# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna > Cyprinids >  Smallest 'Snail Eating' Loach

## anaconda

Whats the smallest Snail Eating loach?

The Dwarf Loach grows to 6cm, I saw on some website there is a species called the Pgymy Dwarf Loach..anyone know what that is?

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## Quixotic

Botia sidthimunki?

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## benny

> Botia sidthimunki?


I would agree that the dwarf chain loach, _Botia sidthimunki_ should be one of the smallest, if not the smallest.

Cheers,

p.s. I've edited the title. I read it as "smallest Snail" eating loach and got all excited!

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## juggler

What about the Kuhli Loach?

It's small too. Not sure if it eat snails though.

The earlier loach can grow to 5", not small.

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## MrTree

_Botia sidthimunki_  is probably the one, small and snail eater.

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## anaconda

oh thanks. 

whats the general condition to keep the Botia Sidthmunki? they need a pair or 1 alone will do? hiding spaces?

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## kray

> oh thanks. 
> 
> whats the general condition to keep the Botia Sidthmunki? they need a pair or 1 alone will do? hiding spaces?


At least 3 - 5. Will do well in a planted tank. I have 5 pieces with my cories, keyhold cichlids, whiptail...

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## lyh

i have kuhli loach in my tank but they don seem interested in the snails. they're more interested in my flakes.

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## anaconda

will the chain loach eat snails if there is pellet food available?

or do i have to cut down on the pellet so that they will attack the snails?

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## avant

i guess if you don't overfeed them with pellets, they will still take fancy on the snails.  :Smile:

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## TROUT

I have 3 in my 4 ft planted tank.But I don't see them eating snails,but they seem to nibble on the same things as my otos,i.e. plants & algae on glass walls.

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## hwchoy

I say the horseface is still the most inconspicuous one, despite its size.

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## avant

hwchoy... seen the horseface anywhere recently?

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## hwchoy

haven't been checking out the shops lately.

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## Quixotic

Seen at C328 about a week ago but few quantity, so not sure if they are still there as of now.

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## avant

ah okay.. thanks.. will check it out if i'm in the area  :Smile:

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## hwchoy

anyway you just need ONE in a whole tank.

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## Memnoch

will they tear up plants like some botias do? eat shrimps and snatch eggs?

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## Ah_ZhaN

> will they tear up plants like some botias do? eat shrimps and snatch eggs?


They may eat shrimplets and the eggs.

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## Mark in Vancouver

I keep _Y. sidthimunki_ and several different kuhli loaches - and snails, too... To my knowledge, these loaches are all _too_ small to be much use controlling snails.

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## Quixotic

For what it's worth, Mark, I came to the same observations as you did for my kuhliis but I guess there are other factors as well.

What I can hypothesise is that:

1. These small loaches may take young snails, or at least those small enough to fit in their mouth.

2. They eat up leftover food, so they are competing with snails for food. Less leftover food for snails = less snail population.

3. They really do eat all snails, but possibly not their favoured diet, or it is something that we aren't able to observe with our own eyes, given they hide a lot. So it probably depends on the size of the snail population and the loaches likings.

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## bryan

I have about 8-10 Kuhli hiding in my 2FT tank with some cherry barbs and harlequin. Before the kuhli were introduced, there was a sizeable snail population in the tank. It's been 6 months and I only see 2 surviving adult snails. I use a thin layer of fine white sand, and I find that it is littered with tiny snail shells. I believe the Kuhli are preventing the snails from reproducing.

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## andrewtyr

c328 sells the little botia correct?

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