Loach Info.

[Fishtankkeeper]

Hey guys, I have had my 10 gallon tank for about 7 months now and have had a snail problem the whole time. I have been wanting to get rid of them and have heard clown loaches do a good job of eating the snails. I would like some info on if a clown loach would get along with my balloon molly. I know clown loaches can get pretty big and am planning to relocate him after the snails are gone, but I would be happy for any other suggestions on how to get rid of these snails. Thank you for your help! Also, are there any other snail eating fish?

 

[Cynic]

Hey guys, I have had my 10 gallon tank for about 7 months now and have had a snail problem the whole time. I have been wanting to get rid of them and have heard clown loaches do a good job of eating the snails. I would like some info on if a clown loach would get along with my balloon molly. I know clown loaches can get pretty big and am planning to relocate him after the snails are gone, but I would be happy for any other suggestions on how to get rid of these snails. Thank you for your help! Also, are there any other snail eating fish?

10G is WAY to small even temporarily for Clown Loaches. In a 10G look at assassin snails.

 

[bettaowner]

Dwarf chain loaches could work

 

[Oohitsae]

Why not look into assassin or asolene spixi snails rather than a loach? both of those can be kept in a 10g permanently and assasins don't breed much and when they do they only pop out 1-3 eggs at a time and they take forever to hatch which means plenty of time to find them. Spixi's will eat pest snails as well and lay eggs in clutches like mystery snails only under the water line so they are easy to find and remove as well (and take 2-4 weeks to hatch so if you don't see them right away it's still possible to remove them in time) Both of these snails are highly desired so if you did get breeding then you could sell them. Only major difference between the two is that assasins require meaty food to survive while spixi's eat snails first then can move onto different foods like algea/decaying plant matter/left over food, etc.

I have Assasins, yoyo loaches, and spixi's currently and I have to say that the spixis do the best job of everyone by far. I keep 3 in a 10g and they had cleared out my entire snail population within 3 weeks.

 

[Coursair]

You can also bait the snails with a lettuce leaf after lights out. Wait an hour and remove the food and snails. Put leaf back in to catch more.

A snail infestation is a sign of overfeeding as well.

 

[fishy_friend]

I think clown loaches get along fine with mollies, they don't mind my platies.

 

[bettaowner]

The two species are compatible but the tank is way too small