Snail problem in a small tank

[Barlow]

Hi all.

I've got a small (10 gallon) community tank that has a huge snail infestation. These are devastating my plants and I'm desperate to get rid of them. I've tried removing them manually but the small size makes it difficult and really there are simply too many for me to handle. I'd love to get some new fish to take care of them but is my small tank suitable for any loaches that could take care of the job?

Any help would be really appreciated.

Many thanks
Barlow

[Martin Thoene]

Hi Barlow. Short answer....No.

A 10 gallon tank is too small for any of the Botiine loaches that would be your best bet as snail-eaters.

Martin.

[shari2]

Welcome to LOL Barlow.

Unfortunately, Martin's right. A 10g is suitable for a quarantine tank for snail eating loach species, but not for any length of time. Any chance you could set up a larger tank to cycle while you let loose some B. striata, or yoyo loaches, or if your second tank is large enough, possibly a group of clowns?

Even if you broke down the tank, cleaned it out, and washed off your plants, it's possible the snail eggs could survive it. ;-( They may well have come in on new plants, in fact.