Which Freshwater Fish Eats Snails?

Question

I have a couple of aquariums (one brackish and one fresh) and I'd like to find a freshwater fish that would be able to eat the snails that have mulitplied in my tank. I know about the "Had-a-snail" products but I'm looking to add another fish type into my aquarium anyway and I'd rather not kill the snails if there is a fish that would happily eat them.

Answer 1

Loaches and puffers. If what you have are Malaysian trumpet snails (http://www.yamatogreen.com/MalaysianTrumpetSnails.htm ), larger ones may have too tough of a shell for loaches to eat.

If you go for loaches, be careful of adult size - these do better in groups of 3+ and some like the clown loach can get to 12" each.

Answer 2

How small is small? Snail-eating fish don't really "do" small tanks, even the smallest loach, the chain loach, needs 20-25 gallons minimum due to its need for company of its own kind and very high activity levels. Other snail-eating fish include dwarf puffers (would kill your fish), some cichlids (would kill your fish) and rainbowfish (need 25-30 gallons minimum, preferably larger). If your tank is smaller than that, no snail-eating fish. You'll have to get rid the snails through manual labour (the pick em out and squish em method). Don't use chemical killers. Sure they'll kill the snails, and then leave the tank littered with dead bodies which will lead to an ammonia spike and kill your fish. Glowlights need to shoal in groups of 6 or more.

Answer 3

Most of the semi-aggressive fish will. Loaches, cichlids, puffers, and bettas will all happily eat up the escargots.... :0)

Answer 4

ditto, most loaches will feed on snails. yo-yo loaches are ur best bet for smaller tank as clown loaches will reach about a foot ea.

Answer 5

A loach would love your snails....yum!

Answer 6

all loaches ,puffers and i think some cichlids

Answer 7

big cichlids will eat them with ease.