loaches

[tropicalcrazy]

I gotcha, sorry missed that part of the memo. Questions are great. I personally think your 55G is plenty big since the tank i have isnt that much bigger and is quite bare.

yeah my only problem is i have large fish that am getting really cramped into space. i know its a decent size tank but now that i half way know what im doing im planning and starting different phases with this tank and trying to get ready and plan for the 180g coming soon YAY. the only thing that sucks with the 180g is i wanna do a canister filtration system and i also want to do a pressurized co2 system plus all the decorations/driftwood/rocks and plants and all that right there is going to set me back aways. i also have to plan out how and at what stages im going to be adding my schools of fish in that tank and then i think im going to start getting the 55g ready for discus and starting to keep my eye out for a 100-125g and in all that process im going to pick up 2 20g long 1 for new fish/hospital tank and one for getting all the snails off plants and getting them ready for transport to the 180g

 

[OrangeCones]

but i dont want to add plants and the snails go crazy and reproduce like crazy and kill a lot of my plants because that is what happened last time.

You will reduce the snail population if you don't overfeed the fish. Snails breeding 'like crazy' is a symptom of overfeeding usually.

If you want to get a lot of snails out at one time, the easiest way is to pick them out by hand. You can get them to congregate in one are by putting something they like in one spot when you turn the lights out. Take a slice of squash or cucumber that you microwaved for 5 seconds or so to soften it, and weigh it down with a plate. A few hours later, you'll find a lot under the plate, eating in the 'cave' you provided them. Sinking pellets work well to, but with the fish you have in there, they will likely go after pellets under a plate too, so that's no good.

 

[tropicalcrazy]

You will reduce the snail population if you don't overfeed the fish. Snails breeding 'like crazy' is a symptom of overfeeding usually.

If you want to get a lot of snails out at one time, the easiest way is to pick them out by hand. You can get them to congregate in one are by putting something they like in one spot when you turn the lights out. Take a slice of squash or cucumber that you microwaved for 5 seconds or so to soften it, and weigh it down with a plate. A few hours later, you'll find a lot under the plate, eating in the 'cave' you provided them. Sinking pellets work well to, but with the fish you have in there, they will likely go after pellets under a plate too, so that's no good.

thanks for the info. yeah i knew about the overfeeding part as i have drastically reduced the feeding. i probably have around 20 or so in there in the filter and the tank. not very many now though but i want to rid of them completly because they have tore up much of my plants and i dont want them to take out what i have left. plus i want to add more plants and dont want them to attack them. also i may not be able to put fresh vegitation like that in there considering i have live plants that they like also so it might not matter and they will just go for whatever. but that is a great tip. i may try it but i like loaches and would like to try them as new tankmates also.