Tag: Fishkeeping

The rainbow shark is one of those fish that looks fantastic in the store and can create real headaches if you don’t plan the tank properly. After 25 years in this hobby, I’ve seen the same pattern play out many times: someone buys a 2-inch rainbow shark because it looks striking, puts it in a community tank, and then discovers it has claimed the entire bottom level as its territory and is chasing anything that enters that space. Rainbow sharks are territorial bottom fish — one per tank, plenty of cover and hiding spots, and they do best with tankmates that swim higher in the water column. Get that right, and they’re one of the most visually impressive freshwater fish you can keep. This guide covers everything you need for successful rainbow shark care.

Let’s get started!

Brief Overview of Rainbow Sharks

Scientific Name	Epalzeorhynchos frenatum
Common Names	Ruby shark, Red-finned shark, rainbow sharkminnow, green fringelip labeo, whitefin shark, and whitetail sharkminnow.
Family	Cyprinidae
Origin	Mekong, Chao Phraya, Xe Bangfai, and Maeklong in Indochina
Diet	Omnivore
Care Level	Moderate
Activity	High/ very active
Lifespan	5 to 8 years (approx.)
Temperament	Aggressive / Dominant
Tank Level	Bottom
Minimum Tank Size	Min. 50 gallons
Temperature Range	72 ° F to 80 °F
Water Hardness	5 to 11 dH
pH Range	6 – 8
Filtration/Water Flow	Fast (mimicking the river basins)
Water Type	Freshwater
Breeding	Egg-layer
Difficulty to Breed	Difficult to breed
Compatibility	Moderate (get along with freshwater fish of the same size)
OK, for Planted Tanks?	Yes, especially for hard-leaved vegetation

Origin and Natural Habitat

Rainbow shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatum) is nothing like true sharks; they are freshwater fish, live peacefully with their kin, and feed on algae and plankton. However, they were named after the mighty sharks because of the upright dorsal fin that strikes a close resemblance to sharks while swimming.

The rainbow sharks originated from Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, and are now commonly found in the freshwater basins of Mekong, Chao, Phraya, Xe Bangfai, and Maeklong.

Unfortunately, the habitat destruction in the wild resulted in the decreased population of rainbow sharks. However, in nature, they are bottom dwellers and mostly live in sandy substrates.

Even though rainbow fish is a peaceful breed, it gets territorial and might give a tough time to their smaller tank mates. Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep a few fish in the aquarium, that is closer to their own size. Also, rainbow sharks are a little high-maintenance and might pose a challenge to novice fish keepers.

So, choose wisely!

What Do They Look Like?

As I mentioned before, Rainbow sharks are commonly known as red-finned sharks, which earned their name because of the dorsal fin.

And if you see them swimming, you might mistake them for baby ocean sharks for once!

However, rainbow sharks are small and have elongated and slender backs with flat stomachs. Their fins, as the name suggests, are bright red with somewhat orangish hues. The bright red-orangish fins pop out against their dull grey bodies.

The dorsal fins of rainbow sharks comprise 11 branched rays with a prolonged fin tail. Like ocean sharks, the rainbow shark’s face is flat, but the snout is somewhat rounded along with an elongated body that tapers off at the tail.

What’s the difference between the males and females?

Before stating the differences here, I’d like to emphasize that male rainbow sharks are very dominant and aggressive toward their gender. Therefore, I always recommend keeping rainbow sharks carefully; one male in a tank is enough!

Coming back to the variations, there’s not much to name their gender, especially for juvenile rainbow sharks. To clearly reveal the gender, it’s always best to wait until the sharks grow completely and reach adulthood.

An adult rainbow shark has a thin body with bright red-colored fins and black lines on its tailfins. Comparatively, female rainbow sharks possess faded coloration with more pronounced bellies and the black, grey lines on the tailfins are absent in females.

The lifespan of rainbow sharks depends on:

1. Overall tank and water environment
2. Diet rich in vegetable and protein matter
3. Perfect sandy substrate for bottom-dwelling

Temperament and Activity Level

One thing that I genuinely love about the Rainbow shark breed is its agile and lively nature (video source).

Also, since they are bottom dwellers, they enjoy their time in the water grazing for food.

Therefore, many aquarists discourage tanks or aquariums for the rainbow shark as the confined space might trigger their aggressive side. As a result, they might attack smaller sharks and ultimately kill them.

Nonetheless, if you want to keep a group in home aquariums, make sure to install a large tank.

Mature ones are territorial

Juvenile rainbow sharks are social and get along with other fish pretty well.

But as soon as they reach adulthood, they become standoffish and solitary, asserting dominance in the presence of other fish.

To cater to this, I advise making tunnels, caves, and crevices for hiding. Also, it’s advisable to plant dense and healthy vegetation for the well-being of other fish and thriving a healthy community that involves fewer accidents.

What are Good Tank Mates for Them?

Well, if you ask me, I’d say, no mates are always better!

You might argue that they get along with true loaches and plecos really well.

Yes, I agree!

But in the wild only. In captivity, the rainbow sharks are quite aggressive and territorial. And like I mentioned before, they are bottom-dwellers; they don’t enjoy the company of other scavengers.

And this brings me to the conclusion that bottom dwelling tank mates should always be avoided for Rainbow sharks.

However, if you’re still adamant, I advise you to introduce your red-fin shark to a pre-occupied tank with only a few fish to reduce the likeliness of harassment.

Red-fin sharks are compatible with upper and middle tank dwellers, including.

• Danios
• Rasboras
• Gouramis
• Barbs
• Rainbowfish
• Clown Loach
• Indian Loach
• Snails

Also, while introducing rainbow sharks to their tank mates, be wary of their size and personality so that they could defend themselves.

Least Compatible Tank Mates

The worst tank mates for Rainbow sharks are shy and small fish, which are easily dominated.

Also, avoid bottom dwellers, very large, and aggressive tank mates including.

1. Red-tailed shark
2. Bala sharks
3. Loaches
4. Catfish
5. Red Devil Cichlids
6. Green Terror Cichlids

What do they eat?

The fact that rainbow sharks are omnivorous makes them voracious eaters. Also, they are not finicky and enjoy plants and prey.

The feeding habits in their native habitat rely on decaying plants, plankton, algae, insects, larvae, worms, and much more.

However, in captivity, since we target good coloration and a healthy lifespan, it’s best to include high-quality vegetable and protein matter.

For exquisite coloration and luster, I recommend feeding plants to the fish, such as lettuce, cucumber, cabbage, etc.

Also, they are bottom-dwellers, so make sure you get sinking pellets so they don’t miss out on some good nutritional diet.

Juveniles should munch on a protein-rich diet (brine shrimp, worms, and live food) to remain healthy and become brighter and stronger as they age.

However, since rainbow sharks are scavengers, they sometimes might overeat, which results in some illnesses. Therefore, it’s best to start feeding once a day to understand their pattern and adjust the diet accordingly.

Normally 2 feeding sessions a day comprising 5 minutes of feeding works the best for rainbow sharks.

Below is the list of recommended food you should incorporate into the diet of your rainbow shark.

• Insect larvae
• Algae (tablets/wafers)
• Bloodworms
• Tubifex Worms
• Brine Shrimp
• Daphnia
• Artemia
• Pellets
• Flakes
• Vegetables (peas, cucumber, zucchini, lettuce, and spinach)

Albino

The most common and popular variation of Rainbow sharks is the Albino variant.

The Albino rainbow shark possesses white abdomens with bright red eyes and fins that make them stand out in the tank. Though the variety is extremely rare, it is fondly loved by aquarists.

Albinos are very active, bottom-dwellers that feed on biofilm, plankton, and other organisms in the freshwater. Juvenile Albinos are sociable and amicable. However, as they age, they become more distant and aloof. Hence, they don’t get along with fish of their own kind including Flying Foxes, and Siamese bottom feeders. 

