reticulata shell

[LisaLQ]

Just wondered whether anyone else's reticulata have soft shells compared to other varieties?

Monty's shell is quite rubbery. No, harder than that, but not the same as fulica or margie shells - a bit like very much underdone pasta. Hard but softer than normal.

He's in with the fulicas, in a drier tank than the margies. On sphagnum. He's growing well, eating well, just has this softer main whorl, which has cracked once (minor damage about 1cm long, nothing serious).

I'm assuming it's because of the difference in structure between other varieties and retics - but hoping it's normal for them? I'll see if I can get a piccie later

[sezzy5889]

maybe, is he eating plenty of cuttlebone?

[LisaLQ]

Sorry I thought I'd said in the original message - he's eating plenty of cuttlefish bone, and getting calcium via the spray bottle too.

[Deleted]

mines like that too. its probly just cus theyre growing so fast the shell hasnt had time to harden.

[anjieburdett]

Are we talking about an Albino Reti here? I have 2 albinos that i got off of Gabi a while back, one is growing quicker than the other but has big round patch of bad growth on his shell - i haven't noticed that its softer though. I'll have a proper look tomorrow.

Anjie,x.

[LisaLQ]

No it's Monty - normal retic, about 11cm shell.

Quite odd really, as his most recent shell has changed into more solid areas of the darker colour, instead of stripes.

[Deleted]

that sounds interessant can we see a picture?

[LisaLQ]

Yup, but it doesn't really look any different to the rest of his shell. Just seems as if the newer growth takes a lot longer to harden up.

I'll do a pic later.

[section8angel]

Mine have the same sorta thing as yours Anjie, one is much bigger than the other but both have rough patches on the shells.

I'll have a feel of them later Lisa (Crikey that sounds bad ROFL) and see if they're like what you're describing.

[LisaLQ]

Here's a piccie. I've circled the crack, it's healed but left it with light edges, like the edges have crusted together.



From there downwards is the softer part, it's hard but not 100% hard like normal shells. It never gets that brittle see through part like the fulicas/margies, it's just wet rubbery new growth, which gradually hardens but not until it's well into the main whorl.

[LisaLQ]

Well after a short while with calcium in their water - his shell is fixed. He's spent the last few days buried, and come out with some lovely new growth. All I can assume is that when he was in the mixed fulica/dimis/baby margies tank, it was too wet - and he rarely eats calcium. Since setting up the fulicas and him in a drier tank, his dark shell growth has stopped, it's much more solid growth - and he's growing normal healthy retic stripey shell now

[LisaLQ]

Ps. All the way down from the top of that dark stripe is his new growth. The solid coloured bit is what grew in the mixed tank. But it's not soft any more, it's rock solid ;D

[Deleted]

yay ;D

[section8angel]

Great ;D Well done Monty lol