# Loaches and Snails



## Jessi (Sep 8, 2011)

I have a used 20 gallon tank that has recently began to be taken over by snails. I've read that loaches are the best way to get rid of them. 

I have 1 male betta and 6 albino cory catfish in that tank. I'm wondering if either a Clown Loach, or a Yoyo loach would be better and if they can coexist with the fish I already have? I have another 5.5 tank that I can move the betta into if they wont get along, but if they can I'd prefer to keep him in there.

I've also read that yoyo loaches will eat the snails faster, but I don't care about the speed as long as the snail population is kept under control.

*c/p*

Thanks ahead of time for any help you can give!

I haven't read about them but I also heard about Kuhli loaches, will they eat the snails also?


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## Drew1901 (Sep 19, 2011)

I dont think you have enough room for clown loaches, they like to be in a small group.
I think the way you should go is assassin snails they in my opinion are the best way to remove snails and though they themselves are snails they reproduce slowly and look pretty.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Loaches will kill snails, yes. If you want to eradicate them, copper works as well, but will prevent you from ever having any other snails or invertebrates like shrimp. Assassins are great at controlling snail infestations but it takes months for the Assassins to get the population under control.

Personally, I would just leave the snails alone. They will multiply and eat everything in the tank until their food source is diminished, then they will die off and eventually their numbers will reach an equilibrium with the tank. They make THE best cleanup crew out there, and most common pond snails will not eat your plants, if you have any.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I don't think there is a loach that is good for that size tank and clown loaches get up to 12" - way too big for your tank. Snails may die off with their food source, but you'll always have them and I personally don't think there is such a thing as a state of equilibrium when it comes to an inhabitant in your tank that is unwanted. There will always be some type of surce of food for them no matter what you do.


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## Pigeonfish (Jun 23, 2011)

I just don't see how there isn't an equilibrium of some sort, it goes completely against biology and I never seen the snails "takeover" my tank.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Agreed with Jrman - there isn't a loach that is going to fit in a 20g tank. They need to be in schools and if you put one in a 20g tank, it's skeleton will be stunted but it's organs will continue to grow, so it will die a really painful death.


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## Robotunicorn (Jul 22, 2011)

I have a horrible snail problem and I think I have found the solution. I have a 10 gal shrimp tank so using chemicals is not an option for my snail problem. Blanch a piece of zucchini and place it in your tank. After about an hour or so the piece of zucchini was covered with snails. Remove the zucchini (snails attached) and problem solved. You can dispose of the zucchini or what I did was throw them in my big tank and they became treats for my bala shark. You can do this until the problem is under control. I also purchased 5 assassin snails. to help. They don't reproduce nearly as much as regular snails. I started with one snail and within a month I had over a hundred snails. I purchased the assassins and they have not reproduced but they are doing there job.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I love the Assassins! I had tons of snails in my 20g so I grabbed 4 Assassins. They haven't bred and have decimated the pest snails! Now my 36g is incredibly infested with snails, so I just throw a bunch into the 20g for the Assassins when I see them getting too plentiful. (Kinda' farming snails for my snails hahaha.)


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