If you’re planning on keeping your Albinos in a small tank, think again!

Albino rainbow shark is known to be a very active jumper, so it demands large tanks with ample water flow and decent filtration. I also recommend installing protective aquarium lids, just so you don’t have to deal with accidents.

As long as the diet of Albinos is considered, get your fresh veggies ready, as Zucchini, Cucumber, and other high-quality vegetable and protein matter (brine shrimps, frozen bloodworms) are ideal for Albino Rainbow Sharks.

 Personally, I would recommend Albino Rainbow shark to experienced fish keepers because:

1. High-maintenance
2. Slightly aggressive

Breeding

Let me be very honest here.

If you’re raising rainbow sharks for the purpose of breeding, it’s time to move on!

That’s because the chances of breeding rainbow sharks, especially in captivity, are close to none.

Firstly, in their juvenile years, it’s impossible to distinguish between males and females. Secondly, rainbow sharks are so dominant and aggressive that they barely allow other fish to share the tank.

Therefore, there are few successful results of breeding rainbow sharks in aquariums (video source).

In nature, it’s a different story.

Rainbow sharks or Ruby sharks, like mentioned earlier, reach their sexual maturity as soon as they are 4 inches. The females lay eggs and males fertilize them later.

The ideal breeding months of Rainbow sharks are October and November. Thereafter the male fertilizes the eggs and the eggs are then transferred to a separate tank until the fry appears after a week.

The fry depends on high-quality protein so that they develop vibrant red fins and a healthy luster.

Care

Luckily, you don’t need to care much about the rainbow shark as it enjoys its own company and eats whatever is accessible to them.

However, if you are someone who believes in the healthy nurturing of their pet fish, the tank size, balanced, and water quality of the aquarium should be your top priority.

Tank Size

While keeping the rainbow shark, know that we don’t start small here.

That being said, 50 gallons tank size is the bare minimum, that too for one rainbow shark.

If you’re planning on keeping multiple rainbow sharks, be sure to provide substantial tank space.

Also, the length of your tank should at least be four feet long and 18 inches wide, considering a single fish.

Since rainbow shark is an active jumper and avid swimmer, it’s best to keep the tank big and wide so that your adorable red-finned pets can get the most of their lives.

Water Parameters

An interesting factor that keeps most aquarists from raising rainbow sharks is their fondness for their natural environment.

It’s almost impossible to recreate the natural conditions for rainbow sharks to reduce their aggression and dominance.

However, all we can do is try!

Rainbow sharks originally come from Southeast Asia’s freshwater basins where the water temperature ranges between 72°F to 82°F.

Therefore, the optimal water temperature for the rainbow shark falls somewhere between 77°F.

So, I suggest maintaining the water temperatures of your tank between 72°F to 82°F with the help of a premium heater that sets the temperature effectively.

Also, in the wild, these sharks enjoy river water that flows at a higher speed.

Therefore, maintain the water movement of the tank between moderate or fast to mimic their natural habitat.

Water pH and Hardness

Water pH and hardness are essential to maintain for keeping rainbow sharks calm and stress-free.

The ideal pH level ranges between 6 to 8 pH while the water hardness should be no less or more than 5 to 11 dH.

Substrate and Water Flow

Being a freshwater fish, the rainbow shark loves sandy bases. Also, many aquarists believe that’s a plus point because the sand is easy to clean and seldom collects food and other fish food waste that may be harmful to your fish.

Besides sand, you may opt for round gravels that are not too edgy or sharp to avoid potential injuries.

Additionally, as I mentioned before, the water flow should also be maintained to entertain your rainbow shark. I recommend installing small jets and air-stones to control the constant water pressure and flow.

If your tank houses more than one rainbow shark and is over 125 gallons, you can make use of controllable wavemakers, including EcoTech, IceCap, and several others.

Aquascape Decors

If you want to keep Rainbow sharks as your pet, I cannot stop stressing enough about recreating their natural habitat as they get quite upset in plain captivity.

The river basins in Thailand are filled with hiding places and natural vegetation. Therefore, you should consider freshening up the aquarium experience.

The sandy substrates help their scales from damaging when they are scavenging at the bottom and the hiding places give them plenty of space to spend their time in solitude.

I recommend setting up a tank with driftwood, boulders and pebbles, caves, and rock formation with lots of other decorations to keep your red-finned shark busy and happy.

Aquatic plants with hard foilage are also an excellent option to change their game. Since they are omnivorous, they like to munch on plants and green algae. Therefore, aquarists suggest keeping hard-leaved plants in the aquariums.

Also, the plants and decorations reduce the chances of conflicts between the different fishes. Nevertheless, if your tank houses just one rainbow shark, the decors and plantations are pretty straightforward.

Furthermore, it helps them to have a peaceful corner for themselves to feel safe and secure. When they feel unharmed, they are pleasant and lively.

The best plants for rainbow sharks are.

1. Java Fern
2. Anubias
3. Hornwort
4. Lemon Bacopa
5. Vallisneria
6. Amazon sword

Lighting

If you ask me, I’d say lighting isn’t a requirement for rainbow sharks. However, it’s always best to follow a natural day and night cycle to offer them their natural lifestyle.

Also, stronger illumination help algae to develop in your tank, which allows easier grazing for your rainbow minnow.

However, sometimes the bright lightings might get a little overwhelming for your sharks. Therefore, I recommend installing LED lights that are more economical and programmable.

Proper Filtration

The rainbow shark demands exceptional water quality, tank size, and proper sanitization and filtration.

Rainbow sharks cannot stand low oxygen levels and toxins such as nitrates, nitrite, and Ammonia. So, a filter would be essential for raising a healthy rainbow shark.

For filters, I recommend investing in a canister filter better than the HOB.

That’s because the ideal range of rainbow shark filters should be 360GPH and above, and the canister filter will provide just that.

If you have small sharks in your aquarium tank, fret not!

Canister filters can be easily adjusted and provide the perfect volume for your tank.

Diseases

In terms of diseases and other illnesses, rainbow sharks are pretty hardy. But like any other freshwater fish species, they sometimes catch illnesses that are common and can easily be treated.

Some of the diseases are discussed as under.

Swim Bladder Disease

If you notice your rainbow fish swimming queerly, you might mistake it with the fun behavior.

However, it’s much more than that!

The swim bladder disease is a serious medical condition when a fish cannot swim properly and have difficulty controlling their ability to swim or float.

Symptoms

• Standing on the head
• Swimming upside down
• Distended belly
• Loss of appetite
• Curved back
• Floating on the sides

Causes

The major cause of swim bladder disease is the compression or squeezing of the swim bladder by overeating, gulping air, or constipation.

Some other causes also include.

1. Bacterial infection
2. Cysts
3. Egg bound, in females
4. Parasites
5. Fatty liver tissues

Constipation

If you have spent much time looking after aquarium fish, you might have noticed stingy feces, usually hanging from the fish.

That’s the major symptom of constipation.

When that occurs, wait for a few days and it should be gone on its own. But in severe cases, feeding a balanced diet that includes peas, brine shrimp along salt baths should help alleviate the symptoms.

Symptoms

1. Stingy and hanging feces
2. Bloating
3. Laziness

Causes

1. Lack of fiber

FAQs

1. Rainbowfish
2. Barbs
3. Indian Loach
4. Gouramis
5. Clown Loach
6. Snails

Final Thoughts

Rainbow shark is a beautiful freshwater aquarium fish that adds grace to your home. However, if you cannot afford a bigger tank, I suggest you keep looking for other better and smaller alternatives like nano fish.

One thing that I would strongly advise is recreating the natural environment within the tank with the recommended decors and aquascape.

