Loaches & Cherry Shrimp

[dan2x38]

Maybe this is just a dumb question but here goes. I know most loaches will eat snails but will they munch on cherry shrimp too? Also have a large Singepore shrimp will they go after them too?

[DavidJohnson]

I have heard of people mixing Kuhli loaches with cherry shrimp.   Weather loaches and smaller loaches like the dwarf loaches might be OK as well but I would be hesitant to try to mix shrimp with larger loaches.  I know my clown loaches go crazy over the shrimp pellets I feed them so I can only imagine they would enjoy a live shrimp but I have never tried.

[Laura]

I think if it fits in their mouth, they'll munch.  It would also depend on the type of loach you're talking about.
I keep khulis with amanos and apple snails with no issues.  My weather loaches also didn't bug my apple snails when they shared a tank.  To be fair though, I have heard reports of neither of these combos working for other people.  I think my weathers ate my ghost shrimp, and I assume my khulis would suck down a baby or juvie cherry given the opportunity.
Some of the botia loaches I suspect would be more vigorous in their search for dinner.....

[dan2x38]

I have heard of people mixing Kuhli loaches with cherry shrimp.

Do Kuhlis eat snails?

[fischkopp]

Do Kuhlis eat snails?

No, not that I noticed. But they will go for their eggs/nests.

[KLKelly]

Weather loaches HA HA- 20 gallon QT tank full of snails and they didn't touch them.  They like cooler water anyhoo - not a good mix with tropicals.  No experience with the other loaches though.  I have an empty 56 gallon and I'm planning a loach tank if I ever get on top of my sick fish and bad water. Kuhli loaches are so cool.

[dan2x38]

What about YoYo's I love those characters?

If the Kuhli eats the eggs & nests of the snails then with hand picking & squishing the adults would that not do the trick with the little snail pests? Hence eliminating them eventually.

[KLKelly]

Yoyos need to be kept in groups- the pics I've seen of them - they get to be fat little buggers - not big like clown loaches. 

The loaches online outline - says that they are greedy and an avid snail eater.  Not sure if cherry shrimp would be safe.  Here's a link to the outline: http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-almorhae

[beowulf]

As the owner of multiple kinds of loaches, I would not really trust any of them with snails or shrimp.  I have tried all kinds of shrimp in my 110g community tank and not one has survived.  Then again I have clowns, yoyos, khulis, marbles and zebra loaches in the tank!!

[SuperT]

I have clowns with a couple hundred cherry shrimp (I started with 5 - 10 cherry shrimp) in one of my tanks.  either the population growth is faster than the consumption rate or they just leave them alone.  However in the discus tank I rarely see any that I've transplanted there.  Discus are killers. 

Terry

[dan2x38]

What about YoYo's I love those characters?

If the Kuhli eats the eggs & nests of the snails then with hand picking & squishing the adults would that not do the trick with the little snail pests? Hence eliminating them eventually.

Would the Kuhlis control or eliminate the snails?

[Fishnut]

Since they seem to go after the nests of the snails, I would think that's a great way to control the population.  I guess after a while the old snails would die off and there would be no more left.

[fischkopp]

Since they seem to go after the nests of the snails, I would think that's a great way to control the population.  I guess after a while the old snails would die off and there would be no more left.

... thats what happened to the pond snail population in one of my tanks. MTS stays unaffected and will not be harmed by Kuhlis as they are lifebearers. YoYos on the other hand are "snail killers" and may eradicate even MTS.