[richlindsey]

We have a 55 gallon tank that we have set up with the intent of housing a group of Bolivian Rams. The tank is heavily planted and the current inhabitants are 12 lemon tetras, 9 rummy nose tetras, 5 juvenile bn plecos, somewhere between 1 and 5 ottos and way too many snails. We plan to pick up 5 to 7 bolivians at the ACA convention next month.

We have been reading articles online about snail control and know we don't want to go the chemical route. Adding fish that will eat small snails seems to be the best approach to controlling the population. The fish most often mentioned as candidates for snail control are the various loaches, puffer fish and some of the larger cichlids.

Puffers are usually described as being too agressive and we don't want any large cichlids. The dwarf loach seems like a possibility but we would rather not add an asian species to our otherwise SA community tank.

So the question is, do bolivians eat snails and if not, is there another dwarf cichlid that will that would fit into our SA theme?

 

[DirtyBlackSocks]

Aren't any dwarfs I know of that will eat snails fast enough to control an outbreak.

You may consider adding a yo-yo loach, clown loach, or angelicus botia to the tank temporarily until it's under control.

 

[Dutch Dude]

Bolivians will eat a snail every once in a while. Juveniles eat the most snails.

Snails aren't bad for a tank. They are the best algea eaters and also feed on food particles or even dead animals. I always like some snails in a fry tank becouse of this. The number of snails depend on the quantity of food they can get. If you overfeed for example the number of snails will increase. The same for a lot of algea growth. To control the number of snails you have to reduce the quantity of food. So I suggest to find out what their food source is.

 

[DeadFishFloating]

I set up and planted a 35 gallon Tall tank about a year ago. I had 6 rummynose tetras in the tank, while it cycled over 4 weeks. There were snails everywhere by the end of four weeks.

I then introduced a pair of keyholes I removed from my larger tank. I really didn't want to add any loaches to the tank. By the end of the week I couldn't see a snail. I did find them in the bottom of my canister filter, but none have showed up in the tank since.

 

[cichlidaholic]

It took me a long time to make peace with the snails in my SA tank...

Something has to be eating some of them, though, because they seem to be under control.

I've got Bolivian rams, gold rams, dojo loaches (fairly new addition), scissortail rasboras, Buenos aries tetras, rose barbs and BN plecos and cories.

The snails are at a tolerable level...Still a few around, but not as obviously prolific as they used to be...

 

[richlindsey]

Given the planned stocking level described in the first post would it be advisable to add a pair of keyhole cichlids to this 55 gallon tank? We could cut back to just 5 bolivians if necessary.

 

[DeadFishFloating]

Given the planned stocking level described in the first post would it be advisable to add a pair of keyhole cichlids to this 55 gallon tank? We could cut back to just 5 bolivians if necessary.

:lol:

O.K. please don't think these guys are snail hunters extrordinaire. Snails probably form part of thier wild diet, but I may have got a good pair. Even fish of the same species can vary in thier behaviour.

I would give it a try anyway. JUst make sure you have a couple of pieces of driftwood for them to use as retreats.