I wanted to get some clown loaches. I know they will decimate snail
populations, but do they eat MTS? I want to keep the MTS, as they help
stir the sand

My clown loaches do a pretty good job of killing any MTS in their tank. They
find MTS tougher than other snails, but still manage to get them in the end.

In addition, I don't recommend clown loaches in a planted tank. Eventually, as
the loaches get larger, they will start eating the plants, and they can be
incredibly destructive. And clown loaches and MTS together in a planted tank
are real trouble. Once the loaches realize there's escargot in the substate,
they will start digging. You would not believe the size of the holes they can
dig. Until they got the last of the MTS, my tank looked like a minefield.

If you're willing to put up with all this...then congrats, loaches are very
charming fish. (There must be a reason I still have mine.) I just got four
more for my tank. Yoyo loaches. The LFS had four, for $4 each, and I couldn't
resist. Such beautiful, active, friendly fish. Hopefully, they will be less
destructive than their larger cousins.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/