Nerite Snails, Thriving In One Tank, Refuse To Be Submerged In Another

I am at a complete lost regarding my nerite snails.

I bought 2 over a month ago with the intention of having one in each of my 5 gallon betta tanks. I quarantined them together for two weeks, changing their water using the water from my tanks so that they would get used to the parameters that my tanks are kept at. When I moved onto finally putting them in the tanks, I encountered an issue. They accepted 1 tank and are totally thriving, but for some reason the other one, they refuse to take to it. When I put one in the tank it will immediately crawl to the surface and up out of the water, and unless I pester them, they will not forage for algae, so I'm forced to move it back to the other tank.

For the last month or so I've had them both in the 'working' tank, trying periodically to move one over with no success. Same issue every time.

Now this is strange to me, because these tanks should be literally identical. I get the water from the same source, they share the same plants and similar decor, have the same filter and heating system, and I tend to them the same way with the same water changes and whatnot. All my tests come up reading exactly the same. The only reading that is ever different is Ph. The working tank is ever so slightly more acidic (they both fall somewhere in the range of between 7 and 7.5 -- I chalk the difference up to the working tank having a larger piece of driftwood), but it's barely noticeably difference, I don't believe it would cause this much drama.

current parameters for both tanks:

- Ph: 7-7.5
Ammonia: <0.05 (lowest reading on my test)
Nitrites: <0.01 (lowest reading on my test)
Nirates: <0.5 (lowest reading on my test)
GH: ~4-7°d (less precise because this information comes from strips but I get consistent readings from the stripes)
KH: ~6-10°d (less precise because this information comes from strips but I get consistent readings from the stripes)

The readings are so identical within my tanks I can't even tell the difference between readings when I do test them.

THE ONLY THING I can think of, is the following.

During the snail's quarantine, I was treating one of my bettas with a fungal medication because he had developed some sort of growth on his forehead (it turns out it was just a sore, he probably hit is head something and the scales were growing over in white, making it look fungal against his mostly blue body). For referance the meds were eSHa 2000 which is made up of mostly "ethacridinI lactas".

I knew that a lot of fish medications were not safe for snails, so while I was treating, I was using the other tank's water to change the snail's quarantine water with so that the snails were not getting treated water. Since the treatment I've done multiple water changes, partial and full, and have even done a quite thorough cleaning of the tank (not a deep clean like bleaching and rinsing everything and starting a new cycle, but a good scrub of all the plants, decor and a thorough vacuum of the gravel) but still it seems that the snails are sensitive to something in the water. I would think that the treatment would be gone by now?

Is there something else I'm missing here?

 

Did you perform any water changes in either tank AFTER medicating? Or use any carbon at all in your filters? The direct culprit MAY be if you did, or did not use carbon or perfrom any water changes...

Oops, my bad, you said you DID do WC's! Sorry sorry sorry. Hmm...any carbon used to dilute and remove any said chemicals/meds? Some meds are VERY strong and can linger for some time UNLESS almost completely removed.

 

no additional additives. All I have for filtration is a pretty basic sponge filter. It does seem to get slightly more tolerable for the snails with every water change so I am suspecting it has something to do with lingering meds but I've done so many it seems hard to believe it's still in there.

Will some carbon inside of my sponge filter add some additional filtration for the meds? Won't do anything drastic to the ph or water parameters correct? Honestly it was about time I got some carbon anyway so

 

Carbon is almost mandatory for eliminating meds from your tank very hastily and efficiently. I suggest using carbon for that purpose, and that purpose alone. Add carbon, then wait a few days, then just to be sure, test your water, and then, perform another small WC. Afterwards, remove the stuff if you wish to. Then perhaps introduce the somewhat apprehensive snail back into the tank and see how it does.

Oh, and in addition, it may not be such a bad idea to try and drip accilmate him back in the tank as well. May be a good idea...

 

You can put carbon in there and then remove it later. I don't bother with carbon unless I need it for a case like this. I'm not sure how that works with a sponge filter, but you could always try it and see if you can get it to work or do some research on here to see how others might have used carbon when utilizing only a sponge filter.

 

You can put carbon in there and then remove it later. I don't bother with carbon unless I need it for a case like this. I'm not sure how that works with a sponge filter, but you could always try it and see if you can get it to work or do some research on here to see how others might have used carbon when utilizing only a sponge filter.

Theres a little inner core to my sponge filter that I think is meant to house additional filtration. Right now I have it packed with an extra sponge clipping to reduce flow on my filter a little since without anything it's a bit strong for my bettas, but my plan was to wrap up some carbon and put it in that little spot. It should work, in theory lol

Oh, and in addition, it may not be such a bad idea to try and drip accilmate him back in the tank as well. May be a good idea...

I did try this once and it was when I had the most success but he went right back out of the water once I put him fully in the tank again. I'll like drip acclimate again once I let the carbon do a little work

 

If you don't have one I would buy a gang valve and check valve for your sponge filter. The check valve will prevent water from going back up the tube and shorting out your pump, and the gang valve will let you turn the flow up or down on the sponge filter.

 

If you don't have one I would buy a gang valve and check valve for your sponge filter. The check valve will prevent water from going back up the tube and shorting out your pump, and the gang valve will let you turn the flow up or down on the sponge filter.

It's not a diy sponge filter like most people are referring to when they say sponge filter. There's no tubing and it doesn't use a separate airpump

It's similar to the following



It has different flow settings but even it's lowest is pretty strong since the outer sponge that fit it don't provide much flow resistance. I just put some of the same sponge material inside and it reduces the flow enough to be comfortable for the bettas

 

Using carbon or even purigen might be a good idea after medicating

 

They aren't 'diy sponge filters' hehe. That's the way most of them are here. That's how they are supposed to operate. They have their benefits ... I can adjust my flow down to nothing and anywhere in between with my set up ... that's why I was suggesting it.