# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Trumpet snails and loaches in soil/gravel tank



## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

I was wondering if substrate burrowing animals are suitable for a tank w/ a soil/gravel substrate. Specifically, I'm wondering if I should add some some of my malaysian trumpet snails. I was also thinking of adding either some kuhli loaches or a weather loach. All of these have the tendencies to burrow in the substrate and i was wondering if this would be a problem in a tank with a soil layer under a gravel layer. Does anybody have any experiences with either the snails or the loaches in their tanks? 

Thanks in advanced for your input!

--ricardo


----------



## Miss Fishy (May 13, 2006)

Dear Ricardo, 

I have a Weather Loach in one of my tanks and blackworms in all of them. 

The Weather Loach is about 7 inches long. He doesn't dig very deep, and only occasionally stirs up soil in the corner of the tank where I feed him. This area has no plants, and so he can move the gravel about more easily. Sometimes a bit of soil gets stirred up, but it settles back through the gravel in a few seconds, and if it gets bad I just put more gravel over the top. If you do decide on Weather Loaches, get a group. Like Kuhli Loaches, they like to have friends! My poor Loach is lonely because it is now illegal to buy or sell them where I live (they have escaped into local waterways), and because the tank is coldwater I can't get any other type of loach. 

The blackworms burrow in the soil, but they only bring soil to the surface in one of my tanks. It doesn't matter, because this tank doesn't have any water movement. I think other people here keep Malaysian Trumpet Snails in their soil tanks without problems. 

From Alex.


----------



## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

Thanks Miss Fishy! I don't know if my 30 gal could support a group of weather loaches (other inhabitants will include a pair of pearl gouramis, a small school of some small tetra or barb (leaning towards cherry barbs right now), a bristlenose pleco, a small killifish (A. striatum) and maybe some shrimp) so maybe I should go with a group of kuhlis? Oh but the weathers are so CUTE! Well, what do you (or anybody else) think?

-ricardo


----------



## javalee (May 8, 2006)

Hi Ricardo,
I have 2 khulis in my 29g and i ADORE them. This tank is currently being converted to a soil tank, but I can say that they've been in there with gravel for almost a year and while they do do head-dives into the gravel, they rarely move it about much at all. I can't imagine that they would reach a soil layer under an 1.5" of gravel. Mine really don't burrow; they just push their heads around in nooks and crannies in the gravel rooting for food. I'd definitely recommend them. Mine aren't shy at all. Really cute little puppy faces with whiskers! I would recommend that you remember that will really be confined to the substrate so they need more square footage of tank bottom. I wouldn't keep them in anything smaller than a 29; I did have some in a 10g for a while and they literally climbed the walls they felt so confinded. Also, maybe you've had them before, but be REALLY careful acclimating them to the tank. Perhaps put them in a dark bag when taking them home; they stress out really bad when they feel exposed. Good luck and enjoy them!

By the way, Cherry barbs are great in a natural tank. Mine love digging for snails, and they snack on algae all day long. They love thick plant cover.


----------



## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

The MTS appear to be doing fine in my natural planted tanks. I haven't noticed any soil being brought up by them.


----------



## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

Betty and Javalee:

Thanks for your input. I'm def. sold on the kuhlis. I love them! I kept some once about 15 years ago in a 10 gal and they were always swimming around, perhaps, like you mentioned, Javalee, b/c they were too confined. I'm setting up a 30 gal (in addition to the 10 gal I just set up today and which I'll post a pic of in another thread) so I was thinking of getting 3 - 5... what do ya'll think? Is that too many? Too few?

As to the MTS, Betty, I'm going to take your advice and add some to the 10 gal I just set up. 

Thanks again everyone! I know I've posted a lot of questions and not many replies, but just having gotten started seriously w/ planted tanks, I don't have much info to offer... yet. I will help with questions and comments when I can, but in the mean time, thanks to everyone who's answered my questions and provided me with food for thought. This is def. my fav. aquarium forum on the net.

peace and love to all,
ricardo


----------



## flagg (Nov 29, 2004)

> Originally posted by rick6805:
> Betty and Javalee:
> 
> Thanks for your input. I'm def. sold on the kuhlis. I love them! I kept some once about 15 years ago in a 10 gal and they were always swimming around, perhaps, like you mentioned, Javalee, b/c they were too confined. I'm setting up a 30 gal (in addition to the 10 gal I just set up today and which I'll post a pic of in another thread) so I was thinking of getting 3 - 5... what do ya'll think? Is that too many? Too few?
> ...


----------



## Miss Fishy (May 13, 2006)

I've noticed that my Weather Loach doesn't burrow either unless looking for worms. Maybe these Loaches only burrow if they don't have enough hiding places? My Loach isn't shy either; he will eat off my fingers and even sit in my hand underwater!

I was watching some Kuhli Loaches at an LFS recently. There were about 30 tiny ones swimming along the front of a planted tank in a shoal. Every few seconds they would disperse to look for food, and then re-form for another lap. Adorable! 

From Alex.


----------