Also, a happy rainbow shark is mellow and decent. So, make sure to gear up all the essentials before you bring one home.

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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

The single most important thing to get right in an axolotl tank setup is temperature — and it’s also the most commonly overlooked. Axolotls need water between 60 and 68°F. At 70°F and above, they become stressed, stop eating, and become vulnerable to bacterial infections. In most homes, especially in summer, that means you need an aquarium chiller. It’s an extra cost that surprises a lot of new axolotl keepers who assumed a heater was the only temperature equipment they needed. Beyond temperature, the other non-negotiables are fine sand substrate (axolotls will swallow gravel and get intestinal impactions), gentle filtration with low flow (they stress in strong currents), and nothing sharp or abrasive near those external gills. Get those right and the rest is straightforward. Here’s the complete tank setup guide.

Before we get started, however, let’s make sure you know a little about this awesome amphibian.

Species Overview

Scientific Name	Ambystoma mexicanum
Common Names	Axolotl, Mexican walking fish, Mexican salamander, or Mexican axolotl
Family	Ambystomatidae
Origin	Originally found in several lakes, such as Lake Xochimilco underlying Mexico City
Diet	Carnivore
Care Level	Intermediate
Activity	Low
Lifespan	10-15 years
Temperament	Peaceful
Tank Level	Bottom
Minimum Tank Size	20 gallons
Temperature Range	59 – 73°F (15 – 23°C)
Water Hardness	125-250ppm (7-14deg)
pH Range	6.5 – 8.0
Filtration/Water Flow	Low
Water Type	Freshwater
Breeding	Egg-layer
Difficulty to Breed	Intermediate
Compatibility	Species-only tank or community tank
OK, for Planted Tanks?	Yes, but known to uproot plants

Axolotl Tank Setup Guide

Ambystoma mexicanum, commonly referred to as the axolotl, Mexican walking fish, Mexican salamander, or Mexican axolotl, are salamanders that stay in their larval stage.

This means that axolotls will never morph into their adult forms and are thus known as neotenic salamanders. This, however, means that an axolotl will never take to land and thus needs to be housed in a fully aquatic tank setup.

Lifespan

Axolotls are only for those who are ready for a long-term commitment. If cared for properly, these critters will bless you with up to 15 years of cuteness.

Make sure you choose a healthy axolotl to start off with. It can become quite challenging to nurse them back to health.

The stress of moving house won’t help either. This means that a sick axolotl is more likely to get sicker due to stress. Healthy axolotls tend to handle rehoming much better.

Appearance

Adult axolotls are usually dark brown with black speckling. Since they remain aquatic, you can expect to see dark gills extending from both sides of the head.

It is also possible to find other color morphs such as albinos and specimens with both white and brown markings. In albinos or white varieties, you can expect the feathery gills to be a pink color (like the one pictured above).

Mexican walking fish have pretty long tails, while their legs and feet are small in comparison. There is a fin along the spine that extends from the tip of the tail all the way to the back of the head. You can expect to see another lower fin that extends from between the hind legs all the way to the tip of the tail.

Axolotls should always be kept in water due to their permeable skin. If left outside of the water for even a short amount of time, your axolotl will dehydrate and die.

Permeable skin also makes axolotls vulnerable to chemicals in the water. For this reason, you need to make sure only tap water treated with a water conditioner is added to the tank.

Amazingly, these animals can regrow their limbs. Mexican walking fish scientific studies have become quite popular for this particular reason. Everyone would like to know exactly how they do it and if it’s possible to replicate the process for human use.

Average Size

Mexican walking fish may be bigger than you first imagined. The average size of these exotic critters is around 9 inches (23cm).

They can get to about 12 inches (30cm), however, so make sure your tank is big enough to accommodate the size of your fully grown adult axolotls. Many keepers will tell you bigger tanks are always better to house axolotls.

Temperament And Behavior

Ambystoma mexicanum are very peaceful pets. They do very well in community setups with other aquarium fish.

The slow nature of an axolotl makes them relatively safe to have around small fish and other aquatic creatures like shrimps. Pet axolotls prefer to keep to themselves most of the time, even when you have more than one of them in the same tank.

If you have a brightly lit tank, you may never see your axolotl. These critters are nocturnal and very sensitive to bright light. For this reason, they will hide in dark areas of the tank while the lights are on.

During times when the lights are off, the axolotl can be seen digging and sifting through the substrate. This is entertaining for them and appeals to their natural foraging behavior.

Health Considerations

Axolotls are very sensitive creatures. To keep them healthy, you will need to set up an axolotl-friendly tank.

When doing this, keep in mind their behavior, sensitivity, and also how much waste they produce.

For these reasons, axolotls need a tank with good filtration but no extreme currents. The most common signs of distress in axolotls include holding the gills more forward than usual, refusing to eat, and hiding a lot.

Stressed axolotls are also more prone to bacterial infections. If you see any injuries on your pet, make sure to get veterinary advice to solve the problem as quickly as possible.

Diet

Axolotls are highly carnivorous creatures. Fortunately, it’s fairly simple to feed these little wonders.

Feeding axolotls starts with gathering the right foods. They prefer meaty treats like aquatic insects or brine shrimp. What exactly they snack on will also depend on the size of your axolotl so don’t be surprised if brine shrimps just don’t cut it anymore.

If you’re worried about providing the right axolotl feed, consider getting some commercial fish food. Sinking pellets for carnivorous creatures are specifically designed to contain all the nutrients your pet needs to stay healthy. The food from Invert Aquatics below is a great choice.

Ultimately, what axolotls feed on will depend on what you provide. It’s best to feed a variety of fresh and frozen foods for optimal health.

In addition to the above-mentioned foods, you can also try feeding live mosquito larva, bloodworms, chopped earthworms, strips of meat, or even raw fish. Just keep in mind that you need to feed appropriate amounts to avoid uneaten food spoiling your water quality.

Handling

Handling axolotls should be done with care. If you can avoid it, don’t touch your pet. Instead, use a fine mesh net to catch and relocate your axolotl.

The net will prevent any unnecessary injuries and make it much easier to catch your axolotls when you need to.

Tank Setup

Now that you know a little more about the aquatic animal known as an axolotl, you can start thinking about what you’ll need to create the perfect habitat. Axolotls aren’t very picky about how their tanks look as long as you pay attention to a few critical needs (video source).

Here’s what you need to know.

The Tank

Axolotls don’t need much when it comes to tanks. They can be placed in just about any tank as long as it has enough floor space and has a minimum capacity of around 20 gallons. The main Axolotl cost is upfront with the tank, equipment, and animal. maintenance cost is pretty reasonable.

Beginner pet owners may be incorrectly informed on the care of an axolotl. Some pet stores suggest an axolotl tank with as little as 10 gallons capacity. While these tanks can house younger axolotls just fine, it’s not ideal for fully grown adults.

Axolotls create a lot of waste. If the tank is too small, the water parameters will fluctuate quite drastically. This will affect the health of your axolotl in the long run.

It’s always better to go bigger for this exact reason. Bigger tanks have more water in them which means changes in the water parameters will happen slower. This makes it easier to keep your pet axolotl healthy.

You can start off with a small 10-gallon tank for your young axolotls, but keep in mind you’ll soon have to upgrade. If you can go up to 40 gallons from the start, your axolotl will stand a better chance of staying healthy for its entire life.

Substrate Considerations

Most axolotl keepers often create their axolotl tank with a bare bottom. This makes it easy to keep the tank clean, but might affect the health of your pet.

Leaving the tank bare will simplify doing water changes. You can simply suck up any waste at the bottom of the tank without worrying about the substrate. There’s also less chance of anaerobic bacteria causing problems in your axolotl tank.

