Large, slow-moving tank mates should be avoided too. These provide a different set of nutrients (including plenty of protein). However, there is a great variety of fish that get along with the Chinese Algae Eater pretty well. There are still plenty of possible tank mates. First of all, assemble everything that you need for your tank: The Chinese Algae Eater has a scaleless belly, and that can make these fishes prone to diseases. The quantity and frequency of feeding your algae eaters depend on the amount of algae that are growing in the tank. Your Gouramis, schools of Barbs, Tetras or Danios, Angel Fish, Guppies, swordtails, or cory cats will all do fine alongside your algae eater as tank mates. One reason Chinese algae eaters become slime suckers is hunger. The pH can be anywhere from 5.8 to 8.0. You will soon see algae levels drop, making your job easier when it comes to cleaning.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-portrait-1-0')}; Why did you get a Chinese Algae Eater? The Chinese Algae Eater Gyrinocheilus aymonieri is a one of the best-known aquarium fish. As the fish mature, they will eat small crustaceans, as well as sucking the slime coat of other fishes. Dwarf gouramis are terrible tank mates for this fish. In nature, Chinese Algae Eaters are omnivorous aufwuchs grazers. When setting up a community tank that includes a Chinese algae eater, planning is important. Once he got bigger, he sucked the slime coat of my dwarf gourami and he had a horrific fungus infection resulting from it on both sides of his body. One day I saw the tiny baby Chinese algae eaters and I thought one would be great since I have such a lazy pleco. Chinese Algae Eaters are one of the best algae eaters you can get. Fish are some of the most popular pets in the world. There are many breeds and hybrids within this species which come in as many colors as the rainbow. Once they mature they start to prey on other fish. Also, this fish lacks the suckermouth of the Chinese Algae Eater. These fascinating fish spend much of their time grazing on most algae species that are commonly found growing in home aquariums. They will mostly be attached to walls or decorations to feed. Small specimens make good community fish but may become territorial when older. You won’t get much entertainment value from these fish, although they are useful for helping to keep the tank clean. Chinese Algae Eaters are relatively straightforward to care for, provided that you give your fish clean, well-oxygenated water. These fish can jump, so make sure that the tank has a tight-fitting lid or at least a cover slide. Here you'll find all collections you've created before. They can then claim a territory and retreat here when stressed. You can also use spare green vegetables from your kitchen. After a week of salt baths twice a day and lifeguard treatments in newly changed water daily he healed. Here, you can find out everything you need to know about keeping fish and aquarium maintenance. They may … Sometimes, you’ll see black spots on the base of the caudal and dorsal fins and along the fish’s back. I had I bit of a scare when I first put other fish in with him as he started eating their slime coats, but when I put him in a smaller tank for a while and then put him back in his original tank, and now he is fine and happy. For best results, set up the tank, cycle it, and add all the other fish first. It is found in large areas of Southeast Asia and southern parts of China. I have a blue powder dwarf gourami with a common pleco and a RES turtle. The ones to avoid are fish of a similar size, appearance, or lifestyle. For that reason, low-growing, carpet species, such as Dwarf hairgrass are not a good choice. When CAEs are babies are they start out as algae eaters but as they mature they stop eating algae. Correct tank water conditions, treat with a condition-specific drug as directed. Beginners will be able to keep a single fish with few problems since they are hardy and undemanding. He is now very happy with the turtle and pleco in a 75 gal. Gyrinocheilus aymonieri “Chinese Algae Eater” and related species are often sold as algae eaters too. You can replicate this by adding some live or frozen foods into the tank once a week – bloodworms, daphnia and brine shrimp work well.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0')}; If you don’t feel that there is enough algae in your tank, Chinese Algae Eaters will happily eat algae wafers. Though they will eat vegetation, they probably won’t eat your plants.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-leader-3-0')}; Use a heater to maintain the water within the range of 75-80°F. Chinese Algae Eaters are commonly available from good fish stores and online, priced at just a few dollars each for a juvenile specimen. They are also called Indian algae eaters, sucker loach, sucker fish, sucking catfish, Siamese algae eater, Siamese headbreather, honey sucker, biforated carp, and golden algae eater. Chinese Algae Eaters are tropical fish, so the tank’s water temperature should be kept within the 77° to 82° Fahrenheit range. In addition to high-quality flake food and algae wafers, your fish will appreciate some crushed spinach or lettuce, shelled peas, chopped fruit, and cucumber supplemented with frozen or fresh brine shrimp, daphnia, and bloodworms. Small, speedy species will easily be able to escape a Chinese Algae Eater, but it will probably ignore them anyway. As juveniles Chinese Algae Eaters perform their job of eating algae with gusto but as they mature they may eat algae less and become very territorial. Your Chinese Algae Eaters will generally live a solitary life and stay away from other fish. Chinese Algae Eaters may latch onto something like the flat-bodied Discus, in order to eat their slime coat. It is safest to keep Chinese Algae Eaters singly, as they are likely to show aggression towards other members of their own species. These fish are … Siamese Algae Eaters – A Complete Guide (Care, Diet, Facts) Read More » The ones to avoid are fish of a similar size, appearance, or lifestyle.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-leader-4-0')}; One example is the Siamese Algae Eater. Most of their time is spent in the lower levels of the tank, where they attach themselves to surfaces around the aquarium to feed on any algae they find.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-banner-1-0')}; This is usually the main appeal of these fish, they help to keep algae levels low which saves you time when cleaning. This means a minimum tank size of 50 gallons. However, if you have planned the tank well and chosen suitable tank mates, you should not have any problems. And, don’t forget to share the article with your fish-loving friends if you found our guide helpful! It will also seasonally migrate to muddy waters and flooded coastal areas.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0')}; You should aim to recreate their natural habitat in your tank to keep them stress-free. They don’t need a set diet, as they will feed themselves on algae and scavenge any food their tank mates have not eaten. Otocinclus) Otocinclus Catfish are small fish, growing up to a maximum of two inches. if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-narrow-sky-1-0')}; In the wild algae is their main source of nutrition. Your email address will not be published. Chinese Algae Eaters have an elongated body with small fins. Slowly increase it by 3°F a day until you reach 80°F to replicate spawning temperatures at the end of spring. Even so, it still requires a lot of work to care for fish properly. Those who have successfully achieved spawning at home have used very large setups with plenty of vegetation. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The water conditions will need to be kept perfect and their diet should be highly nutritional. They are more likely to reach this age or even older if they are kept in a healthy, clean aquarium.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-box-4-0')}; You might not see this species in every pet store, but they are not uncommon so it should not be difficult to find stock near you. In captivity, you can keep your fish happy, healthy, and long-lived by replicating that diet as closely as possible. If disease is in your tank, check the water parameters. Sailfin Plecostomus. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a Otocinclus Catfish. There are three species in this genus with the Chinese algae eater, Gyrinocheilus aymonieri, the most common. You will have to reduce your portion sizes if you see this.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-narrow-sky-2-0')}; When you spot a sick fish, move them to a quarantine tank.