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Wild Turkey
03-12-2009, 10:52 PM
how good are these guys at pond snail control when they are still small? Im thinking about "renting" one for a week or so. Petsmart has them but no other loaches that would fit the bill, the next farthest store that might have loaches is another half hour in the same direction.

I'll probably end up getting the biggest one they have since i wont have him long, but we're still only talking 3-4 inches or so. Will that do it?
Algenco
03-12-2009, 11:36 PM
Excellent, they love them, may take 2-3 weeks to eradicate the snails and all eggs to hatch
gm72
03-13-2009, 12:28 AM
Agreed. They'll wipe them out, no problem.
Sharon
03-13-2009, 12:33 AM
You'll find it hard to take him back...:hmm3grin2orange:
Brookfish
03-13-2009, 03:54 AM
You'll find it hard to take him back...:hmm3grin2orange:

Yup, i'm betting you'll be buying buddies for him.:hmm3grin2orange:
Demjor19
03-14-2009, 09:46 PM
Agreed...you'll have 10 before it's aid and done! they are addicting and awesome at snail cleanup!
loachcoach
03-14-2009, 11:31 PM
I have a loach addiction, so I'm the wrong person to ask. I don't want to be an enabler:hmm3grin2orange:
glarior
03-15-2009, 12:06 AM
I have three and they are awesome! They cleaned up the snails and grew very fast. They sometimes scare me by playing dead but when I approach they spring back to life. It is almost as if they are wanting me to give them attention… crazy! They are very intriguing to watch. I would at least get one and keep him/her
Algenco
03-15-2009, 12:20 AM
I bet you set up more tanks to grow snails for the loaches
Demjor19
03-15-2009, 06:34 AM
I have three and they are awesome! They cleaned up the snails and grew very fast. They sometimes scare me by playing dead but when I approach they spring back to life. It is almost as if they are wanting me to give them attention… crazy! They are very intriguing to watch. I would at least get one and keep him/her

I hate when mine do this!!! They do it all the time too!!!
glarior
03-15-2009, 07:41 PM
Here is a pic I was able to take with them playing dead. I think the mollies thought they were dead too lol. Goes to show how long they play like that... I had time to see them play dead, find the camera, find batteries, start the camera and take pictures.... Wow, they are dedicated.

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gm72
03-15-2009, 08:42 PM
They freak me out when they do that. Mine are now in the habit of coming to the surface when I feed the rest of the tank. They seem to like the Hikari Bio-Gold pellets.
glarior
03-15-2009, 09:15 PM
Which pellets? Cichlid, betta or other? I would like to give them something new instead of the same stuff all the time.
gm72
03-15-2009, 09:49 PM
Cichlid. They love them.
Demjor19
03-15-2009, 11:24 PM
Mine love taking pellets and FD krill from the surface.
Lady Hobbs
03-15-2009, 11:38 PM
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All it takes is one or two missed snails and the population will just explode again. This dip will kill snails and algae.
Wild Turkey
03-15-2009, 11:41 PM
Ridding my tanks completely of snails isnt something i want, not that i think its possible without using meds, but i have a lot of mts i need keep some of, i figure they would survive while the pond snails wouldnt, since the mts would be buried in the substrate mostly.
Demjor19
03-16-2009, 04:18 AM
Ridding my tanks completely of snails isnt something i want, not that i think its possible without using meds, but i have a lot of mts i need keep some of, i figure they would survive while the pond snails wouldnt, since the mts would be buried in the substrate mostly.

If you keep the loaches in there for a long time the snails WILL be gone. My Clowns leave no MTS behind! They are great! When my 180 gets over populated with MTS I just pull out a few dozen snails out...put them in the Loach tank and let the Loaches go to work.
Wild Turkey
03-16-2009, 04:19 AM
If you keep the loaches in there for a long time the snails WILL be gone. My Clowns leave no MTS behind! They are great! When my 180 gets over populated with MTS I just pull out a few dozen snails out...put them in the Loach tank and let the Loaches go to work.

It has to be less than 14 days if i want to return it, so i think im good. I have plenty of mts:hmm3grin2orange:

basically, im just tired of trapping, and have gotten tight enough with petsmarts new employees that they dont ask questions when i make returns, so i can pretty much do as i please. So i figure might as well hook a loach up with the good life for a week or two and we both are happy.
Demjor19
03-16-2009, 04:36 AM
One loach may not even do much in that amount of time. They need time to settle in before they will work their magic. Even then...one Clown (especially at the size sold a petsmart) will not be very effective. i have a school of 9 ranging from 2-6 inches. Small loaches will keep the baby snails in check, but will not be able to handle the adult mts.
Wild Turkey
03-16-2009, 04:43 AM
One loach may not even do much in that amount of time. They need time to settle in before they will work their magic. Even then...one Clown (especially at the size sold a petsmart) will not be very effective. i have a school of 9 ranging from 2-6 inches. Small loaches will keep the baby snails in check, but will not be able to handle the adult mts.

awesome so thats good news, i want them to take out the ps not the mts