Okay, slap me if I'm crazy but is there any way a black mystery snail, black kuhli loaches, and live plants can coexist without any of them being eaten? I have read that black kuhlis aren't as good at eating snails and that they have to learn to eat them from a kuhli that already knows how. True? Also how bad of damage would a mystery snail do to "water lilys" (don't know anything else to call em). I kinda have some algea growing on the side of the tank, I have cut back on lighting and amount of food so I am hoping to get a snail to get rid of it since this is not working. Thanks!! :bowing:
snail/plants/kuhlis?
- Thread starter willy:-)
- Start date
patoloco
De seguro no sabes lo que dice aqu
Taking chances can result in disaster in this hobby. About the kuhli needing a teacher, I know instinct can surface at any time. Snails can turn against your plant even having a lot of algae to eat.
Seems like you have a exploding cocktail pictured in here.
Seems like you have a exploding cocktail pictured in here.
A single mystery snail would poralby be too big for the loach to eat, and if their is just one, it shouldn't harm your plants, i think it would be okay.
If the snail is of decent size, kuhlis should not be able to eat it. And even smaller snails outbreed any attempts kuhlis make at eating them, in my case at least.
As for the snail eating plants I doubt it would be a problem. I have a million snails
, including MTS, ramshorn, pond snails (not exactly sure, could be mystery or even apple), and even a couple of limpets, and my plants are fine. Of course I see chewed on leaves from time to time, but they are mostly either decaying or new delicate leaves and in comparison to the whole tank the problem is almost nonexistant. I would say it also depends on the type of plants you have. Hope this helps.
As for the snail eating plants I doubt it would be a problem. I have a million snails
, including MTS, ramshorn, pond snails (not exactly sure, could be mystery or even apple), and even a couple of limpets, and my plants are fine. Of course I see chewed on leaves from time to time, but they are mostly either decaying or new delicate leaves and in comparison to the whole tank the problem is almost nonexistant. I would say it also depends on the type of plants you have. Hope this helps.Thanks everybody, Does anybody know exactly how a kuhli eats a snail? Like does it suck it out or attack it while it is out of the shell or what? And does it really depend on the size of the snail wether or not it gets eaten?
I have Kuhli Loaches and Apple Snails (aka, Mystery Snails) in my 55 gallon tank. The Kuhlis don't seem to bother the big snails: saw one Kuhli taking a nap across the top of one of the female snails this morning ... now small snails may be another matter: I'm not sure the Kuhlis get them, but I've watched my Rosy Barbs swallow 'em shell and all. The 1" diameter Apple/Mystery snails can pretty much take care of themselves, and they don't usually eat growing plants (they eat only the dead or dying ones), unless there is nothing else for them to eat.
Patricia
Patricia
Thanks, I'll just get a big one and if the kuhlis are trying to eat it or if it eats my plants it can always go in my goldfish tank.
I have never heard nor read anywhere (until here, now) that Kuhli Loaches eat snails. I know they are great at detritus cleanup.
However, Clown Loaches are very well known for eating snails.
As to how they (Clowns) eat them, you will hear a clicking sound, as if someone was tapping a small screwdrived on glass...that is the sound of a Clown sucking a snail body out of a shell.
If you are keen on having snails (and I know we cannot always control what comes in on plants), I would recomment Trumpet Snails. They don't eat plants, and do a great job stirring up the substrate.
However, Clown Loaches are very well known for eating snails.
As to how they (Clowns) eat them, you will hear a clicking sound, as if someone was tapping a small screwdrived on glass...that is the sound of a Clown sucking a snail body out of a shell.
If you are keen on having snails (and I know we cannot always control what comes in on plants), I would recomment Trumpet Snails. They don't eat plants, and do a great job stirring up the substrate.