Dwarf Loach Information

[ChemGuy]

Hello everyone--i'm new here so forgive if i get anything wrong

I have a pond snail infestation in a 55 gal guppy tank. I have read that dwarf loaches will eat snails but I have a few questions and I was wondering if someone who actually had one could help me out.
1) Do they actually eat snails?
2) Will they bother my fry/guppies?
3) Will they scavenge for food effectively or should I get some cory cats as well?

Thanks so much for the help, my wife and I were looking for a loach that won't get too big to solve our snail problem.
Merry Christmas

[mickthefish]

i'd think the sidthimunki would suit the tank and in time would reduce your snail infestation if not altogether,
if any young guppy are born some are liable to be eaten, the largest ive ever seen were nearly 3 inches but that was in a public aquaria.
try looking at the species profile to see if any of them fit the bill.

mick
btw a very merry xmas to you and your family.

[Diana]

I assume mine are eating snails. The snail population has gone down in the tank where they are.
I feed all sorts of floating and sinking foods, fresh, frozen, dried and sometimes live. I do not know which of these the sids eat (as well as the snails).
I do not see guppy fry in this tank. I do have Gups, but a) they might not be producing; b) Some other fish might be eating fry (The Zebra Danio looks fat)

[Eyrie]

There are four tanks in my house and the only one with snails is the only one without loaches, so I assume the sids must have cleared their tank.

Read up on them first before introducing them though - a shoal of half a dozen will impact on your stocking levels.
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/ya ... idthimunki

Haven't a clue about their impact on guppy fry but they will need fed specific sinking foods rather than being expected to scavenge leftovers. Same of course goes for corydoras or any bottom dweller.

[ChemGuy]

Thanks guys for the help, I read your replies and went looking for a dwarf loach but was unsuccessful. I did talk to a couple of stores that have them in stock occasionally so i'm going to wait for them to get more in and buy a few
Merry Christmas