# Loaches



## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

A few questions. I moved my four cories into a different tank because I believe one of my tetras was being aggressive toward them (one cory had nipped fins). I now have 3 BS tetras, 3 black mollies, 3 swordtails, 1 rubberlip pleco, 1 clown pleco, and 2 khuli loaches. I have a 30 gallon tank.

I'd like to add some fish. I really wanted some mid level active fish but now it seems I've got snails. I THINK they are ramshorn snails. I don't know if its best to try and just fish them out as I see them, or get some loaches to eat them (I've seen people mention on this board that some loaches eat snails).

So, my question is, if I should get loaches to eat the snails......what kind should I get? I know I can't get clowns because my tank is only 30 gallons. I don't want skunks because they're nasty buggers. I want something peaceful. 

I'm not certain I'm going to get any, I just want to ask questions IN CASE I decide this is the best way to go to get rid of the snails. 

I don't like to get fish and then return them so if I decide there is a loach species that will work for me, they will stay with us for life. I just want to do a little research before I decide either way.

Thanks!


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## violet (Mar 17, 2006)

The loach way is good if you really like the loaches you are choosing and have space for several. My queen loaches are nice fish and fairly civilized but you really need four and 6 is better. Without enough of them they act out towards the other tankmates. With enough pals they generally ignore everybody else.

I forget what my Queens (B. Dario) were sold to me as, either Tigers or Zebras. Both are more agressive than what I actually got. Because they are wild caught and a lot of similar looking fish there seems to be an identity crisis among a lot of loaches.

If I had the luxury of a tank devoted ONLY to new plants and growing out cuttings it would be a perfect place for my loaches. But to get them for snails, which (I confess) is why I got mine isn't the best idea IME. Some dig, all are scaleless and shouldn't be on rough substrates. 

Baiting and removing pests snails is probably the best all around way to handle them. If you can find dandelions which you are absolutely sure have not been exposed to pesticides of herbicides they are a great bait. Pick a few good sized leaves, wash well and nuke. Tie a string around the stems and hang in the tank. In the morning hold a large net under the leaves while you lift them out. Often some snails will let go and without the net may escape.

I favor dandelions for this because the midrib is VERY stringy and won't become chewed through overnight. You will get a LOT for a few days. Of course they have laid eggs... and those need to hatch out and grow before you can catch them. But after the first glut of snails you may only need to do it a couple of times a week, admittedly for a while. The snails you catch will be smaller and smaller. Catching them small means they have't bred.

And if you happen to see one of two decent sized ones it is no big deal to hand pick them out.

I have some tanks in which I purposely allow a low level population instead of total elimination. The Planorbid Ramshorn kind do a dandy job on algae and general clean up. Maybe not the right choice to introduce for algae control but I just pull the big ones whenever I do any tank maint. and leave the little ones to continue on with their business. Some I have taken as babies and raised their whole lives alone. They never bred so can't lay eggs. Great as a single snail in a small betta tank.


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

Hm...........okay that sounds like a good plan for me. So far they aren't a nuisance, I'm just trying to get control before it becomes a problem. I do have plenty of pesticide free dandelions (I feed them to my lizards) so thats no problem!

Thanks for the advice!


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

As long as you don't overfeed, you shouldn't have a problem. I have some pond snails and ramshorn snails in all my tanks. In the 10g I am careful not to overfeed, and there are very few snails. In my 29g, I need to feed less (especially for my bottom feeders) because I looked yesterday and have about 10 snails in the front of the tank (I'm sure there are lots more everywhere else).

You already have a couple Kuhlies. They aren't real notorious for eating snails, but they would be happier in a bigger group.

Yoyos are good snail eaters but they get about 4 inches and very round. They are also very active, so IMO a tank bigger than 30g is needed. I have 4 in my 55g and they are constantly on the move.

Polka dot loaches stay a little smaller than yoyos. I'm not sure if they are good snail eater or not.

If your LFS lets you return fish, you could borrow a couple clown loaches to rid the tank of snails. I believe they are the best snail eaters. I would keep them for a few weeks, just don't get attached. That would be my problem...I'd want to keep them.


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

............Who ever said snails are bad?
Well if you really want them out, you can fish them out, depending on how many there are, how small they are, and how quick your reflexes are........(just kidding about the last one :lol, But its not a problem to fish them out with a net or somehting.

I also hear a method on this forum which consists of droping peas into the tank and as the snails sit on them to eat it (which theyll be doing for about a half an hour or more, so youll have time) you pick them up and out of the tank....
PS if you dont want the snails...Ill take them!


