# Plant friendly, snail eating fish



## Aeropars (2 Aug 2008)

Hi Guys,

My snail population is getting a little bit out of hand now so i'm looking for fish that I can add which will be friendly to the plants but will control the snails.

I know I can add a dwarf / pygmy puffer which will snack on the shells as well but these are a little bit difficult to get hold of around my way. Ideally i want something that i dont have to remove as the lady of the house gets attached to the little fellas.

Any ideas?

Lee


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## Themuleous (2 Aug 2008)

Dwarf chain loach, zebra loach Botia striata?

Sam


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## BeBea (2 Aug 2008)

Hey Lee 

Most loaches will eat snails :yes:  Depends on how much room in the tank you have as to which type of loach you might consider.  Most loaches prefer to be in groups (the larger the shoal the happier the loach).  Smaller loaches such as Kuhli loach and Dwarf chain loach are reputed to eat snails but my kuhlis don't. 

Clown loach will eat snails very effectively (mine even eat MTS  [Malasian Trumpet Snails]  which are not eaten by most snail eaters - dwarf puffers for example don't eat them as their shells are too hard), pakistani loach, painted loach etc will all clear your tank similarly (but all get relatively large and like to be in groups).

Another consideration you might make is a talking catfish - you will likely never see it (although you will hear it after lights out) as it is nocturnal but it will devour snails very successfully.

Alternatively remove them by hand (timeconsuming but effective) and/or cut down on feeding.  Snails only florish when there is sufficient food for them.

Depending on the kind of snail you have you might consider adding MTS.  MTS can get to plague proportions but usually have the good grace to stay buried in the substrate when the lights are on .  They will eat the eggs of other snails thus keeping them under control.

Zoe


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## LondonDragon (2 Aug 2008)

Also remember most snail population explosions happen due to overfeeding.


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## TDI-line (2 Aug 2008)

Themuleous said:
			
		

> Dwarf chain loach, zebra loach Botia striata?
> 
> Sam



I've got 5 of these, and they do do a good job, but i always try not to be to heavy with the food.


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## sanj (12 Aug 2008)

Clown loachs eventually rip planted tanks up... well when they get big, they are ok at smaller sizes.


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## a1Matt (12 Aug 2008)

BeBea said:
			
		

> Another consideration you might make is a talking catfish - you will likely never see it (although you will hear it after lights out) as it is nocturnal but it will devour snails very successfully.



I have just one of these, and it is does a good job of snail control.  Recommended.

For the first couple of years I did not see a single snail.  Now I see a few snails but never many, I guess it is getting a little lazy now.

If I do see the snail population increasing I just cut back on feeding a little and wai for the catfish to go to work 

They are a beautiful fish, and the fact that you only see the odd glimpse of them from time to time adds to their appeal for me...  Platydoras costatus is the scientific name if you want to google it.

One day it might even make a noise, but nothing so far....


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## Themuleous (12 Aug 2008)

They get pretty big dont they?  The talking catfish that is?

Sam


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## Ed Seeley (13 Aug 2008)

Themuleous said:
			
		

> They get pretty big dont they?  The talking catfish that is?
> 
> Sam



The more common ones get to 5 or 6 inches max.  They can eat some tiny fish when they get bigger.  Here's some species, 
_Platydora costatus_
_Agamyxsis pectinfrons_
_Amblydoras hancockii_


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