A corydoras safe snail eater?

sdm · Post by **sdm** » 08 Jan 2007, 23:26

I've got a 75g commnunity that contains rainbowfish, corydoras - including pygmaeus, some kuhli type loaches, a couple SAE's along with many snails that I'd like to get rid of. Would I have any trouble adding a dwarf chain loach to this set up to clean out some snails? I ask because I have recently seen one for the first time in a LFS. I've read they do better in groups, and if they were available I'd go ahead and get 4 or 5. However, because of availability here it might be alone for a while. If kept alone will it harrass my other fish? I'm mostly concerned about the corydoras (especially the pygmaeus) since they would be at the bottom of the tank with it. How effective is this species at getting rid of snails? I had some YoYo loaches once in a smaller tank but they seemed aggressive. This could have been the result of too small a group as I only had a couple? Another species? Any help would be appreciated.

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 11 Jan 2007, 13:03

Don't know anything as to the temperament of teh Chain loach of which you speak, but I can say that there are some plecos that are known to eat snails, such as .

--
Mats

wrasse · Post by **wrasse** » 16 Feb 2007, 10:27

Loaches will out-compete corydoras for food and might not bother snails while there is other food available. Rather than adding a fish, try a thin slice of sweet potato - come back an hour later and you'll find the snails all over it. You can then remove it with the snails attached, discard them and put it back in the tank for more.

kcmt01 · Post by **kcmt01** » 16 Feb 2007, 20:27

That's a good point about loaches being so greedy, and a good idea concerning the sweet potato strip. Maybe if you put it in a small water bottle first, it might be a neater cleanup. As far as safe snail-eating fish, our Anadorus Grypus eats a few snails. I suspect the Hancocks and Chocolate Raphael do also, but they don't seem to keep ahead of the game. Every so often I'll take a small pliers and break a few snails into the tiger barb tank. Very entertaining!

bushynose_cory · Post by **bushynose_cory** » 17 Feb 2007, 08:43

I know a good one

! The African bufferfly cichlid, Anomalochromis thomasi! I know, every source says they are peaseful, no they are not! If you don't care about fry, these c*****ds are excellent snail eaters, They also eat hydra. You could also try a South American pufferfish, but it may be risky.

I hope I was of help to you

sdm · Post by **sdm** » 17 Feb 2007, 21:07

Thanks folks,

I like the water bottle idea. I've tried a food tablet on a dish a couple of times but a couple times the catfish knocked it off the dish, and the last time, the tablet was still there the next morning, but as I lifted the dish about 2/3 of the snails came off. I gave up after that. I guess I should bury the bottle so the opening is even with the substrate?

A corydoras safe snail eater?

A corydoras safe snail eater?

re- snail problem