Chinese Algae eater

[firedragon92]

i am currently setting up my 6x2x2 foot tank.

i plan to make it a peaceful tropical community tank and have recently been offered a small chinese algae eater for free.

i have done some reaserch and some sites say they grow big some say they don't some say they eat algae their hole lives some say they don't and some say they become agressive and damage your fish and some say they don't

and i just wnted to here from people who have them or experts or from anyone who is willing to help weather a chinese algae eater would be suitable for my tromical peacfull tank.

the only fish that i am sure will be in there are a black ghost knife fish and a pearl guarami that work well togeather and get a long peacfully.

cheers

[wombat1100]

I had one and it didn't grow excessively large and was peaceful in my tank, though i have heard of bad aggression in them too.

[Woodsy]

I've seen them at over 20cm, but at that size, they're more like big puppy dogs who like to colonise a cave or structure on the bottom of your tank. The gold ones tend to grow bigger for some reason too. At a medium size (10cm or so) is where I've had dramas with them. They will attack larger, flat fish such as Discus and Angelfish, and eat the slime coatings off of their bodies. This can lead to ulceration and secondary infections like fungus and whitespot.
To be honest guys, I never utilise these fish anymore. They are almost impossible
to catch out if you do get one that's giving you grief, unless you want to tear your tank apart, and they can look very unproportionate as they will grow large in a small tank regardless of stock levels. I much prefer the use of Otocinclus sp. and other sucker-mouth catfish such as "Borneo suckers" or "Peppermint catfish". These fish won't chew wood or make a mess, and used in conjunction with eachother will combat both green and brown algae. Freshwater shrimp can then be used for black beard algae if required.
There you go mate, that's my experience with them :p

[firedragon92]

thanks for your reply guys would anyone know how much a 4-5 inch one is worth and do they get more valuable as they grow

[Woodsy]

They're pretty cheap mate. 7cm ones are usually about $3.95 per tail, but I haven't seen 4-5" ones for sale in a long time.

[firedragon92]

thanks for your help

cheers

[lil_fuzzy]

I've never heard anything good about them. I've heard about them sucking onto fish resting at night, resulting in their death, I've heard soo many stories about these fish, how they terrorise and attack everything else in the tank, and they also stop eating algae as they get older.

[firedragon92]

yeah ive heard that too so i deffinatly wont be getting one for my peacful community

[Leone]

I have one that is about 7cm - it just hangs out with the other fish, I have never seen it even chase another fish.. Mine is as peacefull as my bristlenose..

[firedragon92]

that is what they are like when their young, but when they get older they stop eating alfae and become agressive

[yimyam]

I used to have a Chinese algae eater in my tank, with other fish, but had to get rid of it as it kept on attacking other fish, trying to suck there insides out from the outside.
It would attack day or nite...anytime!!