# chinese algae eater?



## acuaman (Dec 11, 2004)

Hello

well, I`m Loking for algae eater and i found a Gyrinocheilus Aymonieri, do somebody have had any experience with these fish?

thanks for your comments

a c u a m a n


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## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

Good algae eater while young. Slow to mature. Can get up to 11 inches (rarely) Very agressive but a good cleaner. Loves to harass other fish especially at feeding time. Tolerates wide variety of water conditionsand temps. Hard to kill. Even harder to catch. When bigger will kill large slow moving fish by attaching onto the side of the fish and sucking at the slime coat. The fish you love to hate and hate to love.

here's a good link that can provide more info than I can. 
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile47.html


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

I would avoid this fish in a planted or non-planted tank at all costs. Their algae eating stops within the first year or so, and as stated they get nasty with other fish, large and aren't a very pretty fish to look at.

You'd be better off with Oto's or true SAE's if you're looking for something to help with the algae.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Void this fish at all cost, will suck slime coating off of your fish. Gets more aggressive as it matures.

I had one put a hole into the side of my Gourami that died later from the injury.

Better choices are Otto's, SAE's, Plecos & Shrimp (Amano, Cherry, Tiger). The SAE can grow to 6" and the Common Pleco can get 18". If you have a small tank stick with Otto's, shrimp & smaller Plecos like a bristtlenose/rubberlip.


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## Black oranda (Dec 28, 2004)

I agree, you should stick to your first type of fish chinese algea eater....
This fish sounds kinda like a common pleco, when they mature they start sucking
the fish's slime coats off, and arn't vegetarien anymore. 
I learned this the hard way... i got a common pleco for my b-day 1 or 2 years ago 
and he ate one of my goldies eyes... and ya..... 

Now his in my 15 gallon tropical tank 5 inches long and is a pain in the butt, always
knocking plants out of the sand ect ect....
Good thing im moving i'll be able to get him a rubermaid container 40 gallons just for him.


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## pineapple (May 4, 2004)

Once in, they are difficult to catch and remove.

But, they shine at removing algae from Anubias (SAEs and Ottos don't touch it).

Andrew Cribb


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## acuaman (Dec 11, 2004)

well thank you all for your help

in that case I wont buy them, i don`t want they hurt my angels fish, so I would look for ottos, one point against ottos is the information pinneaple gave us that ottos and SAE`s don`t touch algaes from anubias, and i`ve a lot of that plants and some of them have algae, but theres some other way to remove algae from anubias.

thank a lot, you do a excelent job.......

thanks

a c u a m a n


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## dwhite645 (Jan 9, 2005)

Yes, stay away from them. Otos are much more suitable. I've neve had SAE's, but have heard good things. I've been waiting for two years for my chinese algae non-eater to die off (terrible, I know) and finally last week he got sucked into my powerhead.


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## Error (Apr 16, 2004)

I second the opinions above (Chinese algae-eaters have been nothing but a pain for me too--a trash fish in every regard), but I'd like to offer some suggestions:

Florida Flagfish
Livebearers (mollies in particular)
Snails
Red-tailed and Rainbow sharks (at least when young, as in under the 4 inch mark)
Rosy barbs

All of these fish prefer their particular kinds of algae, so I'm not sure if they'd work on Anubias. I've always wanted to compile a list of algae and fish that like to eat each kind.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Acuaman... Otto's and SAE's don't have a bias to what type plant they eat algae off of but do have a bias of what type algae they will eat.

Ottos prefer brown algae & SAE's prefer BBA, so depending on the type algae you have depends on the type algae eater you will choose. I myself keep a variety of algae eaters so all bases are covered.


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## Fishyguy (Sep 16, 2004)

*.*

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## Fishyguy (Sep 16, 2004)

*chinese algea eater*

Chinese algae eaters make good scavengers in aggressive tanks. Particularly when you have a hard time putting anything else in that tank. I have a golden algae eater in a tough 220g cichlid tank. Salvini, Green terror, texas cichlid, gold flake pike cichlid, etc. THere is not a single fish in there he can bully, heh. He also doesnt really compete for territory with the other fish and if one of the other fish decide to mess with him, he can hide and is very elusive.


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## MTechnik (Feb 17, 2005)

The wife came home with one today for me. Heheh. I asked her while she was at the store to see if they had siamese algae eaters, and lo and behold, a pink spaz came in the home. Well, he is eating algae for now. 

I have a friend with a 55 gallon cichlid tank with a couple of REAL meanies. (One may even be psychotic, if a fish can be) And when he turns from eating algae to eating my cabomba or pleco he will try his luck with the big boys. (He is QUICK, he will have a good chance.)

If it does get aggressive, I doubt he'll get much of a grasp of my rainbowfish, danios, corys or otos, as they are all very quick darters. 

I guess the question is, how long before they lose their aptitude for the green stuff? Or should I look to unload as quickly as possible?

Thanks,

-MT


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

LOL! At least your wife will step foot in a fish store and buy stuff for you. ;-) 

It depends how big/old it is now, but they usually taper off in the algae eating dept. in less than a year.


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## MTechnik (Feb 17, 2005)

Well, compared to others I saw at stores today looking around, he wasn't in the "small and cute" department. He went to a friends' Cichlid tank (1 BIG cichlid and 1 large giant danio). There is a running bet on his survival. I think he'll make it, just based on him being SO QUICK! My friend has a good point that the giant danio may chase him into being tired, then it will be a cichlid snack. 

I have faith in the little shadow boxer tho!

-MT


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