Why is a Cyprinid classed under Catfish?

[Blub]

In the main forum page, there is a section called 'freshwater fish and Invertebrates', and one of the sub-forums is 'Catfish'. If you click that link (http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/catfish/) then it will display several sub-forums.... So my question is: Why is the Chinese Algae Eater (A Cyprinid) classed as a Catfish?

[Butterfly]

Originally Posted by Blub

In the main forum page, there is a section called 'Freshwater fish and Invertebrates', and one of the sub-forums is 'Catfish'. If you click that link (http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/catfish/) then it will display several sub-forums.... So my question is: Why is the Chinese Algae Eater (A Cyprinid) classed as a Catfish?

Probably because their described as algae eaters. Their also called sucking loaches but their not loaches either
Carol

[sirdarksol]

A good point, but the Chinese algae eater isn't actually a cyprinid either.
It is a cypriniform, but instead of being in the cyprinidae family with carp and the like, it's in the gyrinocheilus family.

[Mike]

So where do we think it fits best? Do I need to make a new forum for it to reside under?

[sirdarksol]

Not necessarily. I think that they would fit fairly well under "Oddball Fish," since they are pretty odd (the family is a small one, and the algae-eating turning to slime-coat-eating is a strange habit, if you ask me ). Otherwise, just put it under cyprinid, as it's closely related. If you really wanted to get technical, you could change cyprinid to cypriform.