Unfortunately, bare bottom tanks can cause some stress in your axolotl. They don’t like slipping on the bottom of the tank and may develop sores on the toes due to the effort they exert to hold on.

They also need something to keep them occupied to prevent boredom. Having a bare bottom tank prevents natural foraging behavior such as digging.

Sand is the best substrate for axolotl tanks. Fine sand will prevent slipping and provide endless entertainment. Axolotls love to dig and sift through sand to mimic natural foraging behaviors.

If your pet accidentally eats some of the sand, the particles are also small enough to pass through the digestive system without any problems.

It’s best to avoid any fine gravel. These particles are small enough to be swallowed but too big to pass through the digestive system. This can cause problems such as impaction that will lead to the death of your beloved pet.

Coarse gravel should also be avoided. Even if the particles are big enough not to be swallowed, they will irritate the sensitive skin of your axolotl and cause injuries.

Tank Decorations

Axolotl care includes providing enrichment as well as escapes. By adding tank decorations you can do just that. Here are a few things you should consider adding to your axolotl tank.

Driftwood

Driftwood without any sharp edges is great for axolotl tanks. You can create interesting aquascapes as well as some perfect places to hide.

Driftwood can also be used to grow plants like java fern and anubias nana. These plants prefer to grow attached to objects like driftwood with their roots exposed to the water.

Rocks

It’s always a good idea to add a few rocks to your axolotl tank. River rocks can be stacked to create caves and tunnels for your axolotl to hide in and swim through.

Cichlid rocks are an excellent addition as well. These are fake rocks with holes in them specifically made to provide shelter.

Plants

Live plants are a great choice for an axolotl tank. These creatures produce a lot of waste that is turned into nutrients with the help of the beneficial bacteria in your tank.

These nutrients make excellent plant fertilizer. This means that live plants will remove excess nutrients in the water which in turn improves water quality. Low light plants are ideal given the nocturnal nature of these animals.

Plants are also soft and flexible which means your axolotl can swim in between them without the potential of getting snagged or otherwise injured. Axolotls can also use them as shelter when the need arises.

It’s best to stick to plants like java ferns that prefer to grow on other ornaments instead of in the substrate. Axolotls have a habit of digging up plants that are rooted in the substrate.

Fake plants are an option for axolotl tanks, but they aren’t ideal. They tend to have sharp edges that can injure your axolotl. They also don’t bring any benefits to the tank.

Hides

If your tank doesn’t already have enough hiding spots, then you can consider getting a hide. These are especially important in tanks with extra lighting in planted aquariums.

A hide will create a nice dark hiding spot for your axolotl to relax while the aquarium lights are on. Axolotls are quite sensitive to light so they will appreciate this little getaway.

Hides can be just about anything from an aquarium castle with little holes, to ceramic pipes strategically placed around the tank. Just make sure that whatever hide you choose has no sharp edges that can injure your beloved pet axolotl.

Filtration System

Axolotls are known to produce large amounts of waste quite quickly. For this reason, it is very important to have a strong filtration system.

Unfortunately, this can be quite tricky since an axolotl prefers a filtered tank with a relatively low flow compared to most aquarium critters. The next challenge is providing adequate aeration at the same time. Canister filters are excellent as they can work in lower water levels and won’t make the noise a power filter will make with water splashing from the outflow.

You can also utilize an internal filter, but you will want to consider oversizing given the waste production of these animals.

These not-so-small amphibians are quite clumsy swimmers. If the flow in your filtered aquarium is too strong, your axolotl will quickly become exhausted fighting against the current. This exhaustion will lead to stress and ultimately illness and early death.

If you’re unsure if your tank has too much flow, observe your axolotl. Most axolotls will hold their gills more forward than usual when stressed by the flow in your aquarium.

Sponge filters are an excellent choice for axolotl tanks. Despite how effectively they filter waste, they still create a relatively low flow compared to many other filters and pumps available on the market. Sponge filters also increase aeration and oxygen levels which takes care of both problems in one go.

Lighting

Amphibian enthusiasts will tell you that axolotls do just fine without any lighting in their tanks. In fact, they even prefer tanks without any aquarium lights. Axolotls are nocturnal animals, and this means they will be most active in the dark or in the dim lighting provided by the room’s external lighting.

If planted tank lights are required in your aquarium for growing living plants, it is very important to make sure your axolotl has a dark hiding spot to get away from it all. Axolotls don’t have great eyesight, but their eyes are very sensitive to bright light.

You will notice your axolotl only emerging once the lights in your tank go out. To minimize the time your axolotl needs to hide, make sure to choose plants with low light requirements such as anubias nana, cryptocorynes, and java fern.

Water Parameters

Axolotls aren’t too picky when it comes to their water parameters. As long as you stay in the tolerated range, you should have minimal problems.

This doesn’t mean you can skip on doing tank maintenance, however. Aquarium water can go from good to terrible fairly quickly.

If you have some experience in the aquarium hobby, you will know how important it is to test your water regularly. To do this you will need an aquarium water test kit.

This water test kit should give you an idea of what your water parameters look like with the exception of temperature. You’ll need a thermometer to check that.

If you’re wondering what normal axolotl water parameters are, take a look below:

• Water temperature: The acceptable range for water temperature is 59 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit (15 – 23°C). The ideal temperature for this species, however, is between 60 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit (16 – 18°C).
• pH: The acceptable range for pH is 6.5 to 8.0. The ideal pH for your axolotl tank will be 7.4 – 7.6.
• GH: 125-250ppm (7-14deg)
• kH: 53-143ppm (3-8deg)
• Ammonia (NH3): 0 ppm
• Nitrite (NO2-): 0 ppm
• Nitrate (NO3-): <60 ppm

Water Temperature

Try to keep the temperature within the temperature range provided. If the tank water constantly warms up to beyond the acceptable range, you might need an aquarium chiller.

The warmer the water, the more stressed your axolotl will become. Warmer water contains less oxygen than cooler water. Axolotls require lots of oxygen to stay healthy which means better aeration is required. If the axolotl just can’t adapt to the change or the aeration isn’t sufficient, it will become stressed and die.

In an emergency, cool the water by adding ice cubes made from fish-safe, treated water. In the case of the water being too cold, simply install an aquarium heater to regulate the temperature.

Make sure to install a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature in your tank.

Tank Mates

Not all creatures do well as tank mates for axolotls. Some fish tend to nip at their feathery gills. Axolotls are also nocturnal which means they can easily ambush sleeping fish for a quick meal. If you’re still wondering what to place in the tank with your walking fish, take a look at the following suggestions.

Suitable Tank Mates

• Other Axolotls (Best choice as long as they have enough space and are of equal size)
• Small Shrimp (ghost shrimps)
• Guppies
• Mini soft-shelled snails (Ramshorn snails)
• White cloud minnows
• Other species of peaceful cool water fish

Tank Mates To Avoid

• Goldfish (Fancy goldfish may work as companions for axolotls)
• Cichlids
• Cory catfish
• Otocinclus catfish
• Any species of aggressive or very large fish

Cory catfish and otocinclus catfish may seem harmless to your axolotl. Unfortunately, these fish do have spines on their dorsal and pectoral fins which can cause fatal injuries to your axolotl if it attempts to eat one of them.

Cycling The Tank

It is very important to prepare your axolotl’s tank at least one month before your new buddy arrives. This allows good bacteria to grow in your tank which in turn stabilizes the water parameters.

These bacteria are responsible for breaking down ammonia which is produced by uneaten food particles as well as axolotl waste. Ammonia is a toxic substance if left untreated.

After being broken down by the bacteria it will be turned into nitrites and then nitrates. Nitrites are still toxic, but the ultimate product, nitrates, is relatively harmless.

If your tank is maintained properly, you should never have spikes in ammonia and nitrites as long as your aquarium is properly cycled beforehand.

