# Chinese Algae Eater, 12"?



## MSDdivers (Nov 24, 2014)

I read that Gyrinocheilos aymonieri (Chinese Algae Eater) could reach 12 inches. If I add them to a 104 gallon tank with other fish, will they really get that big?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Possibly, but also when mature they have been known to eat into the sides of your fish. I'd avoid them.

In any case you would not want a 12" fish in a 104G tank, nor would you want to stunt a fish by putting him with other fish in a tank too small for him.


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## MSDdivers (Nov 24, 2014)

DJRansome said:


> Possibly, but also when mature they have been known to eat into the sides of your fish. I'd avoid them.
> 
> In any case you would not want a 12" fish in a 104G tank, nor would you want to stunt a fish by putting him with other fish in a tank too small for him.


Thank you, Chinese Algae Eater, out.


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

Got to give my .02 cents in this thread.
The idea/notion that a CAE would some how get too large for a 104 gal. is just plain ridiculous!!
Because they CAN get 12" in the wild says absolutely nothing on what is typical or likely in captivity. It's like looking at world record jag at 28" or festae at 20" and considering these sizes as possible or even likely in captivity!
And even at 12", a CAE would not be that large of a fish. There long and skinny, and live on surfaces.
I've never seen or owned one that was much more then 7". Here's my last large CAE. measured at 6 1/2" and weighed at 36 grams. And yes I would consider that a large one, as I have never seen or owned one that was significantly larger.

http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa480/bercom/115_zpsf7a64111.jpg
http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa480/bercom/116_zps04b1ebaa.jpg
The size of a fish is essentially it's body weight. So this "large" CAE = 4 1/2" cichlid. Not too big at all :lol: 
IMO, CAE is suitable for any 4 ft. tank, if not smaller.


DJRansome said:


> when mature they have been known to eat into the sides of your fish.


Well they are not suitable for general "community" . They are aggressive.
But in terms of any instance of them sucking on cichlids, I would be willing to bet that in virtually all instances it would be a sick or dying fish.
In many years of keeping them I have never witnessed A CAE sucking on other fish (other then dead fish). I've seen large plecos do it a number of occasions in a fight, as an aggressive act, but never a CAE. Of course sucking is fairly mild to the sort of damage cichlids can do by biting/hitting or even in caomparison to whacking with there heads(the typical way plecos, CAE, sharks ect. defend themselves).
How are they supposed to get away with sucking on cichlids when they generally occupy the position of the very bottom of the pecking order in the tank???


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Do you find adult CAE's eat less algae than a bristlenose?


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

DJRansome said:


> Do you find adult CAE's eat less algae than a bristlenose?


No.
I have all 3 (common, BN and CAE) at the moment and have moved fish around for various reasons between 6 tanks so have been able to make direct comparisons on what each can do.
BN won't eat blue green algae. Where as common pleco and CAE will. I've had to add CAE a couple times to some of my small tanks to clean up a bout of blue green algae , in short order.

When it comes to eating thick advanced black beard algae on rough porous surfaces, like rock, fiberglass and plastic pipe, neither a CAE or BN really compare to a common pleco. A common pleco will eventually spend an after noon eating it down to virtually nothing.


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