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i bought a "chinese algae eater" Gyrinocheilus aymonieri from and im starting to notice that it likes to chase my frogs, gurami, and tetras i dont know if its doing any harm but its a great algae eater. should i be worried?

CAEs are notroiously known for trying to eat the slime off of other fish. And eventually it will probably do damage to any fish it can attach to. When small they are extremely great algae eaters, but as they grow they need more in their diet than just algae. I would suggest you either feed your tank with more sinking type foods, for the CAE to get more of, or get rid of the CAE by trading him in at your lfs or giving him away to someone that has a better set up for him (like bigger fish that will not let him get close).

HTH...


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There is always a bigger fish...

CAE try to eat slime from fish. When i had them with Angels & Gourami, they used to chase them & that's why i got rid of them.

Yes, they are great Algae Eaters but i prefer a BN than a CAE for the Algae.


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Man those fish can be naughty! Try a school of ottos, bristlenoses, or if you have the room a common pleco. But a school of ottos are fun to watch!

72 gallon bowfront:Tanganyikan Lake set up
75 gallon: A. Baenschi trio,Cyanotilapia Afra Cobwe(4), copadichromis trewavase, protomelas sp. tangerine tiger(breeding pair)

im not going to lie im really behind in what fish are
what is a BN
thanks for helping me and my lack of fishy knowledge

BN = Bristlenose Pleco.

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

Judz, Bristlenose Plecs are Loricariid Catfishes belonging to the Genus Ancistrus, and are popular among many of the Board members because they are superlative algae eaters. The main reasons I don't keep them are:

[1] They're a bit big for my Panda Fun Palace™ - they reach 4 inches or so on average, with one or two species exceeding this;

[2] While many of the Board members are fans of their appearance as well as their algae eating efficiency, I find them grotesque. Some of the more extreme ones give me the shudders!

If you're looking for small algae eaters that are wonderfully efficient, then Otocinclus fit the bill nicely. Maximum size 2 inches (depending upon species - some only reach 1½ inches), and if you're lucky enough to be able to afford the Tiger Otocinclus from Peru, they are stunning - mini versions of the Zebra Plec! However, while 'conventional' Otocinclus are cheap, the Tiger Otoinclus are anything but - they retail at a whopping £30 each here in the UK (that's $58 US per fish!).

If you decide to go with Otocinclus, then allow me to recommend my little article on the subject (shameless plug follows ) :

Otocinclus Article

Enjoy!


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002