Tank Maintenance

Axolotl care starts with proper aquarium maintenance. You will need to do 20% water changes weekly to control the water quality in the tank. A gravel vacuum will come in handy here for siphoning waste from the bottom of the tank.

Before adding new water to the tank, however, make sure it is treated with a water conditioner. Conditioning tap water removes any harmful chemicals such as chlorine from the water.

Your axolotls will spend their entire lives in this tank, so make sure they have the healthiest environment possible.

Keeping Multiples in Your Tank

If you plan on keeping more than one axolotl, start with a minimum tank size of 55 gallons. For every additional axolotl after that add another 10 gallons.

This will allow for the appropriate amount of water to prevent ammonia spikes, prevent aggression, and ultimately unnecessary deaths. Some hobbyists take interest in breeding Axolotls. I have a separate article for that if you are interested here.

FAQS

Final Thoughts

Now that you know a bit more about setting up an axolotl tank you should have no problems designing your own. Just remember to set up a decent filtration system and provide lots of hiding places for your axolotl to relax in.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to comment below.

The dojo loach — also known as the weather loach or pond loach — is one of the most underrated fish in the freshwater hobby. After 25 years in this hobby I’ve developed a real appreciation for them. They’re called “weather fish” because they genuinely become more active before storms, sensing changes in barometric pressure — one of the most interesting behaviors you’ll see in a home aquarium. But there are also some things to know before buying: dojo loaches get larger than most people expect (up to 12 inches), they’re legendary escape artists that will find any gap in your lid, and they prefer cooler water than most tropical species. This guide covers everything you need to keep them thriving.

The Dojo Loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus), is an awesome freshwater fish that makes a really great addition to freshwater aquariums. These eel-shaped fish have loads of personality and can be very entertaining to watch as they explore the bottom of the fish tank.

Species Overview

Scientific Name	Misgurnus anguillicaudatus
Common Names	Dojo Loach, Weather Loach, Japanese Weather Loach, Weatherfish, Pond Loach, Oriental Loach, Dojo Fish
Family	Cobitidae
Origin	Central & Eastern Asia from Siberia to Vietnam. Introduced widely
Diet	Carnivore
Care Level	Easy
Activity	Moderate
Lifespan	7-10 years
Temperament	Peaceful
Tank Level	Bottom
Minimum Tank Size	55 gallons
Temperature Range	59° – 77°F
Water Hardness	1 – 12 dKH
pH Range	6 – 8
Filtration/Water Flow	Low
Water Type	Freshwater
Breeding	Egg-layer
Difficulty to Breed	Difficult to breed
Compatibility	Species-only tank or community tank
OK, for Planted Tanks?	Yes, but known to uproot plants

Origins and Habitat

The Dojo Loach is a fish species with a pretty wide distribution. They are native to the countries of:

• Russia
• China
• Japan
• Korea
• Vietnam        

Today, the Dojo Loach has an even wider distribution because it has been introduced to many countries outside of its natural range. Sometimes these fish escape when kept in ponds, and sometimes people release them into local waterways.

As a result, you can find these fish swimming wild in parts of Europe, The USA, and Australia. Their natural habitat is ponds, swamps, and shallow streams with a soft, muddy substrate.  

What Do They Look Like?

The Dojo Loach is a long, eel-like fish. They have a small, rounded tail and a similar-sized dorsal fin that is set quite far back.

Like other loaches, the Weatherfish has 1o little whiskers around its mouth. These structures are actually called barbels and they help the fish to find food.

Varieties

Their color varies a lot and they can be plain, striped, or marked in spots and blotches. In the aquarium hobby, interesting albino and golden color morphs are also available.

• Golden Dojo Loach

Gold Dojo Loaches are a really cool color morph that has a plain, golden yellow body color, usually with dark eyes.

• Albino Dojo Loach

Albino Dojo Loaches can be a little lighter in color than the gold dojos and have red eyes.

Size

Dojo Loaches are medium-sized fish that usually grow to about 6 inches long in the home aquarium. They can grow to double this size in the wild, however. If you can provide them with a nice big aquarium and great water quality, you might just be surprised at how big they grow!  

Dojo Loach Care Guide

One of the reasons that Dojo Loaches are so popular is that they are friendly fish with great personalities. In case you’ve been wondering about why the Dojo Loach is also known as a Weather loach, this next fact will amaze you.

These fascinating fish can predict changes in weather. They don’t use satellite imagery or any fancy technology for this, rather the barometric pressure changes that happen before a storm causes their activity levels to spike.

So if you see your Weatherfish spring into action and start getting restless, it might be time to shut the windows and get ready for some rain. Apart from this, Dojo Loaches can be pretty inactive fish.

They love hanging out at the bottom of the tank and hiding in caves or under rocks and driftwood. They also enjoy digging through the substrate and you’ll often find just their little faces sticking up out of the sand.    

What Are Good Tank Mates?

The first tank mate to get for your Weather Loach is definitely a few more Weather Loaches! These fish are most comfortable in groups and will be more bold and active with a few friends around. That doesn’t mean you can’t keep them in a community tank other species as well though.

Before we get onto a few specific ideas, here are a few general pointers for choosing Dojo Loach tank mates:

• These fish require cooler water, so it’s important that you select tankmates that enjoy lower water temperatures
• Choose similar fish that are not known for aggression or fin nipping
• Avoid large predatory fish
• Try to choose some mid and topwater tank mates to avoid overcrowding the bottom of the tank  

Best Tank Mates for Them

Now that you know what to look out for, here are a couple of great species that I would recommend:

• Leopard Danios
• Zebra Danios
• White Cloud Minnows
• Kuhli Loach
• Rosy Barb 

Least Compatible Fish for Them

Unfortunately, warm-water tropical fish will not be good tankmates, unless they are comfortable in temperatures of below about 77°F. Here are a few examples of fish that are not recommended:

• Oscars and other large cichlids
• Larger catfish
• Warm water fish like Discus

Goldfish

There are too many reports of Dojo Loaches attacking Goldfish to ignore. While keeping them together with Common Goldfish is probably perfectly safe, less agile fancy Goldfish should probably be avoided.

Invertebrates

These bottom dwellers feed on invertebrates like snails, crustaceans, and insect larvae. This means that they are not good tank mates for shrimp and snails.

In fact, Weather Loaches can be very handy for controlling pest snail populations in freshwater aquariums. Although larger shrimps like Amanos will probably hold their own against Weather Loaches, I wouldn’t recommend taking the risk.

Let’s take a look at how to provide them with a healthy diet:

Prepared Foods

As far as processed foods are concerned, bottom feeder tablets or sinking pellets are the best options for these fish. They will eat flake food but they don’t usually feed from the water surface.

It’s really fun to watch these fish feed. Once the tablet has reached the bottom of the tank (or sometimes even before), they will smell the food and begin searching the bottom of the tank. Once found, the feeding frenzy begins as they playfully wrestle each other, taking turns feeding on the shrinking pellet.

Another reason that this fish species can be so fun to keep is that, with a little patience, they will happily eat right out of your hand if they like the food you are providing.

Live & Frozen Foods

Feeding frozen and live foods is a great way to provide your Dojo Loaches with a natural food source. If you have other schooling fish in the tank like minnows or danios, your loaches might not get much before it’s all eaten though.

One way to limit this competition is to feed enough for all of your fish to get a good helping. Alternatively, you can add your live/frozen foods just after your other fish have had their fill of the pellets or tropical flakes they usually feed on.

Some great live/frozen foods that you can feed your Dojo Loaches include:

• Blood Worms
• Brine Shrimp
• Tubifex Worms

How Much and How Often to Feed Them

If feeding sinking foods like bottom feeder tablets, you can feed these fish every day or every second day. It really depends on the amount of food you are providing, as well as the number and size of your fish.

