What type of fish eats snails?

[Mariah]

Hi,
The tank we have in the basement (50 gal) is infested with snails! What type of fish eats snails thats also a community fish? The tank currently has neon tetras, zebra danios, chinese algee eater, a guppy and a pleco. We are planning on getting more livebearers as well.
Thanks in advance

Ive heard it was a clown loach

 

[lilfishie]

yeah clown loach eat the snails and are great community fish

 

[smithrc]

yeah clown loach eat the snails and are great community fish

BUT as a side note they will get to 12" each eventually...

any of the Botia loaches (eg clowns, Yoyo's etc) will eat snails

 

[Joby]

My blue rams like snails

 

[grayshark]

yeh I had snails I cleaned my whole tank out took it in to the bath room and filled it just with water then put my fish bck in the heater anf filter then I left every thing out of the water for 3 days so they all died then washed the ornaments just to make sure they where off them no its fine its snail free.

 

[Mariah]

Would the clown loach be ok in a 50 gal tank at full size?
Thanks

 

[lilfishie]

it takes quite a while maybe years before they get to full size

 

[Mobern]

CLOWN LOACHES GET TOO BIG FOR A 50 GALLON TANK!!!

Don't completely wash out your tank... this would put your tank through the cycling process again.

Get a pair of Blue Rams. They like to eat snails. Also, you can weigh down a piece of lettuce at the bottom of your tank. Snaisl like lettuce so they'll crawl over and start eating it. When a bunch of snails are on the lettuce you can take it out and discard the snails.

Don't use chemicals to get rid of snails either!

 

[FrAnK3333]

Clown loaches can live in a 50 gallon till they reach about 4 inches then they need to be in a 75 gallon. They are very slow growers, as long as your commited you can have them. Their are plenty of other loaches. Yoyo loaches stay small, so do orange finned loaches. There are tons. As for the rams, Im didnt know they ate snails, Id go for the loaches, nice community fish and you will live them.

 

[Mariah]

Ok thanks for the advice. There not for my tank but for my parents 50 gal.

 

[pahansen]

I have seen good reports of YoYo Loaches (Botia lohachata) and Skunk Loaches (Botia morleti) eating snails, although I've never kept them. While both kinds of loaches need to be kept in groups, neither gets to be much more than 4" long. Maybe one of these will work for your parents?

Good luck,
Pamela

 

[FrAnK3333]

Im pretty sure skunk loaches can be pretty nasty.