loach for snail control

[Angry the Clown]

My wife has told me that the tank has too many snails, and she has asked me to get rid of them, LOL!!! So I think I will get myself a loach to have a smörgåsbord of various sized snails in my tank. 90%+ are still babies.

My question is: What is the easiest way to get the loach out once the job is done? Netting one in a fully planted tank wouldn't be the easiest thing. I was thinking about taking several snails out manually and keeping elsewhere, and when the problem is gone in the main tank, put the few remaining snails in a fish trap overnight.

 

[GlitcH]

My question is: What is the easiest way to get the loach out once the job is done? Netting one in a fully planted tank wouldn't be the easiest thing. I was thinking about taking several snails out manually and keeping elsewhere, and when the problem is gone in the main tank, put the few remaining snails in a fish trap overnight.

Sounds like you answered your own question perfectly......that is exactly what I would do.

You are talkin about the homemade plastic bottle fish trap right?
Those IMO work better then the store bought traps.

 

[newfound77951]

This may be beside the point, but why don't you want to keep the loach? They are neat fish and not all species get huge. I wouldn't get rid of mine for anything!

 

[Purrbox]

I would recommend against buying the loach unless you want to keep it long term. There are several other effective methods of reducing the snail population that don't involve buying a fish you don't intend to keep.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

When you put the loach in, also place a 3" piece of 1/2"-3/4" PVC pipe in, This will more then likely become it's "home".. so when you want to remove him, just put a net on the 1 side of the PVC and lift it up (when you get to lifting, tilt it so the net side is the bottom). once you break the surface just lift the conduit out.

If he's not in there, give him a little chase, he'll run home..

I caught all 5 of my clowns to move to the 120 in 1 shot doing this.