In order to prevent overfeeding, make sure you aren’t feeding more than your fish can eat in one go. Uneaten food in the tank tends to cause nasty ammonia spikes and reduced water quality.

Tank Setup

If you want your Dojo Loach to live the longest, healthiest life possible, you’ll need to create an awesome tank where it can feel right at home. Here’s how:

Tank Size

When it comes to choosing the best tank size for aquarium fish, you must consider both the size of the fish and their habits. In the case of the adult Weather Loach, you’re going to need a tank of at least 55 gallons.

When you first get your dojos, they might be just a few inches long, but then they still have plenty of growing to do! A mature Dojo Loach can reach nearly a foot long.

These fish don’t spend a whole lot of time swimming in the open water, so a tank with a large footprint is ideal so give them plenty of room to explore the bottom.

Don’t Forget the Lid/Hood

You might not think it by looking at them, but loach species tend to be great jumpers. Sadly, these fish will jump out of aquariums without lids, and usually, this ends in tragedy. For this reason, dojos should only be housed in aquariums with tight-fitting lids. If you are considering a rimless aquarium, purchase a glass lid from the manufacturer or store you purchase from.

Plants

Growing live plants in your aquarium is pretty much always a great benefit for your fish. Sometimes, however, the fish aren’t so good for the plants, and this can be the case with the Dojo Loach.

These fish are natural-born diggers, and they just love to crawl through the roots of plants. Unfortunately, this often disturbs the plants and sometimes uproots them completely.

While dojo loaches aren’t a great choice for carefully designed aquascapes, you definitely can keep them in planted tanks. I would suggest growing epiphytes that grow attached to driftwood, floating plants, or leaving stem and rosette plants in their pots.

Some great plants to use are:

• Java Moss
• Java Fern
• Anubias nana
• Water Sprite

Plants to avoid

• Dwarf Hair grass
• Micranthemum ‘Monte Carlo’
• Baby Tears

Substrate

Pond Loaches are bottom dwellers that love to dig and explore the bottom of the tank. They have sensitive whiskers called barbels, and their bodies are not covered in protective scales. This means that they can easily hurt themselves in a sharp, coarse substrate.

In their natural habitat, these fish prefer mud and soft sand, but the best aquarium substrates for them is definitely fine sand or rounded gravel.

Decor

Apart from burying themselves in the substrate, Weather Loaches also love to hang out in caves and other hiding places. You can make up your own hiding places by stacking rocks or driftwood carefully, just make sure you arrange your hardscape securely to prevent any accidents during tank maintenance.

If you prefer ready-made options, you can always pick up some aquarium ornaments like artificial caves, castles, or sunken ships.

Water Quality

When it comes to aquarium husbandry, maintaining great water quality is the most important factor for success. Let’s take a look at how to keep your aquarium clean and healthy:

Filtration

A good quality filter is essential for keeping your tank clean and safe for your pets. When it comes to Dojo loaches, any type of filter is fine, although these fish do not enjoy very strong water flow.

One important tip is to go ahead and cover up your filter intake to be on the safe side because loaches love to hide, and often find their way inside filters.

Water Parameters

One of the most important things to remember is that Dojo Loaches aren’t tropical fish, so you probably will not need to run a heater to keep your water temperature in the right range. Be aware that if you live in a tropical area, the water temperatures in your tank might rise to warmer than 77°F even without a heater.

Apart from their temperature needs, Weather Loaches are very hardy fish that will do well in most setups. They are happy in slightly acidic to slightly alkaline water, with a range of hardness values.

Aquarium Maintenance

You will need to perform regular partial water changes to keep your aquarium water safe and healthy for your pets. Although Dojo Loaches are not very sensitive to water conditions, they definitely deserve the best conditions that you can provide for them.

Water changes are a pretty easy and straightforward job that you can do every week or two. If you’re not sure about how to change the water in your tank, go ahead and check out this article for all you need to know!

Test Tank Conditions

Even with a great quality filter and regular maintenance, the only way to know how good your water parameters are is to test. Your local fish store can test your water for you, but I would definitely recommend picking up a test kit.

Testing your water is easy, and this way, you’ll be able to pick up any problems before they turn into a headache! The most important parameters to test for are:

• Ammonia
• Nitrite
• Nitrate
• pH    

Breeding

Few aquarists have managed to breed this fish species in the home aquarium. That being said, it does happen and many fry have been successfully raised this way. the greatest challenge is that this often seems to happen out of the blue, so it is unknown exactly what triggers breeding and how to create these conditions in the tank. I supplied the video above from FishyBusiness. I’ll explain in text below.

Sexing

The most visible difference between male and female loaches is the size and shape of their pectoral fins. These fins are located just behind the fish’s gills.

In the male, they are larger and more triangular in shape when looked at from above. The female’s pectoral fins will be rounder in profile and a little smaller.

Getting Your Fish Ready to Breed

It is not known exactly what makes Dojo Loaches get into the mood to breed in the aquarium. Many fish are stimulated to breed by a change in barometric pressure, water temperature, and current that mimics a change in the seasons.

When it comes to Weather Loaches, there are no guarantees though, so your best chance is probably just to provide your fish with a great home with perfect parameters and a high-quality diet that includes live/frozen foods like Tubifex worms or black worms.  

Health and Disease

Dojo Loaches are usually very hardy, low-maintenance fish for cool water aquariums. They do pick up issues from time to time though, so let’s take a look at how to identify and avoid health problems.

Evaluating Their Health

Whether you’re picking out a new pet at the fish store, or just keeping an eye on the health of the fish in your tank, there are some important things to look out for.

A healthy Dojo Loach will spend a lot of its time hiding out in the substrate or under the hardscape of your aquarium. This is normal behavior, so don’t worry if they seem a little inactive. Around feeding time they should get a lot more lively, however.

Signs of poor health to look out for are:

• Clamped fins that are held tight against the fishes sides
• Floating caused by swim bladder issues
• Worn barbels that could indicate infection or damage from a sharp substrate
• White spots or patches on the skin that caused by parasites and fungal infections
• Swollen external gills

Common Health Issues

Although Dojo Loaches are very hardy aquarium bottom feeders, these are the issues that they are most likely to have:  

• Skin infections
• Ich
• Swim bladder  disease

Weather Loaches don’t have any scales which means their skin is very sensitive to damage. These fish love to dig, so avoid keeping them in a tank with a sharp substrate that could injure their skin and barrels, leaving them vulnerable to infections.

The best way to avoid illness is to make sure you keep your water quality high by running good filtration and performing regular water changes. Keeping Weather Loaches in water that is too warm will also stress your fish, which can lead to infections and other health issues.

Where to Buy

Dojo Loaches are common fish in the aquarium trade, and you can usually find them at your local fish store or online. I recommend checking out Flipaquatics because they keep great quality stock and back it up with a 100% live arrival guarantee to take the stress out of online shopping. They also stock the amazing golden form when available and quarantine all their fish!

Frequently Asked Questions

Recommended Video

Check out our loach tier list video where we rank all the popular loach species for home aquariums:

Closing Thoughts

Dojo Loaches deserve a spot in just about any unheated freshwater aquarium. These funny freshwater fish are easy to care for and very entertaining to watch as they explore the lower levels of the tank. You can use the information in this guide to help you provide your Weather Loach with the best care.

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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our Complete Loach Species Guide — your ultimate resource for every loach species, care tips, and tank setup.

Aquarium snails get a bad reputation that’s often undeserved — some are genuinely excellent additions to a tank as part of a cleanup crew, while others are hitchhiker pests that reproduce fast enough to take over if you’re not careful. After 25 years in the hobby I’ve kept most of the popular species and dealt with the problem ones too, so I can give you a clear picture of which snails are worth adding intentionally and which you should avoid or remove. This guide covers 7 species worth keeping and 4 to steer clear of.

