Small snail eaters?

[Blucat]

I think I have got the start of a snail infestation! I have heard that clown loaches eat snails but they can grow quite large. I only have a 24 gal, so are there any other effective smaller snail eating fish? Do angelfish eat snails?

 

[Fluff]

I believe yoyo loaches stay a bit smaller. Only around 3-4". You could also try a kuhlii loach. They only get around 3" and stay slim. There was a thread not long ago suggesting that they will consume snails. Good luck.

 

[SerLunchbox]

My Kuhli loaches eat snails ... It is the main reason my MTS can't grow past about a week old (if they do, they are veterans!). Yo yo loaches do get to be about 4" and can eat snails. I personally went with the kuhli loaches because of how cool they are plus the fact that they will burrow into your substrate and actually move around it like a tunneling system to seek out snails. Really interesting to see ... plus all the snails in my tank no longer live in the gravel substrate ... they all live above it cause they are avoiding the kuhli's .... that is when my striped and spotted raphael come out to play.

 

[savga]

A reader in TFH asked this same question and they recommended a smaller species of loach such as a Yoyo loach (Botia almorhae). Puffers and cichlids also eat snails but are not suitable for a community tank.

 

[gheitman]

I have six dwarf loaches (Botia sidthimunki) divided between two of my tanks to control snails. Dwarf loaches stay very small (mine are about 1.5" long) in the aquarium and are great community fish. They are usually more expensive than other loaches because they are harder to come by.

 

[grlunderrainbow]

I have Zebra Loaches in my very peaceful community tank to eat snails.. It's a big tank,but planted, and with the other fish, I needed a really PASSIVE fish. The zebras are just that. And beautiful! Yoyos can be testy at times..and heard sometimes they quit eating snails..if LFS ever had Sidthimunki's I'd get them..but the Zebras came in so that's what i got. Actually think they are prettier,even..

 

[Menagerie]

I have never had a problem with my yo-yos getting aggressive, but it's a 50 gal. If you want small, I highly suggest the khuli loaches. Get at least three and you might have a chance at actually seeing one of them

 

[Orca]

I'm also Zebra Loach fan. A very cool looking fish (IMO) that is entertaining to watch and does a fantastic job of getting rid of snails. And very peaceful as grlunderrainbow says. They like to chase each other around, but I've never seen them bother anything else. I give them two fins up!

 

[grlunderrainbow]

Btw

My 7 zebras are in with : Pearl Gouramis, Ottos, variety of corires, Bristlenose plecos, a clown pleco, glass cats, SPotted hillstream loaches, and I just introduced some Botia Kubatoi..