# best fish for eating snails



## Eden Marel (Jan 28, 2010)

Puffer fish? They eat the whole thing, shell and all. Some loaches eat snail, but they only suck the body out so you'll have empty shells left.


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## pandapr (Nov 10, 2008)

loaches...I think a puffer will attack other fishes


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## flanders (May 3, 2008)

not a fish....but what about assassin snails! i've never had any b/c i have loaches, but always wanted some. 

My zebra and chain loaches do a pretty good job of snail control.


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## Fish4Fun (Jan 4, 2010)

well i still want shells so i think loach.. what kind? and assassins will attack other things wont they?


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## flanders (May 3, 2008)

Fish4Fun said:


> well i still want shells so i think loach.. what kind? and assassins will attack other things wont they?


i'm pretty sure they only eat snails, but hey i could definitely be wrong. 

My zebra loaches do a fine job. As do dwarf chain loaches. Clown loaches are great too, but they get enormous (very slowly). 

The key to snail control, whether using loaches or not, is to not feed too much. Feed too much and you'll get an explosion of snails and some fat loaches that don't wanna work at eating snails.


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## Eden Marel (Jan 28, 2010)

I could have sworn I saw on this forum that someone's assassin snails attacked their shrimp.


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## flanders (May 3, 2008)

oh yea, think i've heard that too. didn't realize OP had shrimp.


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## Fish4Fun (Jan 4, 2010)

hmmm ok
well whats the best loach everyone?


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## i love planted tanks (Apr 27, 2008)

i just bought a botia loach and a pokadot loach for my 60gal 4 snail control...see how they do


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

There is no one best Loach. 

Loaches are social fish and will do better in groups of 5+. If your tank is small, then there is not going to be enough room for that many more fish. 

What size is the tank, and what are the current fish, shrimp and snails (if any pet snails)?

http://forums.loaches.com/

Number one best snail solution is to cut the feeding in half. Really! If your tank has that many snails, you are feeding them. Feed only enough that the fish will be hungry and clean the tank better. 
Then, from that half, feed a rotation of fresh or lightly cooked vegetables or a little fruit. These are fine for the fish to eat, and the snails will be attracted to them, too. Feed these in the evening, then scoop out the snails in the morning. 
One of the best I have found is a thin slice of orange. The fish like the part we eat, the snails collect on the rind. 

Another method: Pinch the snail and put it back into the tank. Quite a few fish like escargots, they just need help opening the package. If this works, then instead of reaching for the jar of fish food, pop a few snails as a meal once in a while. 

As a first approach to snail control your feeding schedule might look like this:
2 days per week, AM: Flakes or other more or less floating food. 
2 days per week, AM: Vegie or fruit for fish through the day, the remnant is bait for snails.
2 days per week, AM: pop snails. 
1 day per week: no food.


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## Delslo (Feb 5, 2010)

Right on the money!!!




Diana said:


> There is no one best Loach.
> 
> Loaches are social fish and will do better in groups of 5+. If your tank is small, then there is not going to be enough room for that many more fish.
> 
> ...


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## Fish4Fun (Jan 4, 2010)

i have a 55g some shrimp (not really important), 3 fiddler crabs, and couple fish


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Are the fiddler crabs a brackish water critter? I am not familiar with them as fresh water livestock. 

Anyway, in a 55 gallon tank Loaches that grow to about 3-4" are fine, to 5" not too bad if you choose the right species, and you can get enough to make a good social group. Do not just get some Loaches cause they eat snails, though. Get Loaches because they are showy, active, playful and fun fish. The snail eating is an added bonus. 

Zebra Loaches, _Botia striata_ are very good community fish, but they will eat shrimp. They will eat snails. 
_Botia Kubotai_, will also eat snails, and grow to a bit larger than the Zebra Loaches. I have not kept shrimp with them, but I would not be surprised that any Loach that eats snails would not also eat shrimp. 

I have linked the species index for Loaches. Botia and Yasuhilotakia are the better species of snail eating Loach, but Dojo, Kuhlie and other loaches will eat snails, too. The hillstream Loaches are not snail eaters. Each has its own requirements to thrive, so have a look around at what fish are available to you, and research before you buy. 

http://www.loaches.com/species-index/species-index


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## Fish4Fun (Jan 4, 2010)

i just mainly need them to keep the snails i will be getting to a low population.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

What kind of snails will you be getting? 

Loaches that eat snails can hunt and dig. They may harass Apple snails so much that the snail stays in its shell until it dies. If you like Loaches, then get some, but do not keep them in a tank with pet snails.


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## Fish4Fun (Jan 4, 2010)

Mts.


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## flanders (May 3, 2008)

i've had a group of botia striata with amano shrimp for around two years and haven't had any shrimp deaths. rcs and such might be tasty snacks though. 

if you can afford/find botia sidthimunki i'd go that route. small, extremely entertaining, good snail eaters, and in my experience, pretty peaceful guys.

They go for $15-20 a pop around here though.


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## fluff34567 (Nov 15, 2005)

i have a couple yoyo loach as i had a massive snail problem but they dont touch the snails at all - they just like to play around and swim circles next to the tank magnet.

i would look at dwarf puffers but they take a lot more work.


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## Bellaru (Jul 2, 2009)

I have 4 Khuli Loaches and 2 Clown Loaches they are great. Always active and fun to watch. I had a lot of snails and the Clowns made short work of them. They can get big but it takes a while and you can always trade them back to you LFS.


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## Fish4Fun (Jan 4, 2010)

i may try some clowns, so far they sound like the best ones


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

Don't forget dwarf cichlids if you're not a loach guy/gal.


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## ShaneC (Jan 17, 2010)

I have always had luck with clown loaches. Currently have an assasin snail and he does a good job on smaller snails and keeping snail eggs in check, but typically doesnt go after the larger snails.


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## vja48 (Nov 12, 2008)

Angel fish


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## outofstock (May 8, 2009)

Id def go for clown loaches if you have the room. At work i always treat them when I open fish and snag a couple pond snails and throw them into the tank. They go on a feeding frenzy for them. 

But why add snails then just have something that can wipe the population out? If you arent over feeding it should keep the population in check. 

Also the fidlers prefer brackish water, their life span is usually greatly decreased when only in fresh water. Not to mention they like to come out of the water every now and then.


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