# chinese algae eater



## cowmilkcandy (Feb 6, 2014)

I got one today without doing any research beforehand. After reading through some reviews, some people say this fish is aggressive after awhile and some people say theirs is completely fine. What do i do? take it out or leave it..? Mine is the gold or yellow one. So far he/she seem to be pretty chill. It's about 3 inches right now. Doesn't bother anyone. Thoughts?


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

Why take a chance of waking up to a tank of dead fish?

v3


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## bluelife (Mar 3, 2014)

I've had 2 of these CAE's or so called golden algae eaters in my community planted tanks and they did absolutely fine . They did not mess with any other fish and they are really good for a clean up crew , very hard working !!


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## rininger85 (Jun 30, 2013)

I had a gold algae eater in my 55 gallon tank, he never bothered anyone but he did play with my cory cats, I had 3 cory cats and the one algae eater that were all fast swimmers so two of the cories paired off and the third cory just played with the algae eater. Unfortunately he died when my tank crashed after changing my substrate to plant my tank.

I have another gold algae eater in my 10 gallon planted work tank, he is pretty shy, stays in the back corner under my crypt undulata most of the time, comes out in the dark or when people aren't moving around but as soon as he sees someone come close to the tank he runs and hides. He has to be getting close to 4" now and does not bother anything.

Bought another golden algae eater that I put in my 40B at home, its only about 2" now (was only about an inch when I bought it) and he doesn't bother anything... my tanks have guppies, mollies, corys, neon tetras, raspboras... so I'm 3/3 on nonaggressive golden algae eaters...


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

They ain't from China and are poor algae eater's once they learn fish food,and slime coat of other fishes is easier to come by.
Once saw a video of this fish attached to side of large Angelfish, and the scar's the Angelfish was sporting from previous encounter's with this fish was enough for me.
Can think of much more interesting fishes for lower region's of the aquarium.
My two cent's.


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## rininger85 (Jun 30, 2013)

might just depend on what you are keeping. My largest fish are mollies/cories, not much to grab on to like angels... might make a difference...


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## Krispyplants (Apr 15, 2014)

Not worth a penny in my opinion. Plecos even beat the Chinese algae eater in algae eating.


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## devilduck (May 9, 2012)

They need some space. I had a golden in a 20g long and it chased and harassed other fish. When I upgraded to a taller 29g it became extremely docile.


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## cowmilkcandy (Feb 6, 2014)

I have a 90 gallon and I do have 3 angels in there. but I don't see he/she going near the angels at all


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## thelub (Jan 4, 2013)

Space must be the key. Every time I see them for sale in a big box pet store they are latched on to or harassing the other fish in the tanks.


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## garfieldnfish (Sep 25, 2010)

With the angel I would be a bit worried. I also have 2 of them and had them for almost 14 years. They are both over 6 inches and do not bother their tank mates. But one of them had been with a goldfish before and did go after him. I do think they got a bad rep they don't deserve. They need a large tank (30 gal or more) and should not be housed with slow moving, large bodied fish then they will be just fine. And mine still eat algae but also eat fish food. A 6 inch fish can't live on just a little green stuff.


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## rininger85 (Jun 30, 2013)

I love how everyone keeps saying that space must be key when I have a 4" long gold algae eater in a 10 gallon tank that until 2 days ago probably had 50 fish in it (until I removed about 30 guppy fry) and mine shows absolutely zero signs of aggression. It is by far the largest fish in the tank and faster swimming than any other fish in the tank, yet it doesn't harm anything... how would you explain this since you are all such experts on gold algae eaters?


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

rininger85 said:


> I love how everyone keeps saying that space must be key when I have a 4" long gold algae eater in a 10 gallon tank that until 2 days ago probably had 50 fish in it (until I removed about 30 guppy fry) and mine shows absolutely zero signs of aggression. It is by far the largest fish in the tank and faster swimming than any other fish in the tank, yet it doesn't harm anything... how would you explain this since you are all such experts on gold algae eaters?


 
Your fish is only half grown, time will tell.


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## rhody9 (Sep 7, 2012)

I had a golden CAE for a while. Cool fish, but he was a problem. I had him in my 55 gal and he harassed my cories and bullied my pictus catfish. I finally had to move him to a 29 gal that didn't have any bottom dwellers. On a side note catching one of these in a planted tank is not for the faint of heart, lots of destruction and profanity. The only other inhabitants of his new home were a school of black neons which he did not bother at all, he settled down after the move. Unfortunately I gassed him and a couple of my neons whilst tweaking my CO2 in the tank. IMO it is not a good idea to keep these fish with other bottom dwellers. I have no experience with one of these in a tank with slow moving large bodied fish, but mine did not bother any of the tetras or barbs he lived with during the year and a half I had him.


