the smallest loach for snail eating

[Aquamick]

My twisted vallis is being eaten by loads of snails. would a chain loach eat themin the same way as a clown loach? ( I think the chain loach goes under a variety of common names, but the latin name is yasuhikotakia sidthimunki)(I don't have room for a clown loach) Thanks

 

[chkltcow]

I think a sidthimunki or a lohachata (Yoyo/Pakistani Loach) will eat them. For that matter, any of the botia loaches should suck them up handily. You can ask in the loach forum on here.... they can probably tell you for sure.

 

[clutterydrawer]

yes...but they need to be kept in schools and seem to be pretty expensive

 

[cometcattle]

What size tank are you refering to?

My zebra and skunk loaches love snails.

 

[SirMinion]

yes...but they need to be kept in schools and seem to be pretty expensive

Almost all botias (loaches) need to kept in schools, and the small ones do tend to be expensive. I would recomend chain loaches. they're very small and are voracious snail eaters.

They're about £8 each around here.

 

[ryan]

Most Botias species are gregarious and should be kept in groups. It does depend on which species of snails you have to what extent the Loaches will control their population though. Some good smaller species are Botia striata and Botia dario as well as Botia sidthimunki.

 

[tear-scar]

Chains are good, zebra is another small botia species.

 

[krazitrain]

I personally don't think you have to have a group of loaches together. My striata and kubotai loaches hang out by themselves. The other 2 do pal around. A yoyo loach would solve your problem Mine eats like a pig and they shouldn't grow much larger than 4 inches. The kubotai has my favorite pattern though. Heres a few pics of them. http/www.loaches.com/species_pages/botia_sp_myanmar.html All the loaches I mentioned are small, unlike the clown loach.

 

[yhbae]

I am in the same situation and I am thinking of getting a small group of clown loaches. I found some at my LFS that are very small - 1.5 inches each. I know I will end up with much larger tanks in the future so I think this will work...

 

[Paul_MTS]

My LFS has also only had tiny clown loach in recently, before he had them at a quite a nice size.

 

[Aquamick]

Thank for the comments everyone. I may try a group of chain loaches as my lfs sells them for £1.50 each. Strange how they are so expensive elsewhere.