Golden Apple Snails turning white

We have a couple of Golden Apple Snails and the older ones (about 10 months old) are busy turning white. It suggests to me that they might have a calsium deficiency, or am I wrong? If it is calsium, how can I remedy the problem without putting my fishies at risk?
Was thinking maybe of well cooked chicken bones or something like that????

 

Maybe increase your tank's GH with an off-the-shelf GH Booster or you can try and make something out of dry ferts. You need Ca and Mg in 4:1 relationship.

But if you are in Gauteng area then I don't see how this could be the case as the water there is fairly hard and if you measure your GH you'd find it pretty high.

 

I agree with Laure,

This is a typical WP problem our water is ridiculously soft! A cheaper/easier way though is to add some sea shells to the filter..

 

Lol, the snails are being eaten alive by the H3O+ ions

 

Sheesh... You say that like it's a bad thing!!!

But I agree, add something to raise the GH in the tank like adding crushed coral/shells to the filter.

 

Before we go wild here on the suggestions, we need a GH reading...

It might be something totally unrelated to calcium?

 

This is also true. I had an apple snail the size of my fist di after only about 5 months in my tank. But it was only about 8 months old... How long do these snails usually live?

 

Golden apples snail can live up to 3 years, but their lifespan depends on the temperature of the water they live in. If your tank is about 25 deg C the snails will only live 12 to 16 months. But then again, you always get the exception to the rule. So, if your tank cooler, the snails should live longer.

 

I'm noticing my big old apples are also turning whitish, dunno why though, anyone ever find out?

 

Consider yourselves lucky now that Im living in Natal my snail pop has exploded due 2 the high GH levels (although some of the plants r loving it)

Ferryman add some shells or coral chips that should help ur snail's shells in the future..

 

They actually have strong shells Phil, and they have bred a batch or two, I use borehole water that's already got a bit of hardness to it. Its not like the old snails look tattered or anything, their shells just aren't as Yellow as the younger ones are or as they themselves were a year ago...