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Compatibility Report

Can Clown Loach Live With Mystery Snail?

GuideMyTank compatibility analysis for Clown Loach and Mystery Snail.

Planning verdict

incompatible

Not recommended

Do not plan a shared aquarium for this pair. Choose a different tank mate or maintain separate aquariums.

Data confidence
high
Assessment source
Structured data model
Data completeness
100%

Blocking risks

  • One species is not safe with invertebrates.

Conditions and cautions

  • One species should be maintained in a proper school or group.
  • One species requires a significantly larger aquarium.

Supporting factors

  • Temperature ranges overlap well.
  • pH requirements overlap well.
  • Species have similar temperament.
Clown Loach profileMystery Snail profileMethodology and limitations

Why This Pair Received Its Verdict

Clown Loach and Mystery Snail receive a not recommended verdict from the current structured assessment. Clown Loach is recorded as peaceful with an aggression level of 2/10; Mystery Snail is recorded as peaceful with an aggression level of 1/10. The recommendation is based on the combined water, space, behavior, grouping, and predation checks below rather than on species names alone.

  • Temperature ranges overlap well.
  • pH requirements overlap well.
  • Species have similar temperament.
  • One species should be maintained in a proper school or group.

Helpful Links

Use the Compatibility CheckerRead the Compatibility Disclaimer

Water Parameter Overlap

Clown Loach has a recorded temperature range of 75–86°F and pH range of 6–7.5. Mystery Snail is recorded at 68–82°F and pH 7–8.4. Their shared planning window is 75–82°F for temperature and 7–7.5 for pH. A shared aquarium must stay inside the overlap rather than merely touching each species’ outer tolerance.

Aquarium Space and Adult Size

Clown Loach sets the larger listed base aquarium requirement at 100 gallons; the other listed minimum is 5 gallons. Clown Loach is the larger adult by the recorded maximum, reaching 12 inches, compared with 2 inches. These figures are starting constraints, not a stocking-capacity calculation, because the complete group sizes and bioload still matter.

Behavior and Social Requirements

Clown Loach is a active species associated with the bottom zone and moderate flow. Mystery Snail is moderate, uses the bottom zone, and has a moderate flow preference. Clown Loach should be planned as a group of at least 6, while mystery snail does not have a recorded minimum school larger than one. The aquarium must support both social structures without forcing either species into insufficient space.

Husbandry Fit

Clown Loach is recorded as a omnivore with advanced care, while Mystery Snail is a omnivore with easy care. Their listed preferred tank styles are planted and planted. Feeding access, cover, open swimming room, filtration, and observation should be planned around the more demanding requirement rather than averaged between the two species.

What Would Change the Decision?

Use these pair-specific boundaries before treating the verdict as an acceptable stocking plan.

  • Do not proceed unless one stable temperature and pH range can be maintained for both Clown Loach and Mystery Snail; acclimation does not correct an incompatible long-term range.
  • Treat size, predation, and fin-damage warnings as stop conditions. Extra plants cannot reliably make an unsafe predator-to-prey or fin-target pairing safe.
  • Use broken sight lines and multiple retreats, then separate the pair if either species shows persistent chasing, hiding, clamped fins, or loss of feeding access.
  • Recalculate space using the full adult group sizes—not one specimen of each species—and reject the plan if either species must be understocked socially to fit.
  • A different tank mate is the preferred decision for this pair. Attempting the combination transfers the identified risk to the animals rather than resolving it.

Aquarium Planning Checklist

  • Keep temperature within 75–82°F.
  • Keep pH within 7–7.5.
  • Use at least the larger 100-gallon base requirement before accounting for the complete stocking plan.
  • Clown Loach should be planned as a group of at least 6; mystery snail does not have a recorded minimum school larger than one.
  • Choose separate aquariums or a different tank mate instead of attempting to manage a known blocking risk.

Final Recommendation

Do not plan a shared aquarium for this pair. Choose a different tank mate or maintain separate aquariums.

Sources and Data Provenance

These references support the underlying species records used by this assessment. They do not necessarily evaluate this exact pair together.

  • fishbase.orgcare · medium confidence
  • fws.govcare · medium confidence
  • thesprucepets.comcare · medium confidence
  • en.wikipedia.orgtaxonomy · medium confidence
  • en.wikipedia.orgtaxonomy · medium confidence
Read the full methodology and limitations
Report quality
supported
Analysis version
2026.09.1
Species data updated
Jul 2, 2026
Review status
Structured automated assessment

Related Resources

Continue with the most relevant care and compatibility resources for Clown Loach and Mystery Snail.

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