ajk Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 Hey all, just thought i'd clarify something with you all. I read that Dwarf cichlids eat snails. Is this true and are there any specific kinds that eat them more than others? Also, how do they go with plants ie: digging them out and eating leaves etc. Lastly, will they be OK with cardinals, rummy nose and discus? Thanks for your help! Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abob Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 Hmmm... Dwarf cichlids eating snails... I hadn't heard that. Mine don't. I have apistos and blue rams and they don't look twice at snails (unfortunatly). I pluck any snails within easy reach in my 65Gal tank and throw them in my apisto breeding tanks to hopefully eat any dead food missed by the fry. The parents have never touched one. Same goes for plants, they don't touch em IME and they don't dig either, in my 4 mm gravel anyway. I don't know about other dwarf cichlids. I'd say dwarves would be good with those fish in a reasonable sized tank with soft acidic water. Maybe try the dwarf cichlids forum for more opinions. Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mianos Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 I have quite a few bolivian butterfly (Microgeophagus altispinosa) in my fully planted tanks. In my experience they never eat snails and don't eat plants (even the wysteria, which my central american cichlids love to eat). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punie Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 Cichlids have a tendancy to eat plants (bigger ones that is.) But the known snail hunter is the dwarf puffer (freshwater mini blowfish!) and loaches, however loaches aren't as effective as puffers, unfortunately i haven't seen them here before. LFS would reccomend clown loaches but i'd go for 'yo yo' loach but they cost a bomb. I just threw in a clown loach in my tank but the snails are still thriving, though it could be my eyes playing tricks on me, but maybe the numbers are growing smaller. But from experience, if they get a taste of food (i.e. flakes / bloodworms) which come at a constant (when you feed your other fishes) they'll soon learn that they don't have to hunt snails anymore as there's an abundant supply of food everyday. Then they lose their usefulness as per algae eaters. Hope this helps, Jerome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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