From Aqua Guide, the free encyclopedia
Chinese Algae Eater
Gyrinocheilus aymonieri
- Temperature
- 22–26 °C
- pH
- 6 – 8
- Min. tank size
- 304 L
- Lifespan
- 8-10 years
- Diet
- herbivore
- Care level
- easy
| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name: | Gyrinocheilus aymonieri |
| Family: | Gyrinocheilidae |
| Origin: | Southeast Asia (rivers of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, southern China) |
| Care Characteristics | |
| Care Level: | easy |
| Diet: | herbivore |
| Max Size: | 28.00 cm |
| Water Type: | freshwater |
| Temp Group: | tropical |
| Temperament: | semi aggressive |
| Min Group: | Can be kept alone |
| Varieties: | One established strain and a serious warning attached to it. The gold or xanthic form is widely sold — a pale yellow-gold fish rather than the mottled brown wild type. It is a genuine colour form and its care is identical. The warning is that the gold variety is sometimes subjected to artificial dying, injected with colour to produce shades the fish does not naturally carry, and this normally leads to a significant reduction in lifespan. If the colour looks implausible — vivid orange, pink, blue — the fish has been dyed, and the trade continues only while people buy them. Long-finned forms appear occasionally. The important distinctions are between species rather than strains, because this fish is constantly confused with better ones. The siamese algae eater (Crossocheilus species) is a slimmer fish with a dark stripe running into the caudal fin, it stays peaceful, and it genuinely eats black beard algae. The flying fox (Epalzeorhynchos kalopterum) has white-edged red and black fins. Garra species have a disc-like sucker lower lip. Of the four, the Chinese algae eater is the one to leave in the shop. |
| Lifespan: | 8-10 years |
Quick Tips
- Bioload:Medium to high
- Min Tank:304 L
- Substrate:Gravel or sand; driftwood, rocks and caves; open swimming space
- Plant Safe:Plant-safe
- Filtration:High
Chinese Algae Eater (Gyrinocheilus aymonieri) is a species of fish in the family Gyrinocheilidae. It is native to Southeast Asia (rivers of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, southern China). The Chinese algae eater is sold as a cleaner and is one of the poorest choices in the hobby for the job. It comes from rivers across Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and southern China, and it reaches 280 mm standard length. The specialist minimum tank is 150 × 45 cm, around 304 litres. The fish in the shop is 4 cm. It becomes increasingly territorial as it grows, with particularly high levels of aggression toward similar-looking fish. And it has a habit that ends tanks: it may attach itself to the flanks of larger tank mates in order to feed on their body mucus. It is also not a Chinese fish in the usual sense, not closely related to the other "algae eaters", and not reliably an algae eater at all past juvenile size. If you want algae control, buy otocinclus, amano shrimp, nerite snails or a bristlenose. This fish is a 28 cm river cyprinid with a temper.
Compatibility
- Temperament
- semi aggressive
- Keep in
- Can be kept alone
- Swims
- bottom
- Fin nipper
- No
- Delicate fins
- No
Species similar to Chinese Algae Eater
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