# Loaches ?? Alagae eaters and Bottom Feeders?



## Ace (Dec 10, 2003)

Um i haven't heard loaches as algae eaters but they are bottom feeders and Snail Eater.

Yup they will do fine with other freeswimming fish.. try not to find old loaches...


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## lokobreed (Dec 30, 2003)

What kind of loach do you recommend?
Also they eat smaller snails like the babies? Tahts what I neeed...


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## amanda huggenkiss (Mar 3, 2004)

Clown loaches will eat pretty much any snail you've got, not just the babies. I had two fairly small clowns (maybe about 2" ea.) gang up on a huge apple snail. I _liked_ that snail, dangit!  But hey, I love my loaches.

I'm not sure about _all_ loaches, but if you're looking at clowns, get more than one. They're sociable little guys and don't do well without others of their own kind. 

Oops, almost forgot to add that yes, clown loaches are bottom feeders, and yes, they get along with all my other fish. Kuhli loaches are also bottom feeders, but they won't help you with your snail problem. Also, you may never see them. I've had kuhlis that were very active and swam around all the time, but the kuhlis I have right now like to hide under my driftwood all day and only come out to feed at night. Oh well. They're cool little fish.

Let us know what you decide.


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## lokobreed (Dec 30, 2003)

If I get about 3 clowns for my 55 gallon tank can I still get a couple cats??

Thanks


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## amanda huggenkiss (Mar 3, 2004)

Hey there! I was editing my post while you were replying (oops).

I've got two corys and four clowns and they get along fine. In fact, the smaller clowns will school with the corys quite often.

For some reason, I like the bottom-feeding fish...


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## Fat Guy (Nov 19, 2003)

Ace said:


> .. try not to find old loaches...


What does that mean?

Old Loaches?


For planted tanks, a lot of people actually stray away from clown loaces because they will leave v-shaped impressions in the leaves of finer leaf plants. And after a while, it's just not good for the leaves.

Don't get me wrong, they are wonderful fish, but they can wreak havoc on your plant leaves. 

What types of plants do you have?

I keep a pakistani loach (yo-yo) loach. They are silver and black and do a terrific job on snails. 

Fat Guy


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## BobbyDrake (Jan 17, 2004)

I have a Dojo (weather) loach, and he is a bottom feeder. Although many times he will swim to the top to feed as well. He is a crazy guy. He can't be killed either. I have had 2 major mass deaths in my tank over the last few months and my dojo and shrimp where the only survivors both times. Warning, the do get pretty big. Mine is currently about 5 1/2" long. He was about 3" when I bought him. I have read that they can grow upwards of 12". My guy is almost getting too big for my tank, but I just can't get rid of him. He will have to wait 6 months until I upgrade to a 55 gallon. He also used to like to uproot my plants all the time, but he is getting better at that now.


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## amanda huggenkiss (Mar 3, 2004)

Fat Guy said:


> For planted tanks, a lot of people actually stray away from clown loaces because they will leave v-shaped impressions in the leaves of finer leaf plants. And after a while, it's just not good for the leaves.


Uh, yeah, I should've mentioned that too. My clowns like to leave little 'O' shaped holes in my sword plant. But they're not too bad. Right now I've only got three or four holes in the leaves. Not bad for having four clowns. They leave all my other plants alone tho.

I guess it depends on the individual fish's personality. :wink:


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## Ace (Dec 10, 2003)

Yo Fat Guy i mean try not to find adult ones! :wink:


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## Janice (Aug 12, 2003)

I have 4 clown loaches and 2 weather loaches in my 55 gallon tank. The two weather loaches, Slinky and Duke are so much fun to watch...they like to hang out with each other and the other fish and play. Sometimes they bury themselves with just their head sticking out of the sand, propped up on their fins ...staring at me. 

The clown loaches completely cleaned up a snail problem that I had. I've also had yoyo loaches which are great and I put two baby zipper loaches in a small tank that I set up for my daughters first grade class. The kids love them because they look (and act) like Dr. Seuss characters.

The other day I saw a horse faced loach at the LFS. He was really cool looking. 

My clown loaches don't give me too many problems with my plants.


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