Loaches

[earhtmother]

So since my MTS infestation (literally hundreds)is now an Assasin infestation(I pulled over 100 from 1 tank & I have 6) and I am looking at loaches for help but I have some questions. Do all loaches eat snails? I was assuming Kulis would not but the others.....??????
Will snail eating loaches eat pellets/flakes if snails are not available?
Do they all prefer to be in schools or will some be happy in a trio?

 

[Delapool]

Hi, did you find out?


Many loaches do as part of their natural diet but I'm more familiar with the ones in Australia (all 5 that we can get lol). Smaller Chain loaches will I'm told and on research. I use mid-size yoyo loaches and they definitely do. Clown loaches will as well but final size could be an issue in a small tank. I find keeping 4 loaches as a group keeps them settled and had no issues with them bothering other fish.


Liquid carbon dosing may also gradually remove the snails. I tried this in a smaller tank and seemed to work over a few months. Another member reported there had been a thread / article on it but couldn't find it.


CO2 dosing the same as the lower ph damages shell.

 

[SciFyDi]

I have three of the Blue Botias. These guys LOVE snails and other invertebrates. They also love the Hikari sinking carnivore pellets and algae wafers. Mine are pigs and will eat anything.

They have to have a group of at least three or four minimum. Most loaches like groups but I know there are some species that are extremely territorial and will kill the others if placed in a group.

Like Delapool said they can grow quite large so you need to take into account your tank size and how big the species you want is going to get when it’s full grown. Botias would definitely wipe out the snail problem fast.