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## Krispyplants (Apr 15, 2014)

rininger85 said:


> I love how everyone keeps saying that space must be key when I have a 4" long gold algae eater in a 10 gallon tank that until 2 days ago probably had 50 fish in it (until I removed about 30 guppy fry) and mine shows absolutely zero signs of aggression. It is by far the largest fish in the tank and faster swimming than any other fish in the tank, yet it doesn't harm anything... how would you explain this since you are all such experts on gold algae eaters?


:iamwithst
They are great fish. Maybe you can add another one in there. Apparently one day he might not have the space to bother other fish in a ten gallon. Space is always the key to territorial aggression and bullying. Though some cases are not in connection like for exp. If you mix up aggressive fish with peaceful smaller fish then you are asking for it.


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## Little Soprano (Mar 13, 2014)

I have a massive CAE in my 40 gallon long, and he is very peaceful. And huge too. Had him for two years this February, and he is about 7.5" long now. He is a true CAE, just standard coloration. He is the best algae eater, especially with plants. He keeps the leaves on the Anubias absolutely spotless, eats the BBA, and doesn't both any of the fish. Sometimes the Rainbow Shark and him will chase each other around, but otherwise harmless. He did eat a dead neon that died, when 8 of them died within 3 days, but otherwise GREAT fish. He has a lot of character too, and it always comes up to the glass if you go over to watch.

He's kept with 4 white skirt tetras, 3 Danios, 4 neons, 2 Bamboo shrimp, an Amano, and a Rainbow Shark. Oh, and a Dwarf Blue Crayfish as well thats about the size of a penny right now. We had a parrot cichlid in the tank and a comet in the tank at one point too, and he didn't have any issues. I think, from what I can tell, he loves having a little rock cave he can call his territory. Sometimes if a fish, well if the rainbow shark, gets too close he might come out, but the Amano and him normally sit right next to each other in there nibbling away at algae, and he is NO problem. Remember 7.5" long fish+shrimp and a dwarf crayfish, with no problem. 

I don't see why there's such a bad rap on these guys, everyone says they are evil when they get bigger, but mine is massive and does nothing but keep my plants happy, fight off the BBA, and mostly acts like a dog. I think maybe if there was an angel or two in the tank, he might be a problem, but other then eating a dead fish, he's absolutely peaceful as can be. The Rainbow shark and the CAE will chase each other around, but most of the time when I go over and look they are hanging out in the same cave next to each other, and I think this is mostly the case of two territorial fish in the same tank. 

If mine died, I wouldn't hesistate to get another one.


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

rininger85 said:


> I love how everyone keeps saying that space must be key when I have a 4" long gold algae eater in a 10 gallon tank that until 2 days ago probably had 50 fish in it (until I removed about 30 guppy fry) and mine shows absolutely zero signs of aggression. It is by far the largest fish in the tank and faster swimming than any other fish in the tank, yet it doesn't harm anything... how would you explain this since you are all such experts on gold algae eaters?


Simple: sharing a 10g with a fancy gold fish and a common pleco is a natural behaviour altering experience. Just a bind guess, of course. Adding an Oscar or two will complete his rehabilitation.

v3


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## jbig (Jul 13, 2012)

i had a CAE for a while in my 20L and he was fine for quite a while until i got a new German Blue Ram. He harassed him for a little and then i pulled the CAE and gave him to my dad. 

The CAE is now best friends with my dad's angelicus loach. They won't leave each other's side haha. 

I think it's pretty hit or miss with these fish, dependent on personality.


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## adive (Oct 30, 2013)

If the CAE you got is a baby/small leave it be. It wont harm anyone until much bigger. Keep a watch as it grows bigger.

IME CAEs are the best algae eaters < thats been my experience. I've had otos, SAEs and CAEs.


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## rininger85 (Jun 30, 2013)

Krispyplants said:


> :iamwithst
> They are great fish. Maybe you can add another one in there. Apparently one day he might not have the space to bother other fish in a ten gallon. Space is always the key to territorial aggression and bullying. Though some cases are not in connection like for exp. If you mix up aggressive fish with peaceful smaller fish then you are asking for it.


I'm sure some of them are aggressive, but its just like any other fish, each fish has its own personality. Personally I think its probably more of an issue of what kind of fish you put in with it than anything, but I'd completely disagree with your note about aggressive with peaceful smaller fish - at least if you're considering the gold algae eater to be aggressive in that case... they are fine in my tanks, but they are probably considered the most aggressive (and largest fish) in any of my tanks, everything else is smaller than them and more peaceful. Smaller fish = less tastey to try and take a bite out of? (at least for sucker fish, obviously other aggressive fish will eat smaller fish)...


