Suggest a snail eater for my tank

[twomz]

Are there any South/Central American catfish that will eat snails similar to loaches? I have a bunch of pond snails and would like to bring their numbers down naturally. I have a 90g South/Central American community tank and have plenty of room left.

If not, what is a good loach that will stay relatively small and works well in a community set-up?

Thanks in advance!

 

[plah831]

well, what kind of fish do you have in there currently? Almost any loach will eat snails with relish (not literally with pickle relish, I just mean they love 'em : ). The problem is that some are peaceful (such as kuhlis and dojos) and won't appreciate being with aggressive fish.

I've got two upside-down catfish (Synodontis nigriventris) in my community tank and they don't seem to eat snails. Synodontis catfish are usually the kind that go best with cichlids because they're large and can hold their own, but I don't believe they go for snails. I might be wrong on that, of course, and someone is welcome to prove me wrong I'm just speaking from experience with my two Synodontis.

 

[twomz]

I have barely stocked my 90g community tank. It is heavily planted with lots of driftwood and contains the following: 20 neon tetras, 9 bronze corys, 2 clown plecos, and 2 otocinclus. I will be adding 3-4 juvenile Firemouth soon.

On a side note, I looked into synodontis and pictus cats for my tank but they get too large to mix with the neon tetras. You may question the Firemouth additions then, but I've found they actually mix well together and the neons will usually be left alone.

What loaches, and South/Central American cats while we're on the topic, would you recommend that will mix well with the aforementioned fish?

 

[fishcatch22]

I was going to say BB cats, since they are from SA, but they would eat your neons.... hmmmm.... i really think a loach would be your best option. or you could even just leave it alone. snails can't do any harm to your tank.

 

[H3D]

I have a 90g South/Central American community tank and have plenty of room left.

If you add the 4 firemouths then your tank will be close to full capacity.

If not, what is a good loach that will stay relatively small and works well in a community set-up?

Most loaches do best when kept in groups. With all bottom dwelling species you already have I do not think you have enough space left for a group of even the smallest loaches.

 

[pugwash]

Banjo cats are supposedly meant to eat snails, but they're so inactive, you won't now for a while.

Raphael cats are in the same boat, but not as prehistoric looking - I'm considering adding one of these to my FM tank for the same reasons.

Both are from SA

On a side note, your neons will be eaten when the FM's get larger too (although they MAY ignore them if growing up beside them)

 

[twomz]

On a side note, your neons will be eaten when the FM's get larger too (although they MAY ignore them if growing up beside them)

Don't worry, I will pay close attention to their behavior. From all the searching and research I have done about keeping Firemouths with neon tetras, it has been 50/50. Many people say the Firemouths never bother the neons. I plan to get them young so that they can grow up along side them and perhaps learn to view them as tankmates rather than aggression vents

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

 

[momar]

A skunk loach could go with your fish. gets to about 4 inches and likes to be alone. I have a marbled synodontis in my tank with neons for 4 months or so and there hasn't been a problem, although 2 tetras have vanished in unexplained circumstances...

 

[monkey_toes]

FYI: Neither bumblebee nor raphael cats eat snails, at least not in appreciable numbers. I can't speak for banjos, but I have two each of the others in my community tank along with five billion (or so) snails. Crush them against the inside of the glass — everything eats snails then.

 

[fishorama]

Our firemouths, when they were 2.5-3 inches, ate ramshorn snails. I would NOT recomend skunk loaches, they are small but very aggressive. They were kept in various tanks including with a jack dempsey & firemouths but were way too much for them. If you want to try loaches, striatas might be better but I'd worry the cichlids may hurt them (& the neons).