Yo Yo's to the Rescue

[Glenc]

I recently had a bit of a Ramshorn snail infestation. Came in on a new plant. Saw a couple the first day. Couple of days later, there was about 20. Time for some evasive action. Picked up two Yo Yo loaches. Heard on this forum they were good in a smaller tank because they don't get big, and they love to eat snails. Have had them less than a week. They were shy at first, as my tank is pretty bright. The snails were multiplying rapidly, eating my Hemianthus callitrichoides. I was getting kind worried. No need. There is not a snail to be seen anywhere! These two guys totally wiped them out, just took them a while to get used to the tank. Here is a shot of them cleaning up. If you have a snail problem I highly recommend you get a couple of these guys. There very cute and fun to watch as well.

[gfink]

How big is your tank. I got some to clean up my 10 gal, but after the snails were gone they attacked my cories.(torn tails) Now they are in my 29, and they get along with cories. They just needed more room.

[Lonewolfblue]

Nice pic.... Zebra Loaches are awsome snail busters as well, and are a bit smaller than yoyo's if you have a smaller tank and don't want something that gets big. That is a great shot. Thanks for sharing.

[mr funktastic]

cool. i found 2 snails in my tank. 1 and then a week later another one but it has been 3 weeks since i have seen my last snail.(i just pulled out my first 2) i will definatly look into those if i see any more. glad your plants didnt suffer to much

[Glenc]

I don't mind a few snails, just not Ramshorns. They eat plants. My tank is a 20 gallon high, hopefully once the snails are gone they will get along with everyone else!

[Lonewolfblue]

Oh, and the yoyo's are quite the landscapers too, lol. Should see my 4 inch yoyo digging tunnels under my white quarts rock in my 55G. He just loves the pool filter sand, easy to dig. Looks kind of like a turtle digging with it's front flippers, he goes down and kicks the pool filter sand back, then moves back a little, and kicks a little more back, til it's out from under the rock. Then goes back in and does it again.

Also, they are awsome hole makers in driftwood, lol. I had a small hole in my large driftwood in my tank, and now it's so deep, I can't see the 4 inch yoyo when he's in there, lol. I finally did a better cleaning in my tank, and when I lifted the driftwood, all the driftwood chips were under the driftwood, a huge pile of it, lol. My yoyo's are quite the characters, lol. Then the skunk loaches like to take over the new dens when they are done, and they go and do another one, lol.

[Glenc]

If they start digging to much they'll be getting the boot from my planted tank! I worked way to hard on this tank to have them dig it up. If the plants start to float I have a 45 gallon hex with silk plants they can play in! It has two big clown loaches in there as well, one of them is around 5 years old, big and fat! I'll try to get a pic of him.

[gfink]

Mine, push out enough sand to get under wood, and that's about it. be careful pulling driftwood out of the tank too....they hide in tiny cracks and come out with it. Often they are almost invisible.
As a matter of fact, that is how I originally got them out of my 10. I couldn't net them, so I just pulled the wood out and they came with it. Then, when I needed to get them out of the bucket and into my 29, I did the same. Put driftwood into the bucket, waited a minute, then pulled it out with yo-yo stowaways.

Now they are a little bigger, so it may not be so easy to hide in the wood.

[Lonewolfblue]

I always have holes dug, but that's because I have so many loaches too, lol. Just 2 won't do any damage. Might dig out a small den, and since there's no other loaches to kick them out, will probably be all they do, if they do it at all.

[malkore]

yo yo's are social loaches like clowns. if you do see aggression, consider adding 1-2 more yo yos. they like being in groups and feel safer with friends nearby.