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## rininger85 (Jun 30, 2013)

OVT said:


> Simple: sharing a 10g with a fancy gold fish and a common pleco is a natural behaviour altering experience. Just a bind guess, of course. Adding an Oscar or two will complete his rehabilitation.
> 
> v3


I would never buy a goldfish, and have had too many problems with plecos having swim bladder issues so I don't own either of them. My tanks are all peaceful tanks, so my algae eater is peaceful too perhaps? So if I were to make an assumption I'd say it doesn't have anything to do with the size of the tank, it has to do with the type of fish they are put in with.


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## Little Soprano (Mar 13, 2014)

I think they are hit and miss fish, but I think giving them a cave or something similar to call "their territory" helps out a lot. Mine's very territorial of it's cave at times, but in general he's reached the size where he should be harassing fish, and he still goes to town on the algae in the tank. He's so incredibly gentle with plant leaves, and doesn't bother anyone but the Rainbow Shark, but nothing extremely aggressive. I love mine personally, it has a lot of character for an algae eater.


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## rininger85 (Jun 30, 2013)

Little Soprano said:


> I think giving them a cave or something similar to call "their territory" helps out a lot.


that's very possible, the one in my 10 gal work tank spends 90% of his time in a little cave formed by my crypt undulata in the back corner of the tank, the crypt has gotten pretty big and the leaves are really thick and form a cave for him.


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## garfieldnfish (Sep 25, 2010)

CAEs do not need a cave. Any type of décor they can lay under or behind will do that includes plants. They need a larger tank 30 gal and up when grown up, as a general rule should be housed with large bodied, slow moving fish and should not be house with con-species unless the tank is really large. They do well with plecos as they come out at night while the CAE is a daytime creature. Most small fast fish will work well. I kept a dwarf puffer with a CAE for years in the same tank, best buds.
But as noted it does depend on the personality of the fish or possibly it's sex but I have one I trust with a silver dollar, the other one I would never add to that tank. Also if you feed them some carnivore disks now and then they won't need to go after slime coats. I sometimes treat mine to mussels or shrimp from the deli. That also takes care of their need for protein.
BTW OVT's comment I take as sarcasm.


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## Krispyplants (Apr 15, 2014)

Little Soprano said:


> I have a massive CAE in my 40 gallon long, and he is very peaceful. And huge too. Had him for two years this February, and he is about 7.5" long now. He is a true CAE, just standard coloration. He is the best algae eater, especially with plants. He keeps the leaves on the Anubias absolutely spotless, eats the BBA, and doesn't both any of the fish. Sometimes the Rainbow Shark and him will chase each other around, but otherwise harmless. He did eat a dead neon that died, when 8 of them died within 3 days, but otherwise GREAT fish. He has a lot of character too, and it always comes up to the glass if you go over to watch.
> 
> He's kept with 4 white skirt tetras, 3 Danios, 4 neons, 2 Bamboo shrimp, an Amano, and a Rainbow Shark. Oh, and a Dwarf Blue Crayfish as well thats about the size of a penny right now. We had a parrot cichlid in the tank and a comet in the tank at one point too, and he didn't have any issues. I think, from what I can tell, he loves having a little rock cave he can call his territory. Sometimes if a fish, well if the rainbow shark, gets too close he might come out, but the Amano and him normally sit right next to each other in there nibbling away at algae, and he is NO problem. Remember 7.5" long fish+shrimp and a dwarf crayfish, with no problem.
> 
> ...


The thought of your live stock guts my belly a little :smile: Rainbow sharks are actually quite good algae eaters too once they reach a little big and need an extra source of snack. Are you even sure that its your CAE that's cleaning your tank of algae? He might be very peaceful when the light comes on but do you ever monitor your tank when the light goes out? There are many aspects that lead up to proven theories of CAE being the way they are. Maybe yours haven't snapped yet. In my experience, once a fish snaps it will evolve. This is a matter of in its nature. Imagine an African tiger fish always minding its own business and always eating only hand fed foods. Then one day it decides to devour a smaller tank mate just because it "felt" like it. Nothing is wrong there except the fact that nature took over. It may not bully or pick on other fish but certainly will defend its territory for the food that comes with it.


