# When do my Chinese algae eaters need their own home?



## Axilleus (Aug 1, 2014)

Right now I have two Chinese algae eaters in a 30 gallon community tank. I bought them thinking that they were otocincluses (otocincli?) but they're now about 3 inches long, so that's looking unlikely. Both very occasionally chase the other fish in the tank, but are almost always hiding during the day, and I've never seen them sucking on another fish, even though I have some relatively inactive cories. I feed algae wafers and shrimp pellets at night for the cories and the algae eaters. The chinese algae eaters do seem to be eating less algae from the tank at this point, though.

My question is, when do I need to get them their own tank to prevent them from eating / being aggressive towards their tank mates, and is there a tank size/set up that could accommodate both of them without one of them killing the other?


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

your tank is in grave danger! and just forgot trying to keep them evil fish they grow to a foot long so i would say a 75 for just them. or you could return them or if all else fails kill them.


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## Axilleus (Aug 1, 2014)

I understand that they get aggressive, but I feel responsible for these fish since I did buy them, and if at all possible, I do want to find a tank to meet their needs. I won't have a lot of disposable income for the next month, but after that I should be able to get a 50-75 gallon tank no problem.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

well good but remember you have to cycle the tank. yep i bought one of these fish and it killed my whole tank and i did not let it live in there i put his butt in a pond just threw him in there and now hes actually bigger than 12 inch he is 15 inches.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

you know what, i do wonder how can you buy a stand for it and the tank and the filter with ease, in your words you said no problem. so how do you get that much money like what kind of job do you have cuz you must be rich.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

If you asked me that question I would say none of your business. He probably works hard at a job.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

First you need to be sure they are CAE and not SAE(since you thought they were otos I don't think this is far stretch).The SAE(siamese Algae eater) has the stripe all the way through the tail,while the CAE stripe stops before tail.The SAE will also have "whisker"/barbels,being a member of the carp family.
If your fish are SAE then count them as a score and you should be fine(all fish would like a larger tank).
If they are actually CAE then you should just consider returning them to the LFS(even fo free) or trying to trade for something else(keep trying for otos).The CAE do stop eating algae as the yage ,become aggressive(not always towards each other only),and do get large.
I admire you wanting to right by your purchase,but there is a middle ground to buying a large tank and killing them.Trade them or offer them to anyone who knows how and will properly keep them.
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f4/cae-sae-pics-7361.html
This is an old thread on ID of SAE/CAE.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

susankat said:


> If you asked me that question I would say none of your business. He probably works hard at a job.


no, no that was a complement cuz that is a high paying job and i am impressed that they even have those kind of jobs available.


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## Axilleus (Aug 1, 2014)

It looks like the stripe does stop before the tail, and I can't see any barbels. That said I think it would be an interesting challenge to keep these fish, I'm just having a hard time finding resources on how to do it. Does anyone have any information on their specific needs?


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

well if you wanna be extra sure just find some people selling sae but if it does not say real sae then do not trust it then compare them together.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Strong current and moderatley warm/clean water.It will eat algae while young but will become accustomed to whatever you are feeding the tank out of convienence(laziness).This link has good info;
Chinese Algae Eater, Sucking Loach, Gyrinocheilus aymonieri
It mentions fish that stay in upper part of tank to be good companions which makes sense.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

actually that is not true they might kill the tank mates at night when they are sleeping


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