Good Vs. Bad?

What makes a good and a bad aquarium snail? Well, there are good and bad sides to most of the snails in the aquarium hobby. Many aquarists think of snails as fascinating pets that can be both beautiful and useful in the aquarium. Others don’t like them at all, especially when they find their way into the tank by accident and seem to take over!

Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of keeping these tank cleaners in your aquarium.

Pros

1. Snails do an excellent job of cleaning up leftover fish food and waste in the tank. They are the captains of the clean-up crew!

2. Snails eat algae- freshwater snails can help to keep your tank’s glass, plants, ornaments, and substrate looking clean and beautiful.

3. Some snails burrow into the substrate. Digging through the substrate releases trapped gas and also takes nutrients down to where plants need them. Snails can also clean the surface layer of the substrate to keep your tank looking great.

Cons

1. When snails breed out of control, they can actually add to the bioload of your aquarium, causing your tank to become overstocked and go out of balance.

2. It’s pretty rare, but some freshwater snails will feed on living plants.

3. A huge overpopulation of snails can look bad, and they can stick to the glass and leave snail eggs all over the tank too.

As long as you manage the cons, just about any aquarium snail can be a ‘good’ snail. That being said, certain species of snails do make much better choices than others.

The 7 Best Freshwater Aquarium Snail Species

There is quite a variety of snails available in the hobby at the moment, so choosing the right species for your tank can be a bit of a challenge.

In this article, I’m introducing the most popular types of freshwater aquarium snails and providing you with the most important information about them like:

• Scientific Name
• Size
• Origin
• Temperature
• pH
• Tank size

Although there are several species of snails available in the aquarium trade, these are the best species for planted tanks in particular. I consider these 7 types of snails to be the best options for most aquariums though, and they are great as species for community tanks as well. Below is a video from our YouTube channel. We go into further detail below. If you like our content, subscribe to us! You can use this information to help you decide which type of snail is best for your aquarium.

Let’s jump right in and meet these slow-moving aquatic friends!

1. Horned Nerite

• Scientific Name: Clithon corona
• Size: 1 inch
• Origin: Southeast Asia
• Temperature: 72-82°F
• pH: 7.0-8.2
• Tank Size: 5+ gallons

Horned nerite snails are fascinating aquarium snails that come in a variety of colors and patterns. They are easily identified by the projections (horns) on the shell.

The color of their shells is pretty variable but often they have a cool black and yellow striped look. These snails eat algae and are great scavengers for freshwater aquariums.

Like other popular aquarium snails from the Neritidae family, these animals live in freshwater but need brackish water to breed. These peaceful snails are perfect for aquascapes because they do not eat live plants.

2. Zebra Nerite

• Scientific Name: Neritina natalensis
• Size: 1 inch
• Origin: South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia
• Temperature: 65-85°F
• pH: 6.5-8.5
• Tank size: 5+ gallons

Zebra nerite snails are one of the best aquatic snails for your planted aquarium. These animals look amazing and get their name from their beautiful striped shells.

It’s not only their looks that make them so great though, but they are also amazing algae eaters!

Nerite snails cannot breed in freshwater and rely on brackish water to reproduce. For this reason, you’ll never have to worry about this species overpopulating your freshwater aquarium.

3. Tiger Nerite

• Scientific Name: Vittina semiconica
• Size: 1.5 inches
• Origin: Indonesia
• Temperature: 65-85°F
• pH: 6.5-8.5
• Tank size: 5+ gallons

Like the zebra nerite, tiger nerites won’t bother live plants or breed in your tank. These snails have a really cool golden orange shell with rows of interesting black markings.

They do occasionally lay eggs, but these aren’t going to hatch in a freshwater tank. Nerite snails are excellent algae eaters and they do a fantastic job of keeping the tank clean.

4. Malaysian Trumpet

• Scientific Name: Melanoides tuberculata
• Size: 1 inch
• Origin: Southeast Asia
• Temperature: 72-86°F
• pH: 6.5-7.5
• Tank size: 3+ gallons

Malaysian Trumpet Snails are a species that many fishkeepers think of as pest snails. If you look at some of their benefits, however, it’s clear that there’s more to these crawling creatures!

They are burrowing snails that are great for managing the substrate at the bottom of your tank. All that burrowing prevents the build-up of toxic gases and helps to work nutrients into the soil which actually benefits the plants.

These animals aren’t for everyone though. Malaysian trumpet snails breed fast, are ultra-tough, and can be very difficult to remove, so think carefully before introducing them to your tank.

5. Mystery

• Scientific Name: Pomacea bridgesii
• Size: 2 inches
• Origin: Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru
• Temperature: 68-82°F
• pH: 7.6-8.4
• Tank size: 5+ gallons

Mystery Snails are awesome cleaners that will eat any leftover food in the aquarium. They are large snails but are super peaceful and work great in shrimp tanks. Mystery snails are also known as Gold Inca snails.

Mystery snails can be bred in the aquarium, but unlike other types of snails, their eggs must be laid outside of the water. This requirement, together with the fact that you need a male and female to breed, means they are easy to control and won’t multiply unless you make it possible.

6. Rabbit

• Scientific Name: Tylomelania spp.
• Size: 2-4 inches
• Origin: Indonesia
• Temperature: 76-84°F
• pH: 7.2-8
• Tank size: 30+ gallons

Rabbit snails look kind of like a jumbo Malaysian trumpet snail. The head of this species resembles a rabbit’s head, and that’s where they get their name.

There are several species of rabbit snails available. These big snails come in a few cool color morphs and won’t multiply like trumpet snails. Although it isn’t usually a problem, rabbit snails have been reported to feed on some aquarium plants like Java Ferns.

These snails are great for cleaning up the tank and also keep the substrate healthy by burrowing. Because they grow pretty big, these snails are best for larger fish tanks of 30 gallons or more.

7. Ivory

• Scientific Name: Pomacea bridgesii
• Size: 2 inches
• Origin: Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru
• Temperature: 68-82°F
• pH: 7.6-8.4
• Tank size: 5+ gallons

If you like Mystery Snails, but want something a little more exotic for your planted tank, the Ivory Snail might be the perfect option for you. These awesome-looking snails are the same species as the regular Mystery Snail but have been bred to have pure cream-white shells and pale white bodies with pink and orange markings.

Ivory Snails also have all the same great benefits for your tank as the regular Mystery Snail. These active snails will search your tank for algae and uneaten fish food and are completely peaceful with their tankmates.

The 4 To Avoid

The species in this list tend to be those unwanted snails that aquarists try to get rid of. They do have their positive sides, so I’m not calling them straight-up villains here.

Instead, you are recommended to be very cautious about adding them to your tank and rather try out some of the other snails listed above. You see our video below if you want to see these snails in action. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel if you like content like this.

1. Bladder

• Scientific Name: Physa acuta
• Size: 1/2 inch
• Origin: Uncertain
• Temperature: 64-84°F
• pH: 7-8
• Tank size: 3+ gallons

Bladder snails (video source) are a freshwater snail species that many aquarists have in their tanks. However, these snails aren’t usually added to fish tanks by choice!

These distinctive-looking snails have the ability to breed fast, and since they are hermaphroditic, you only need one to start a colony. Bladder Snails don’t dig and they breathe air from the surface, although they spend most of their time cruising around on surfaces in your tank.

They feed on algae, waste, and uneaten food but do not damage plants. They will feed on damaged or dead plant matter, however.

2. Ramshorn

• Scientific Name: Planorbarius duryi
• Size: 1 inch
• Origin: USA
• Temperature: 60-80°F
• pH: 7.0-7.5
• Tank size: 5+ gallons

Ramshorn snails often find their way into aquariums accidentally on new plants. They are one of the most common pest snails in the aquarium trade.

