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Despite cutting back on food and lighting in my 15, i still have loads of algea. I still have loads of snails and they seem to prefur my plants to the algea The current stock is
1 Betta
5 Black Neon Tetras
3 (juvinile)Albino bronze catfish (will soon be pandas, and about 4 of them)
The schooling levels are low because of fish deaths due to stress (i got them about 2 days after they had been delivered to the LFS without knowing ) All of the schoolers seem happy but i am probably going to add another tetra. (The corys are happy in their little group)
My question is, could i add 2 ottos to that stock? And if i can, should i wait until the snails go? The thing is, i don't thik i am going to be able to get all the snails out in the near future, but they don't eat the algea anyway. Any comments/suggestions welcome, Thanks

You could probably add about 3 ottos. Were you thinking of something like:

1 Betta
6 Black Neon Tetras
4 panda corys
2 ottos

You could probably have 6 panda corys if you wanted but the stocking above would be fine. If you want to get rid of the snails you could try getting 3 dwarf loaches to eat the snails (I think they eat snails?). I don't think they eat algae though. You could try getting a few dwarf loaches then returning them and getting 2 ottos for the algae.

You could probably add about 3 ottos. Were you thinking of something like:

1 Betta
6 Black Neon Tetras
4 panda corys
2 ottos

You could probably have 6 panda corys if you wanted but the stocking above would be fine. If you want to get rid of the snails you could try getting 3 dwarf loaches to eat the snails (I think they eat snails?). I don't think they eat algae though. You could try getting a few dwarf loaches then returning them and getting 2 ottos for the algae.

That stock is EXACTLY what i was thinking. The thing about the Dwarf Chain Loaches is there are NONE near me. so, i am going to my LFS this afternoon, do you think i could get the Ottos, and they'd be ok with the snails in there. Today i am definitly getting another Cory and tetra.

The ottos are fine witht the snails. It would just be if YOU wanted to get rid of the snails. 2 Ottos will be fine with that stock. Unless the snails are really taking over, then there is not real need to get rid of them. Have fun at your LFS!

Thanks. The snails do bug me a bit, and i am trying to get rid of them, but over the last month i have taken out 200 snails, and they used to eat algea wafers i put in for my corys. i have now switched to catfish pellets.

The chain loaches are difficult to find, and when you do find them they aren't cheap. I managed to get 3 for £20, but I have seen them for £14 each. If you keep an eye out for them though they're well worth having, very lively and entertaining to watch. I too have a bit of a snail problem, and my 3 have taken a few weeks, but it does seem to be bringing the snail numbers down now. I had heard that they eat the snail eggs rather than the snails themselves so it takes a while to see any impact. I only mention this as if you take the advice to get a few and then trade them in, be aware that they won't rid you of snails in a week - which may give you an over stock if you've already got your ottos.

Also see my earlier thread on endangered fish about whether it is a good idea to be buying the chained loaches at all.

My betta hunts snails and eats them. Maybe you'll get lucky and yours will too. I don't know if that is normal behavior from them or if it's just my wacky betta!

"Constant vigilance!"
Mad-Eye Moody

Try treating the water with a medication that has copper in it. First remove any snail you can. Then the copper should prevent any eggs from hatching. Continue this for as long as it takes to rid yourself of snails. It may tke about a month or two. You could also use a medication ive herd of called Had A Snail. Only a few places have it but I have seen it at PetSmart.


As asked by Larry the Cable Guy: "Is it Pet's Mart or Pet Smart?"

20 Gallon Long:
Aquaclear 300
2 Bolivian Rams, Mikrogeophagus altispinosus: Gumby and Pokey

I would be very careful using copper things. Because corys can be killed if there is too much copper. ottos can too.

You can also reduce the pH and hardness of the water to help control the snails. Their shell are made of calcium which will disolve in soft water. Thin shells will reduce their health and limit breeding. Best of all this would be great for your cories, black neon, and ottos. I'm not sure about the betta with low pH but he can be easily remove just incase.

20 Gallon Long:
Aquaclear 300
2 Bolivian Rams, Mikrogeophagus altispinosus: Gumby and Pokey

Thanks for suggestions. I don't have the ottos yet because i went on holiday and a friend was looking after the fish.

1) Copper... i know fish can be sensitive towards it, and one of the corys is my favourite fish, and i really don't want to risk hurting her.

2) Medication ... i was going to try that, but can't that hurt the fish?

3)Lowering PH... i'm afraid the betta can't be easily removed. The tank is my ONLY tank, and the only other person i know who can take in fish has lots of gouramis in there.

Thanks so much for suggestions
Oh, my betta dosen't attack snails ... just sits there flaring and then swims off.

A proper copper medication instead of just tossing pennies in and used at around half dose should be just fine for cories but the big problem with that is all the snails will die at once. That will result in rotting snail bodies in your substrate and around your tank causing a big ammonia spike. Sometimes a big enough spike it can kill everything in the tank. Best if used only as a last resort.

Lowering ph and hardness will not kill pest snails. They are amazingly hardy and adaptable. Unlike desireable snails such as applesnails the pest snails will survive in any ph fish can survive long enough to multiply. You may not see any large pest snails and they may have holes in their shells but they will continue to reproduce.