Loaches Online Forum

The question of whether or not sids eat snails comes up quite frequently on another aquarium forum where I am a moderator. I do own a group of 42 sids that are in a tank with 3 young clown loaches. I have never seen a sid even remotely interested in eating a snail. Can any of you sids owners tell me that in fact they have witnessed their sids eating snails?

Debbi

I do not have Sids myself, but a friend of mine (Catsandfish on this forum) has about 9 of them.

His tank used to be pretty much free of snails, until he removed the Sids from it.
Now the tank is crawling with the buggers again.

I think he also had a Loricarid catfish that eats snails wich he sold recently.
It might also have something to do with te explosive snail population, because it was at about the same time as te moving of the Sids

I shall ask him wether he has seen the sids eat the snails.

Mine have polished off Malaysian Trumpet Snails, common and pond, Ramshorn, unknowns and even adult Apple snails.

I have personally witnessed my sids eat snails almost immediately after being dropped into the aquarium by myself.

OK, I appreciate the replies! Thank you!

Indeed Sidth's eat snails, and preferebly lot's

@ Francois: I still have that snail eating Lorricarid (L254 for those interested)
It's in 'the tank with the Sidth's
and will remain so i ain't never sellin her.

I would also add two things for people thinking about Sids.

1.) Only keep Sids, because you love them. In a group large enough for happy Sids (nice you have so many). Never buy a fish to eat snails. That fish may not be interested. I never see a lot of snails in my Sid tank, but I have never seen a Sid eat a snail. I have lots of snails in other tanks, and I move them around for my other fish's pleasure. SOme snails are pets. They make excellent cleaners.

2.) Sids can nip other fish. They can be very interested in other ifsh to the point of being a pest.

And one thing about snails.

1.) If people have lots of snails, find out why. Usually overfeeding. Cut back on the over feeding and the snails go away.

My sid tanks are still rife with gastropod life.

Can´t say it. No snails in my tank... sorry!