Small Snail Eater?

[davefish]

Some snail eggs must have been present on the plants I bought (or something else) and I have a lot of snails that have come from nowhere and are multiplying at an alarming rate.

I have heard some fish will eat snails, e.g. clown loach, but they are far too big for my tank. Are there any other types of fish that will eat snails that are small? I only have a 60 litre tank, and although it is not fully stocked the bottom of the tank already has quite a few occupants and so I wouldn't want to be getting more than one more bottom dweller really. Ideally I'd like a fish that isn't a bottom dweller and eats snails, but I don't suppose there are many of them!

I've looked at the Yo-yo loach but it seems a bit big. The leading contender is the zebra loach as that is a bit smaller, but I think I could only have one of these and I am wondering whether it would be happy on it's own. I also have this loach photo1 photo2, who the newcomer would have to get along with. I am not sure exactly what type of loach that is, but he doesn't seem to be eating my snails. If anyone knows for sure then please say.

An alternative to an actual snail-eater would be a fish that will eat snail eggs, as at least this would stop the exponential increase of snails in my tank. Does anybody know one of those? I'd really rather find a natural solution to the snail problem.

Thanks.

 

[Nicolas]

You're right for wanting a natural solution to your problem. Please post your water stats and a list of the fish you have so we can help you find a good snail eater.

 

[davefish]

pH is 7
Nitrite is zero
Nitrate is 10ppm
My water is quite hard.

Current
2 silver mollies
2 dalmation mollies
2 horseface loach
1 siamese algae eater
1 bristlenose catfish
1 banded loach? (see photos in 1st post of this thread)
1 mystery fish (see this post)
2 million snails (estimated value )

 

[loachman]

The loach you have now looks like a species of Schistura. I'm terrible at positively IDing them though. It should be fine with anything that doesn't look like it.

For algae eaters in a 15 gal, loaches are generally going to be too big for any long term care. You may be able to get one for a short time. In my experience, a loach can clean out a tank of snails in a couple days.

I've heard kuhlis will eat eggs, but I haven't seen reports of them eating full grown snails. They'd be fine in a 15 gal.

Edit: Okay, looking at your stock list. The horsefaces should be eating some. How big are they? IMO, you're getting pretty well stocked to add much more. Try feeding less.

 

[davefish]

Okay, looking at your stock list. The horsefaces should be eating some. How big are they? IMO, you're getting pretty well stocked to add much more. Try feeding less.

I've never seen the horsefaces eat a snail. If they did that would be great, but they just spend all their time sifting through the sand. When you say, "How big are they?", do you mean the horseface or the snails? The horsefaces are about 4 inches long I would say. The snails are all pretty small, the biggest are 1cm.

When you say try feeding less, do you mean so the horseface loaches are hungrier and so will eat the snails? Or some other reason?

 

[snoopyfrench87]

try sinking some cucumber into the tank and collecting the snails off of it at night. Also if you use a siphon at night and suck the snails off of the gravel and glass at night.
If you manage to collect them up- you could post them to people on the forum with puffers- as they feed them to the puffers to keep their beaks down.

The mystery loach looks like a botia of some sort - a little like a botia dario - but doesnt seem to have the right face shape.

A botia dario will eat the snails and can be happy in small groups of 2-3

you could borrow someones loach; they tend to clear tanks of snails over a couple of days!

 

[davefish]

Looking around on the internet I think that my current loach looks more like a Schistura than a botia. Maybe Schistura robertsi, although I can't find much info on that.

 

[SBL]

Dave, loaches should clear your tank up, but feed your fish less.

 

[loachman]

When you say try feeding less, do you mean so the horseface loaches are hungrier and so will eat the snails? Or some other reason?

Snails need to eat too. No food means less snails. Typically snails populations explode due to overfeeding or an excess of decaying material.

 

[davefish]

Thanks for the clarification. I'll try feeding less, although it's hard to know how much food is the right amount, especially for bottom feeders.

It seems that there's no appropriate snail-eater for me at the moment.

 

[wolfwolf]

Chain Loach? I have 5 in my 29 gallon. Snails have NO chance.

 

[davefish]

Chain Loach? I have 5 in my 29 gallon. Snails have NO chance.

That looks like a good option, thanks. However, I looked it up and it said it needs to be in a group of at least 5. I don't think my tank could cope with 5 more fish at the moment (see stock list above).
I'm thinking of getting an additional tank at some point so maybe when I have the extra capacity I can get some of these.