Chinese Algae Eater

[Ive]

Hi everybody!

Most people (like me) buy those little chinese algae eater without knowing how big they can get.

I have a 20 g tank, and for now, mine is very small. But I am worried about its future size.

How long is the biggest chinese algae eater you ever had?

 

[Graeme]

10.6 inches!








Graeme.

 

[Whisper Odinsky]

be very, very carefull.
my CAE ate up an angelfish, attacked my gouramis, was 8 '1/2 inches long, and did absolutly nothing but harass my fish, and eat food on the bottom.
be weary, friend!

 

[platypus]

I have three of these little blighters, got on the advice of my RUBBISH lfs when I was new to the hobby. Thankfully I have found another shop that is happy to take them back when they start to get aggressive. For now they are about 2 inches long and are happy just to pester each other and not anyone else. I have had them about 9 months. Does anyone know at what age they start going nasty?

Not looking forward to the day I have to round the slippery little suckers up!

 

[Ive]

Thanks for reply!

Oh my God! I have lost the hope that those fishes won't grow so much in an aquarium! I never seen one bigger than 1 1/2 inch at all tha lfs I visited. I hope in the future I will find a lfs that take it to carefor me.

 

[Kossy]

Yes like i've said on another post many lfs's don't tell this to newbies (Don't know if your one no offence if you are) anyway...they don't say these things so you buy the fish then you will have to get a bigger tank to accomodate it or give it back to them where you lose the money...sad really. Thats why everyone should research first!!!!

 

[Whisper Odinsky]

yeah. some LFS stores are quite mis-leading. it was here i found out my I.D. sharks were going to get 3 ft long,, the LFS "forgot to mention that" as well as how nasty the chinese algae eater was... thats why you come here! everyone here just wants to help

 

[platypus]

While we're on the subject has anyone actually tried to catch these fellas and return them to their lfs? Just wondering if anyone has any tips as my 3 are starting to get bigger and I'm sure it's not long till they go off the algae and on to their tankmates scales grrrrr

I think Ive and I would both appreciate any tips!

 

[Whisper Odinsky]

omg. this took at least 3 hours.
what i had to do, with the narsty (worse then nasty!) 8 1/2 inch thing, was remove every plant, large rock, and decoration, and FISH from my 30 gallon tank, and then put a jar (NOT a net) down in the water, and wait.
and wait.
finally, after my cat tried to dive bomb into the tank, i kept putting the jar in, eventually *sucking him* into the jar.. and then i put him in a 2 gallon bucket, and just brought him in the LFS in the bucket.
after THAT, you deserve a drink!

 

[platypus]

Oh my G_D!! And I have 3 of them!!!!

Mummy... I'm scared

 

[Alien Anna]

Thanks for reply!

Oh my God! I have lost the hope that those fishes won't grow so much in an aquarium! I never seen one bigger than 1 1/2 inch at all tha lfs I visited. I hope in the future I will find a lfs that take it to carefor me.

I know a woman with an 11" CAE called Algenon. He shares his tank with platties, with whom there seems to be an easy truce, but I don't think he'd tolerate anything else in that tank.

 

[snotirl]

8 inches and still growen they can reach 12 inches i think!