What snails can I get for my tropical tank that will not be bothered/eaten by my clown loaches?

Answer 1

None really. Clown loaches eat snails for a living in the wild and can easily tackle snails with hard shells or snails larger than they are. I wouldn't recommend any snails for a tank containing clown loaches.

MM

Answer 2

Clown loaches can kill just about any snail. Malaysian Trumpet Snails are said to be the only ones that cannot be eaten by these fish. These snails have extremely hard shells that cannot be crushed by the fish.

Other snails such as "apple snails", "mystery" snails, canas, marisa, brigs, etc. can all be considered lunch by your fish. Even if they are very large the fish have been known to dig and hassle the snails to the point of closing themselves into their shells. Then, the loaches will penetrate the oppercullum, or the shell door, and kill the snail.

I'd say that if you really want to try snails in your tank to stick with Malaysian Trumpets. Any other snail is likely to be a quick snack for your fish.

Answer 3

Plastic snails would be the only ones.

Loaches do not crush the snail shells, they actually grab the snail and suck it right out of the shell. I keep yoyo, clowns and skunk loaches and there are piles of empty shells all over their tanks, but none are crushed.

Even the bigger snails will fall victim to the loaches voracious appetite for escargot. Each time they try to go to the surface to breathe, the loaches will attack them, keeping them from getting to the surface to get any air and eventually killing them by asphyxiation.

Answer 4

Loaches pull the entire snail into their mouth to eat it, so any snail bigger than the loach's mouth is safe. Apple and Mystery snails should be fine. Their favorite snails to eat are those little pond snails that sneak into the tank on plants.

Answer 5

Giant apple snails i think because they are the biggest of freshwater aquatic snails. Too big to fit in the fishes mouth maybe?