"Sucking Cats" ... beware ... Chinese Algae Eaters

Be aware when you buy sucking cats be it for just bottom dwelling or 'algae eating'.

I originally purchased 2 chinese algae eaters - sold as sucking cats and one grew really quick the other not so much. The smaller one died.

Later on, I thought I would get 2 more of them to keep my the bigger CAE company ... another mistake ... They too are no longer with us ...

Very aggressive towards the same species of fish ... not so to the other fish in the tank.

I like the lone CAE but am worried for the safety of the others once he grows to be too big ...

Further reading here --> https://www.fishlore.com/profile-chinesealgaeeater.htm

 

chinese algae eaters suck. get it? they are horrible fish. they hide & don't clean much. they dissipear when they die. they absolutly suck

 

Yep. CAEs are great when they're juveniles, but they will eventually get a taste for slime coat, especially if kept with larger, wide-bodied fish like angels or pacu.

 

I won't buy one again.

 

Another fish the LFS should not stock! I was "suckered in" once, never again....

 

I found mine to have real personality and its really smart. sure I learned the hard way when it came to all the fish it killed. but I dicided to try a tiger oscer with it and they fought for a couple of weeks but now they get along and the oscer is in charge of the tank if you know what I mean

 

also les. if I were you i'd put your algae eater away from your guarami and angelfish becouse they WILL fall prey eventualy

 

I don't know, CAE's have always kept my 75 gallon spotless, even when they got old. they've never bothered the other fish, and they seem too oblivious to actually find and catch another fish anyway.

the only instance of aggression I can think of is when the CAE and the eclipse catfish were duking it out for hiding places. the CAE won because it was bigger...but now the catfish is enormous and whomps on the CAE when it gets out of line.

I could definitely see where you'd have problems keeping them in smaller tanks, 75 gallon seems to be the minimum.