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## Krispyplants (Apr 15, 2014)

rininger85 said:


> I'm sure some of them are aggressive, but its just like any other fish, each fish has its own personality. Personally I think its probably more of an issue of what kind of fish you put in with it than anything, but I'd completely disagree with your note about aggressive with peaceful smaller fish - at least if you're considering the gold algae eater to be aggressive in that case... they are fine in my tanks, but they are probably considered the most aggressive (and largest fish) in any of my tanks, everything else is smaller than them and more peaceful. Smaller fish = less tastey to try and take a bite out of? (at least for sucker fish, obviously other aggressive fish will eat smaller fish)...


I'm sure too, you do have a point there. Then if you was to add a small SAE in the tank, I'm pretty sure that one day the SAE (atrilimes)will grow and they both will watch each other's tail. Different tank does play a role but the boss has to be the boss in order to be peaceful :wink:


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## Krispyplants (Apr 15, 2014)

They are a gamble. Either they settle in and accept their environment with mates or would pretty much rather be alone.


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## jeffturneraz (Apr 28, 2014)

I have one currently that I am pretty done with.

For me personally anyway, I do have an angel, although I have never noticed him doing anything other than "shewing" the angel away from eating off his territory on the bottom.

Anyway, this CAE is similar to a rock star who came to stay in my aquarium hotel and he trashed his room. He kicks up substrate and has my driftwood basically balanced on one grain of substrate. He has dug an extensive network of tunnels underneath the driftwood, and if he digs any more, the driftwood will fall into his tunnels.

He knocks plants over when he's doing his evening laps around the tank going 100 miles an hour. I feed him pellets of spiralina, lfs suggested this to me as I told him my tank was pretty new and didn't really have any algae.

He assured me this guy was a hard worker, while I have never even seen him on the side of the tank, he def has a crap ton of energy. I could be imagining this but it seems like he has given my Cory anxiety, lol.

Personally, I'm getting rid of mine, but as others have pointed out it seems like it just depends on your set-up.


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## Little Soprano (Mar 13, 2014)

Krispyplants said:


> The thought of your live stock guts my belly a little :smile: Rainbow sharks are actually quite good algae eaters too once they reach a little big and need an extra source of snack. Are you even sure that its your CAE that's cleaning your tank of algae? He might be very peaceful when the light comes on but do you ever monitor your tank when the light goes out? There are many aspects that lead up to proven theories of CAE being the way they are. Maybe yours haven't snapped yet. In my experience, once a fish snaps it will evolve. This is a matter of in its nature. Imagine an African tiger fish always minding its own business and always eating only hand fed foods. Then one day it decides to devour a smaller tank mate just because it "felt" like it. Nothing is wrong there except the fact that nature took over. It may not bully or pick on other fish but certainly will defend its territory for the food that comes with it.


At this point he's been in there for almost 2 years (came with the Rainbow Shark...were in the same tank), and he's actually been quite slow these days, but I sleep right near the tank, I never have seen him go after any of the fish. My BF and I got pretty lucky as far as a peaceful tank goes. Aside from our massive neon tetra die off (suspected NTD), our fish interact very peacefully with each other. If the CAE ever becamae a problem, I'd do something, but he's great with the algae. The Rainbow Shark eats the algae off the plants too, but the CAE is excellent with eating algae off the plants as well. I love that fish. Only fish I ever caught being a little devil was my Comet, picked off 3 danios (hence why I have 3), and a neon, right in front of my face.


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## Little Soprano (Mar 13, 2014)

garfieldnfish said:


> CAEs do not need a cave. Any type of décor they can lay under or behind will do that includes plants. They need a larger tank 30 gal and up when grown up, as a general rule should be housed with large bodied, slow moving fish and should not be house with con-species unless the tank is really large. They do well with plecos as they come out at night while the CAE is a daytime creature. Most small fast fish will work well. I kept a dwarf puffer with a CAE for years in the same tank, best buds.
> But as noted it does depend on the personality of the fish or possibly it's sex but I have one I trust with a silver dollar, the other one I would never add to that tank. Also if you feed them some carnivore disks now and then they won't need to go after slime coats. I sometimes treat mine to mussels or shrimp from the deli. That also takes care of their need for protein.
> BTW OVT's comment I take as sarcasm.


I think mine's tank mates are probably why he's not as much of a problem. Other then him and the Rainbow shark occasionally chasing each other around, peaceful as can be.


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## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

Aren't the fish sold as CAEs actually two species? A nice one and a mean-face one? I've seen that all over the place, so either it's true or it's a very widespread myth.


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## garfieldnfish (Sep 25, 2010)

Actually the CAE is usually labeled correctly. The Flying fox is often mislabeled as SAE.


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