is calcium safe for my bettas

[nighthawk]

I've recently added some Ramshorns to my collection and I'm thinking of introducing a few to my Betta tank. I'm curious to know if supplementing the water with calcium will make it too hard for them or if they'll adapt just fine.

[coltin]

To better understand the impact of adding supplementary calcium, we need some more information about your water. Can you find out the GH and KH levels, as well as the pH of your tap water? You can usually get this from your water supplier's website or by giving them a call. If they're not much help, grab a glass of tap water and take it to your local pet shop. They should be able to test it for you and give you the results in a format like ppm or dGH. Make sure to write down the numbers.

[shakinStevens]

All animals and plants require calcium and magnesium to survive. The GH test specifically measures these two minerals. As long as the reading is within a suitable range - not less than 2 and not more than what the fish can handle. I've read that a GH of 25 is too high, but I have no personal experience with hard water environments. Snails primarily obtain the minerals they need from their food, whether it's algae or something you feed them. However, for a healthy shell, it's more crucial that the pH of the water remains at 7 or higher. If the pH drops below 7, the shell will slowly dissolve. But if the pH stays at 7 or higher, the shell will not dissolve. Once the shell is damaged, the snail can't repair it.