Algae Eater Id?

[Estheroo]

HI again Fishlore friends!

What kind of algae eater is this? Do they get along with neon tetra? My LFS told me it was okay...with my neon tetra...

will they be aggressive?
are they stressing my neon tetra?

Thank you!!!

 

[Aqua Hands]

SAE or CAE, maybe

 

[Estheroo]

here's a better one

 

[Aqua Hands]

its a golden algae eater

aka a golden CAE (chinese algae eater)

 

[fissh]

gold Chinese algae eater.

 

[Farlowella Fella]

It will get big and aggressive up to 28 cm (~1')

 

[C_Willie]

As they said this is a gold Chinese algae eater. These can get up to 12 inches...

 

[Redshark1]

When they are fully grown they do hide from people and are intolerant of other fish so at no stage are they a good aquarium fish.

My Clown Loaches have also nearly reached 12 inches but at least they are very sociable with each other and with other fish and are not afraid of people.

In my first introduction to tropical fish the Chinese Algae Eater (back then they were called Sucking Loach) was chasing other fish in the school aquarium and caused blood in the tailfin of the Zebra Danio so I would expect them to stress out other fish with their attacks.

Incidentally I suspect they attack other fish out of desperation as they are often in starving condition. They probably need to be grazing all day.

 

[fissh]

When they are fully grown they do hide from people and are intolerant of other fish so at no stage are they a good aquarium fish.

My Clown Loaches have also nearly reached 12 inches but at least they are very sociable with each other and with other fish and are not afraid of people.

In my first introduction to tropical fish the Chinese Algae Eater (back then they were called Sucking Loach) was chasing other fish in the school aquarium and caused blood in the tailfin of the Zebra Danio so I would expect them to stress out other fish with their attacks.

Incidentally I suspect they attack other fish out of desperation as they are often in starving condition. They probably need to be grazing all day.

How old are your 12" clown loaches?

 

[Redshark1]

Just past 24 years old, the biggest being 11.5 inches and still growing. I believe they don't get over 12 inches.




I was thinking there must be thousands of unwanted Sucking Loach that have grown too big and are sucking the slime off people's Angels etc.

How cool it would be to rescue some of these and have them in their correct conditions like a six foot tank with decent water flow. But if they are genuinely intolerant of each other then it doesn't seem like a good idea and the fact that they become skittish and hide makes them even less attractive.

Its another example of a fish that shouldn't really be sold to beginners along with Clown Loaches, Bala Sharks, Iridescent Sharks etc.

 

[C_Willie]

Just past 24 years old, the biggest being 11.5 inches and still growing. I believe they don't get over 12 inches.




I was thinking there must be thousands of unwanted Sucking Loach that have grown too big and are sucking the slime off people's Angels etc.

How cool it would be to rescue some of these and have them in their correct conditions like a six foot tank with decent water flow. But if they are genuinely intolerant of each other then it doesn't seem like a good idea and the fact that they become skittish and hide makes them even less attractive.

Its another example of a fish that shouldn't really be sold to beginners along with Clown Loaches, Bala Sharks, Iridescent Sharks etc.

So many new tanks are set up with terrible fish choices....

But your loaches look great! Nice Congo tetra in the back too!

 

[Lion]

Just past 24 years old, the biggest being 11.5 inches and still growing. I believe they don't get over 12 inches.




I was thinking there must be thousands of unwanted Sucking Loach that have grown too big and are sucking the slime off people's Angels etc.

How cool it would be to rescue some of these and have them in their correct conditions like a six foot tank with decent water flow. But if they are genuinely intolerant of each other then it doesn't seem like a good idea and the fact that they become skittish and hide makes them even less attractive.

Its another example of a fish that shouldn't really be sold to beginners along with Clown Loaches, Bala Sharks, Iridescent Sharks etc.

Man, would be a dream of mine to own a relic of a 10+inch Clown Loach, being in the UK, I've never seen one past 6inch in the flesh. You're one lucky guy Redshark1

 

[fissh]

The biggest clowns I've ever seen were around 12" and they were imported as adults from the wild and had a horrible mortality rate, it made me want to cry!! 24 years old, your doing something right!! I've heard of a few that made 30+ years, hopefully you'll be one of them.

 

[Redshark1]

Just link me to any 30 year olds ! (or any other 20+ year olds)

I've not found any alive today.

I want to meet real people with real loaches.

 

[fissh]

Just link me to any 30 year olds ! (or any other 20+ year olds)

I've not found any alive today.

I want to meet real people with real loaches.

You guys are quite rare, you should be very proud of your achievement. The ones I've seen in the flesh were from the wild were supposed to be around 30 years old, according to the collectors who captured them in Jakarta. I got 30 of them in that ranged in size from 10" to 12.5" I didn't order them, but they sent them anyway!

 

[Redshark1]

Thanks man, that means a lot. I read your profile and realise you are a professional. For my loaches I've just provided basic but consistent care but yes its all added up to something special.

I find it amazing that you got 30 giant Clown Loaches! Wild stocks must have been depleted by that kind of harvesting and I believe it was officially stopped at some point and only the small sizes continued to be exported. I didn't expect that large adults would suffer a high mortality rate. What do you put that down to?

Measuring them you can do with a ruler when they sit still but ageing live wild fish would seem less precise. How do you reckon they knew they were 30 years old? Were they guessing or do you think they had a way of knowing?

 

[fissh]

I only got the big guys one time back in 1977 and didn't know clowns got that big when I ordered large! Out of the 30 I got 12 were doa and the rest looked like they were in trouble. I think when all was said and done 3 or 4 survived!! I still hate that shipment and I'm glad adults became illegal. It's really easy to measure them when they're dead. The only reason I thought they might be 30 years old is that's what the shipper said, that's why I was wondering how old you're clowns were? There's a lot of rumors about clowns getting 12" in a tank and the biggest tank raised fish I've ever seen is 9" and it was 19 years old. I'm very happy to hear that they're 24, WOW, that's amazing! And I'm not easily amazed.