Ramshorn snails are very peaceful but breed freely, which can be pretty annoying if you never planned on having them in the first place. Ramshorn snails are hard workers in freshwater aquariums, however, and have awesome multicolored spiraled shells.

They are not fussy about food and are happy to scavenge and feed on uneaten fish food. They will also eat algae but do not feed on live plants. They are known for eating black beard algae.

3. Assassin

• Scientific Name: Clea helena
• Size: 1-2 inches
• Origin: Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia
• Temperature: 75-80°F
• pH: 7-8
• Tank size: 29+ gallons

Assassin Snails are the cannibals of the snail world. These carnivorous mollusks feed on other snails, so most aquarists keep them to help control the population of pest snails in their tanks.

For that purpose, they are great, but if you like your snails, avoid introducing assassins to your tank! Although it is rare, they will sometimes feed on freshwater shrimps in the aquarium as well.

Usually, however, they will only feed on dead or dying shrimps, and even dead fish. If you don’t have other snails, you can still keep this species if you provide them with a high protein sinking food like bloodworms.

4. Apple

• Scientific Name: Pomecea canaliculata
• Size: 2-3 inches
• Origin: Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Argentina
• Temperature: 65-82°F
• pH: 7-8
• Tank size: 10+ gallons

Apple snails (image source) have crawled onto this list of snails to avoid for two reasons, they have a habit of eating live plants and they are invasive.

To be fair, apple snails can make an interesting pet in tanks without any live plants, but they should be kept far away from your aquascapes.

Apple snails have escaped captivity and become invasive in many parts of Asia and the Southeast of the USA. They will probably invade other parts of the world if they are allowed to, so please remember to be responsible and never release them (or any other aquarium plant or animal) into the wild.

How To Care

Most types of snails are really easy to care for and will thrive in your fish tank without any extra effort from you. They will do best in a healthy and stable environment though, so here’s some basic information on how to provide them with a great home.

How To Set Up Your Tank

Aquarium and pond snails can be kept in just about any tank size, although the larger species obviously need more space. Assassin snails, for example, will do best in larger tanks with more stable conditions.

Good filtration is very important for keeping healthy aquariums. Although many snail species can survive in lower water quality conditions, running a good quality filter will keep the water looking and smelling pristine. Filtration is also super important if you plan on keeping other animals like shrimp and fish.

To keep the water temperature stable in your aquarium, you will need to install an aquarium heater. Make sure you set your heater to a temperature that your species of snail is comfortable in. A thermometer is also very useful because it allows you to monitor the water temperature in your tank.

Some types of snails, like nerites, for example, will often crawl out of the water and can easily escape your fish tank. Make sure you have a secure lid/hood over your tank to prevent them from escaping and getting lost or hurt.

What To Feed Them

Most aquarium snails will live happily in your aquarium without needing to be fed specifically. Here’s what they eat:

• Uneaten fish food
• Dead plant matter
• Soft algae
• Fish waste

This makes keeping your snails happy and well-fed really easy. If you don’t have enough of those food sources available to your snails, you can also feed them some bottom feeder tablets, or even some blanched green vegetables.

Providing an extra food source is definitely recommended if you keep a lot of algae-eating snails like nerites and they run out of food. If this happens, it is even possible to grow algae for them to eat.

Where To Get Them

Many fishkeeping stores have a few of the more common snails available for sale. For a great variety of cool aquarium snail species from an online fish store, I would suggest checking out Flipaquatics. The team at Flipaquatics takes great care of their stock to ensure your new pets arrive in perfect shape.

How To Avoid Introducing Nuisance Varieties To Your Aquarium

Snails often find their way into aquariums, whether we introduce them intentionally or not! It is easy to prevent this from happening though, so let’s start by looking at how they sneak in.

How Can They Get Into Your Tank?

The first thing to note is that snails can get into your aquarium as adults, or as eggs. Any time you add something to your aquarium that has been in another aquarium, you run the risk of adding snails.

This includes the tanks at your local fish store or even your friends’ tanks. Adding things to your tank from wild sources like ditches, lakes, or rivers is also a risk.

Snails and their eggs are usually attached to new plants, ornaments, gravel, or basically anything from another tank. Snails are really tough as well, so even if an object has been outside of a tank for some time, the snails can still survive.

Another way that snails can arrive is when you introduce new fish to your tank. Sometimes a little gravel gets scooped up and bagged along with your new fish, and sometimes a snail or two can be part of the deal.

Tips To Keep Them Out

Adding new plants is one of the most common ways that pest snails are introduced to fish tanks. Before adding a new plant to your aquarium, check it thoroughly and rinse it off, removing any snails or eggs you might see.

Next, prepare a bleach dip consisting of 1 part bleach to about 20 parts water. Dip soft plants in the solution for no more than a minute and firm plants for up to two minutes. Afterward, rinse the plants off carefully with conditioned water before planting them out.

A much easier way to safely add new plants is to buy tissue culture specimens. These are plants that are carefully grown under special lab conditions to ensure that they are pest-free. They are not always easy to find, so check out online retailers like Buceplant for a great range.

How To Get Rid Of Nuisance Varieties

Before starting an all-out war with the snails in your tank, remember the great benefits they provide. Often, it’s best to keep them around but keep the numbers down to a reasonable level.

Managing the snail population in your tank can be surprisingly easy if you understand this one simple truth about snails: the more food they have, the more they will breed! So how do you reduce the amount of food available to the snails?

Reducing Their Food Supply

Well, start by making sure you are not overfeeding your fish. If there’s limited food for the snails, their numbers will stay stable.

It is very important to maintain good water quality in your tank by performing regular water changes and tank maintenance. This is the best way to keep the nutrient levels low in the water.

Another great way to reduce the nutrients in your aquarium is to grow fast-growing aquarium plants that will soak up excess nutrients and turn them into healthy new leaves!

Physical Removal

Here’s a great tip for actively managing the snail numbers in your tank: you can bait them with algae wafers or even a piece of lettuce or some other leafy green.

Set the bait into a small dish on the bottom of the tank, and weigh it down so that the snails can access it. Leave the dish in the tank overnight, and remove it the next morning when it is crawling with snails!

Introduce Assasin Species

Introducing another species of freshwater aquarium snail to your tank might seem like a terrible way to reduce your pest snail population. Assassin snails are one kind of animal that can really help though because they eat other snails.

Fish That Will Eat Them

Whether you want to keep your pet snails safe from hungry fish, or are looking for a way to remove unwanted pests from your aquarium, knowing which species of fish eat snails is very useful! The following fish species are notorious snail-eaters that can help remove pest snails from your tank.

• Clown Loach
• Skunk Loach
• Yoyo Loach
• Carnivorous Cichlids
• Freshwater Pufferfish
• Goldfish

Fish That Are Compatible with Them

For the snail-lovers out there, it can be devastating to see your pets eaten by their tank mates. Fortunately, most peaceful community fish will get along fine with snails, as long as they prefer the same water parameters.

Smaller nano fish are usually a safer bet than larger fish, and shrimp are also great tank mates. Fish have a mind of their own of course, and there are no 100% guarantees, but as long as you avoid the fish listed above, your snails should be safe.

FAQS

Final Thoughts

Love them or hate them, aquarium snails are something that most aquarists and fishkeepers will come across sooner or later. Some might be pests, but many of them are very cool additions to community tanks and planted aquariums.

Whether you’re looking to add new snails to your tank or get rid of them, I hope this guide helps you out! Please comment below if you have any questions.

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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

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🐟 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Aquarium Care Guide — your ultimate resource for water chemistry, maintenance, feeding, disease prevention, and everything you need for a healthy tank.