A Loach That Will NOT Eat My Snails.

[Stevie]

Hi All,

The bottom of my tank is quite bare, as in I have no bottom feeders. The tank has small shoals of small fish; tetras.

So, I'm looking for some bottom feeders. I think one large(ish) catfish would look out of place, not to mention, might snack on eveything, so I'm looking for a shoal of smaller bottom dwellers.

I was thinking about Cories for a while, but thy are not really my thing, so I started thinking, maybe, some Loaches were the way to go. The thing is though that I have Zebra snails, and not only do they look cool, but theu keep the tank clean too.

So, does anyone know a loach that does not eat snails?

Edit; should have said, its a 32G tank.

 

[ZackLanduyt]

Hmm how big are your snails? If the loach can't fit them in his mout he can't eat em.

 

[Stevie]

Oh really? I always thought they fliped them, or something.

They are pretty big, say the size of a coke bottle top, but rounded.

Maybe Kuhli loachs so?

 

[achase]

Plus I don't think all types of loaches eat snails. I have kuhli loaches and they show no interest in my snails.

You could get assassin snails....they will eat other snails.

 

[lauraf]

I have zebra snails, and my yoyo (Pakistani) loaches don't bother them at all. Kuhlis would be fine too.

 

[ZackLanduyt]

My yoy shows no interest in anything except for keeping his little home neat and tidy, that guy makes sure its clean in his cave, when he comes out he darts back and forth playing with the other guys, he shows no interest in my mystery snails, however, I haven't hearrd much on loaches flipping snails over? That's new to me so it might be true, but no one in the hobby that I know had any issues

 

[bassbonediva]

I have a horseface loach (named Kyron) that I adore, but I think they might get too big for a 32gal. They get to be 8".

 

[riseabovethesun]

@bassbonediva Kyron is so cute!

But back to the topic, I'd say Kuhli they never bothered my snails (pond snails and nerite) but they did attack my shrimp, but mine may have had a few lose screws.

 

[vampirefish]

I've got a (probably) zebra loach, my LFS had him labeled as a 'botia striata'(sp?) who was actually bought to eat snails but has never done so :/ Either the species doesn't eat snails and I was told wrong (pretty likely, knowing my LFS) or he's just a coward

 

[ZackLanduyt]

Haha I love my loach they all have such fun personalities, I can see your loach^^ cowering behind a rock or in a cave as a snail moves slowly by taunting him lol

 

[Stevie]

Thanks guys, I think I'll look into Kuhlis. *GOLDFISH*