Zebras and yoyos should be good in a 55 gallon tank. They do dig around but well established plants should do fine. Stem plants that have a weak root system might get uprooted every so often. A smooth, sandy or small gravel bottom will be best. Larger stones aren't great.
Snail control?
- Thread starter Mordred
- Start date
Thanks for all the advice so far.
Do Yo-Yo's have another name?
I've managed to find the skunk and zebras, kuli (seems to be listed as coolie) in my fish books, but can't find yo-yo's
Do Yo-Yo's have another name?
I've managed to find the skunk and zebras, kuli (seems to be listed as coolie) in my fish books, but can't find yo-yo's
You probably won't have much trouble w/ loaches digging up plants. They generally only dig as much as they need to to get at what they're after (food!).
Zebras & Yo-Yo's get to be roughly 4". I'm not sure about skunks (though I bet they're right around that size, too).
loaches.com is a good specific loach resource (It might have alt. names for Yo-Yo's... I can't think of any myself).
Do keep in mind that most loaches are community fish, so you'll want a few of them.
Off loaches for a second, I've also heard of puffers being recommended for snail control, though they are more aggressive.
Zebras & Yo-Yo's get to be roughly 4". I'm not sure about skunks (though I bet they're right around that size, too).
loaches.com is a good specific loach resource (It might have alt. names for Yo-Yo's... I can't think of any myself).
Do keep in mind that most loaches are community fish, so you'll want a few of them.
Off loaches for a second, I've also heard of puffers being recommended for snail control, though they are more aggressive.
Clown loaches actually can get much larger than six inches, they can grow to around a foot and a half.
skunks also get to 3 or 4". IME, skunks are no more aggressive than any other botia loach, provided they are kept in the recommended numbers. i have 7 and have never had a problem with them. on to more important matters...
i'd go yoyos in that tank. buying a fish as (comparably) expensive, sensitive, and large as clowns get is a bad idea if you're looking for snail control. clowns basically demand a tank tailored and dedicated to them...even more so since they're at their best in groups of 3 or, arguably, 6 or more.
there seems to be a lot of recommending of clowns lately for this purpose...or IMO (no offense) uninformed recommending. clown loaches are a solution to a snail problem, but they are a poor one for all of the above reasons.
in addition to adding yoyos or other smaller botia species (also needs to be in groups of at least 3), remember that overfeeding (as OG pointed out in another thread recently) is the most common cause of a snail "outbreak." cut back on feeding...less food for the snails. less snail population.
i'd go yoyos in that tank. buying a fish as (comparably) expensive, sensitive, and large as clowns get is a bad idea if you're looking for snail control. clowns basically demand a tank tailored and dedicated to them...even more so since they're at their best in groups of 3 or, arguably, 6 or more.
there seems to be a lot of recommending of clowns lately for this purpose...or IMO (no offense) uninformed recommending. clown loaches are a solution to a snail problem, but they are a poor one for all of the above reasons.
in addition to adding yoyos or other smaller botia species (also needs to be in groups of at least 3), remember that overfeeding (as OG pointed out in another thread recently) is the most common cause of a snail "outbreak." cut back on feeding...less food for the snails. less snail population.
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Great thanks.
The tank is fairly new (5 weeks)
I'm slowly struggling to bring algae under control at the moment, and I suspect the excess algae is what is driving the excess of snails.
I'm tempted to get a few zebras or yo-yos to keep the snails in check without eradicating them totally.
The tank is fairly new (5 weeks)
I'm slowly struggling to bring algae under control at the moment, and I suspect the excess algae is what is driving the excess of snails.
I'm tempted to get a few zebras or yo-yos to keep the snails in check without eradicating them totally.
Ah,
I figured at the rate the snails multiply a few small ones would always survive.
Thoughts it might be a nice balance.
I figured at the rate the snails multiply a few small ones would always survive.
Thoughts it might be a nice balance.