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

harif, if I get a mega load of them I will ship them to you for sure! So far its okay but I noticed in my 10 gallon when I cleaned it the other day there were TONS of tiny ones........ I can see the four in my 30 gallon having sex all over the place so I anticipate babies in what, 14 days or so? In the 10 gallon, I have my big snail, so I am feeding FOR snails.....I suspect thats where I'll get the heaviest dose of them. 'Course, I feed veggies to my plecos in the 30 gallon too so who knows..........

I did notice when I added one more khuli that the other one came out more....they travel the tank together (so cute). I probably should get a couple more just for their sakes.

I don't want to get any temporary fish, I too get attached Kristin. Probably I'll just fish them out if I get an overload (and ship'em to harif  ). I'm not even kidding.......you can PM me your location if you want so I can figure out what it'd take to get'em to ya. 

Oh........and LOL about the reflexes.


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

However, for future reference..............if/when I ever get a bigger tank, you bet I'm getting some clowns!!! When I made the mistake of getting them when I started up and knew nothing, I LOVED them! I did see some loaches that stayed pretty small and said they eat snails, for the life of me I can't remember what they are now...... They are all so different. Different requirements, different temperaments and a HUGE array of sizes!


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

msdolittle said:


> harif, if I get a mega load of them I will ship them to you for sure! So far its okay but I noticed in my 10 gallon when I cleaned it the other day there were TONS of tiny ones........ I can see the four in my 30 gallon having sex all over the place so I anticipate babies in what, 14 days or so? In the 10 gallon, I have my big snail, so I am feeding FOR snails.....I suspect thats where I'll get the heaviest dose of them. 'Course, I feed veggies to my plecos in the 30 gallon too so who knows..........
> 
> I did notice when I added one more khuli that the other one came out more....they travel the tank together (so cute). I probably should get a couple more just for their sakes.
> 
> ...


Yay!!!Thats sweet of you  hehe....btw if you dont want another strain of snails, you can prevent the babies from hatching by removing the eggs. They lay eggs on top of the water since they would drown if they were underwater, but they still need to be moist, so you can find the eggs about an inch or two above the water level in your tank. All you need to do is pluck them right off.


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

You know what?? I put a couple snails in my frogs' waterfall (to keep up with the algae) and I noticed a slimy something or other when I was cleaning the filter the other day! Man, I have some horny ass snails......... It must have been eggs!

No sweat harif......... If I got'em, they're yours.


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

My snails lay eggs underwater...and they still hatch. It sucks. I gave a bunch of ramshorn snails to a friend that has a pond. I usually just get them out by hand and throw them away. I've tried the veggie trick (cucumber or zucchini would be more effective than a pea..would pick up more) but I didn't get many. I usually just pick up the biggest ones I see. I've learned to live with them. As long as they don't eat my plants I'll let most of them stay.

I eventually want some clown loaches too! I will wait until I get the 125g tank I dream about though. They are so cute!


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

JustOneMore20 said:


> I eventually want some clown loaches too! I will wait until I get the 125g tank I dream about though. They are so cute!


If you have money to invest in a 125 gallon then why dont you just save up a little more to make it saltwater!!!


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

I've seen these loaches at some of my local fish stores. I've never kept any of them, but each link has comments from those who have. Each one gets around 4 inches in size, so you should be able to fit a small group of them in your 30 gallon. Hope this helps. 

Zebra Loach (Botia Striata)

Pakistani/Yo Yo Loach (Botia Lohachata)

Skunk Loach (Botia Morleti

And I'm after the same thing with the Clown Loaches. As soon as my turtles die, I'm taking their 100 gallon for some Oscars and Clown Loaches. Only 40 years to go! :lol:


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

Zebra loach! Thats one that I was reading about!

Well, I'm not good at killing things off........I couldn't smoosh worms for baby birds for pete's sake. I'm going to be shipping as many of these puppies as I can to harif...........yay! They aren't really a nuisance so far, but when I cleaned the 10 gallon tank there were TONS of teeny tiny babies...... I know I dumped some of them but hey, I couldn't help it. I can see them having sex all over my tanks so I anticipate a snail explosion shortly.


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

msdolittle said:


> I can see them having sex all over my tanks so I anticipate a snail explosion shortly.


Well maybe if you turned up the lights and shut off that jazz music they would stop getting it on!


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## msdolittle (Mar 4, 2006)

I can't help the sexual tension that courses through this house........ Its just pouring out of the walls. Now if only my frogs would get it on so I could have some of their babies!!


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