), and removed from the tank at the store properly, yet they’re all dying in this tank. I would get shrimp but my betta chased them when I put them in there and all they did was hide. I’ll try shrimp again when there’s more plant coverage (and I might get a 5 gallon soon just to give the betta more room) but shrimp and snails do fine in my other tank which has the same parameters. That’s why I thought it was the tank.

Have you a picture of the tank

This is it with the first snail I had and the Monte Carlo. I’ve removed the Monte Carlo because it was dying due to lack of light (I have a better light now) and the nerite I have now is a little larger than this one and striped. This is also after I’ve cleaned it a little. There’s usually more algae.

 

How about lack of food that substrate looks to clean and I can't see any algae on the glass, even if you put food in dosnt mean to say they'll eat it
I'm sort of think out loud here as that tank look beautiful

 

How about lack of food that substrate looks to clean and I can't see any algae on the glass, even if you put food in dosnt mean to say they'll eat it
I'm sort of think out loud here as that tank look beautiful

I also gave algae wafers and I have sinking pellets too if they don’t take to the wafers. There was some algae on the grass the last few weeks but I rubbed it off. There’s algae on the sand in one of the corners, the heater in the back, and on the glass and filter casing (though not in this picture and not a whole lot). If it gets out of hand I wipe it off. The sand I try to keep clean and vacuum once a week. I put an algae wafer in today for the snail right in front of him so he doesn’t have to go far but I’ll have to check on him when I get home. The betta likes any food I put in there so it’s tough seeing who’s eating it.

Thank you though! I’m doing my best with a low tech planted tank. Dwarf sag is the first plant to take really well. I do want to give my betta a bigger tank (though he’s always making bubble nests so I know he’s happy ) but I need to do some measuring first to make sure it fits. And then decide if I should get one from a store or check used ones online

 

OK try and leave the back wall get a good algafilm on it so the snail as a constant area where he can feed,

 

I agree it looks too clean. My Nerites all but one (my Tiger) will not touch any food I have ever put in for the pleco, wafers, fresh veggies, nothing. I only scrape my front glass and my Zebras and Racer love the driftwood more than the others.

If I had to guess they were hungry. I toss my Nerites tank to tank and they have escaped and found on the floor. I agree they may have just been bad stock also. Mine seem pretty bulletproof so far.

 

I agree it looks too clean. My Nerites all but one (my Tiger) will not touch any food I have ever put in for the pleco, wafers, fresh veggies, nothing. I only scrape my front glass and my Zebras and Racer love the driftwood more than the others.

If I had to guess they were hungry. I toss my Nerites tank to tank and they have escaped and found on the floor. I agree they may have just been bad stock also. Mine seem pretty bulletproof so far.

The wood I have does have algae all over it currently, though I wouldn't call it a lot. The snail cleaned off the top of my heater but that was it. He's sitting on top of a wafer right now that I put in last night in front of him but not eating it. I'll wait until there's more algae though before I get another if this one dies. I like things looking clean so it's my own fault. Here's a current picture of the tank.

 

Other snails like mysteries will eat other foods just not usually Nerites.