Snail-safe Tankmates

[Lupin]

Just for reference, here is a list of some fish that will work well with most snails.

Loaches
Hillstream loaches
Kuhli loaches
Weather loaches

Several other species especially those of botiine genus tend to prey on snails. Believe it or not, invertebrates are their primary diet so it is not surprising to see them attempting to pry off the snails to eat them.

Cypriniformes
Harlequin rasboras (Trigonostigma heteromorpha)
Hengeli rasboras (Trigonostigma hengeli)
Espei rasboras (Trigonostigma espei)
White cloud mountain minnows
Celestial pearl danios
Rasbora boraptensis
Boraras maculatus
Boraras merah
Boraras brigittae
Siamese Algae Eaters (Crossocheilus siamensis)
Garra flavatra
Garra cambodgiensis
Garra taeniata

Anabantids
Honey gouramis
Sparkling gouramis
Licorice gouramis
Chocolate gouramis
Samurai gouramis
Pearl gouramis

The only issue is most species mentioned above prefer acidic waters so I am sure shell erosion would be a problem there although these fish won't bother them in any way possible.

Catfish (aside from corydoras and plecos)
Hara hara
Glass catfish
Agamyxis pectifrons
Platydoras costatus

Characins
Black Neon Tetra(Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi)
Black Phantom Tetra(Megalamphodus megalopterus)
Black Skirt Tetra(Gymnocorymbus ternetzi)
Bleeding Heart Tetra(Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma)
Cardinal Tetra(Cheirodon axelrodi)
Columbian Tetra (Hyphessobrycon columbianus)
Diamond Tetra(Moenkhausia pittieri)
Ember Tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae)
Emperor Tetra(Nematobrycon palmeri)
Flame Tetra(Hyphessobrycon flammeus)
Glass Bloodfin(Prionobrama filigera)
Glowlight Tetra(Hemigrammus eryhthrozonus)
Green Fire Tetra (Aphyocharax rathbuni)
Green Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon simulans)
Head-and-Tail-Light(Hemigrammus ocellifer)
Jewel Tetra(Hyphessobrycon callistus)
Kerri Tetra(Inpaichthys kerri)
Lemon Tetra(Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis)
Loreto tetra(Hyphessobrycon peruvianus)
Neon Tetra(Paracheirodon innesi)
Penguin tetra(Thayeria boehlkei)
Red-eye Tetra(Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae)
Red Phantom Tetra(Hyphessobrycon sweglesi)
Rosy Tetra(Hyphessobrycon bentosi)
Rummy-Nose Tetra(Hemigrammus bleheri)
Rummy-Nose Tetra(Hemigrammus rhodostomus)
Rummy-Nose Tetra(Petitella georgiae)
Silver-tipped Tetra(Hasemania nana)
X-ray Tetra(Pristella maxillaris)

Pencilfish (all species)
Hatchetfish (all species)

Cichlids
This seems a hit or miss. The following listed are possible but don't keep your hopes up they will thrive together.

Discus
Blue rams
Bolivian rams
Apistogrammas
Keyholes

Livebearers
Guppies
Platies
Swordtails
Mollies (not all will work)

Others
Rainbowfish

Hope that helps. If you have anything to add, please feel free.

 

[captaincaveman9]

just a few I have to add to the list

Tetra:
Congo Tetra

Bushmaster Leopard Fish (aka african leaf fish, aka climbing perch)

 

[pik01]

seems like something that should be stickied? It's a common question.

 

[Lupin]

I'm updating this thread to add that weather loaches are indeed safe with snails. All serpentine loaches are fine. Anyone claiming that they eat snails either just made up the stories, parrot opinions or simply did not study their body anatomy. Their mouth structure does not indicate they will prey over snails. If the particular species was found to be eating snails, it could only be coincidental that the snail simply died and the fish did not pass the chance to eat a dead one. I wouldn't encourage feeding these loaches with crushed snails. They tend to get the taste of the meat and in rare occasions, may attack the snails but otherwise, they're fine. Loaches of botiine genus regardless of size, shape and species, are a big nono as they are very dangerous especially as inverts are primarily their natural prey in the wild.

As far as vice versa, there have been records of snails particularly the Pomacea canaliculata eating fish especially ones that are motionless. Gathering several information in applesnail.net, snails of any species can indeed eat a fish even healthy ones once they get the taste of meat. Feeding them tuna and any meaty food is not really encouraged to avoid such rare occurrences.

 

[jpappy789]

Would it be safe to assume that shrimp is a whole different story?

 

[Lupin]

Would it be safe to assume that shrimp is a whole different story?

I've tried them with ghosts and bamboos. May test the cherries if I can find some although I don't believe weather loaches would be so capable of preying on adult shrimps unless they got the taste on shrimps except possibly the shrimp larva. Kuhlis are fine though. Very small mouths and these are not predatory either.

 

[Redneck Woman]

Thanks for this thread Lupin! I was pretty sure I had read a list of snail safe fish. It took me a while but I finally found it. Any chance on making it a sticky?:thm:

 

[vampie]

My Swordtails nipped the hell out of my snails.

 

[DarrylR]

I did find an empty adult ramshorn snail... and this was before the assassin snails were added. Maybe the CPD's killed it or died by itself?

 

[Mgamer20o0]

clown loaches....