Best snail eating loach?

[Oohitsae]

Title says it all

I know I tend to overfeed, which has made my ramshorn pop. explode in one tank. I have cut it back quite a bit and do waterchanges every 3 days to try and cut back on extra food that may be on the bottom. It's also bare bottom so I am able to keep it clean pretty easy, but every time I think that I've got rid of most of my population, a few days to a week later, I notice a ton more. I've tried assasins, I have 3 in the tank and haven't noticed any significant decrease in them. Which brings me to my question. What is the best snail eating loach for a 20 gallon? If needed, I can get one that grows a bit larger and move him into one of my 50-55's once it helps out in the 20.

 

[Mcor]

My yoyo loaches took less than a fortnight to clear my tank of snails. I haven't seen a single snail since.

 

[bettaowner]

I had a yoyo loach but I had more luck with the skunk botia.

 

[Oohitsae]

What about dojo loaches? They are pretty readily available in my area, and if possible, I'd like to start avoiding shipping costs. Spent way too much on importing bettas this month! Oops! Lol

 

[Scottyhorse]

I trained my fish to eat pond snails. Sure you could do the same thing with ramshorns.

 

[bettaowner]

I don't think dojos would work. Most snail eating loaches are from the botia genus.

 

[Oohitsae]

So a skunk botia is in your opinion the best? Do they prefer schools?

I just realized that I'll be in Columbus tomorrow and they have one of the best aquarium stores in the state there, so hopefully I'll be able to find them, or some other botia there. We shall see!

 

[Scottyhorse]

Keep in mind, lot's of the botia's are schoaling fish

 

[bettaowner]

The skunk botia can be highly aggressive/ territorial so a single loach might be a better option.

 

[Scottyhorse]

I still vote training your fish to eat them ^^

 

[Oohitsae]

Ok, I'll do some research while I'm there and see what they have available.
Thanks for your help!

Training my fish to eat them isn't an option, a majority of the snails are too large for them to bother with, plus they are so accustomed to them now, that it's pointless. I think the only one in there that even has a chance at eating any would be my apistogramma trifasciata's and their mouths are pretty darn small

 

[Scottyhorse]

What I did was just squish them and feed them to the fish for awhile. I have small fish also. After a while, they will begin to hunt them. They flip the snail over, and suck it out of it's shell.

And why would they be too accustomed to them? Once they find out the snails are food, the snails are goners. Mine were in with the fish for months.

 

[Oohitsae]

As tempting as that sounds, it sounds more time consuming than what it's worth to me. I already run around like a chicken with it's head cut off between feedings, water changes, shipments coming in, and shipments going out. Buying a loach sounds like much less of a hassle, if the tank was overstocked I'd probably be more inclined to try your method, but at the moment it's no problem to add one to a couple more

 

[Scottyhorse]

Totally understandable

 

[Oohitsae]

Went with 2 yoyos. They had a sign for skunks but were out when I asked an associate. They also had zebras, horsefaces, and tigers, but according to my google search while there, the yoyos were the best bet for snail eaters besides the skunks.

 

[bettaowner]

I've had luck with yoyo loaches so that was a good choice

 

[scuba dude]

I have a skunk loach and no snails. Although they are known to be agressive it has never shown any agression to the others in the tank , has plenty of places to hide so maybe thats why. In fact I hardly ever even see it since it hides so well.

 

[Mcor]

Excellent choice! I didn't 'see' much snail massacre going on with mine, but a fortnight later I was hard pushed to find a single snail, and had LOADS of empty shells come up with a good vacuum. Good luck with them, they are really fun to have. I love it when they play dead. Sprawled out on their backs, it terrified me the first time I saw it!

 

[Oohitsae]

Thanks MCor!
I have always wanted yoyos for some reason, so I'm happy with the purchase, but probably would have went the skunks if the store had them just because of the recommendation.
Hopefully they'll eradicate everything pretty fast.


Should I have bought more than 2? I can go back and buy more in a couple weeks when I go get my dad from the airport down there if need be. I know that most loaches are fine by themselves but prefer groups, while others prefer to be by themselves, so I'm not sure what to do. I'd like them to be as comfortable as they can be.

 

[Scottyhorse]

I think yoyo's like groups. Hope they clear up the snail problem!