Golden Algae Eater

[Gix]

I, a couple of months ago, bought a small "golden algae eater" from my lfs, stupidly without researching it first. Now I am hearing all sorts of horrible things about it, especially that it will get very agressige and eat my fishes' slime coats and eyeballs.
It's currently very small (2-2.5'' approx.), and has caused no problems. Are there certain fish that the algae eater will not bother? Should I wait and see, or should i just get rid of it?
Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[canarsie11]

How big is your tank? What kind of fish do you plan to keep? What is in there already?


I would say get rid of it. I would not stock my tank around 1 fish compatability. Unless you really love the fish. I dont think you are in love with golden algae eater, are u?

 

[Gix]

Not in love with it, nope. right now i've got a couple of guppies and platys, 3 small clown loaches (I know...i will move them to a bigger tank when they get bigger), a dwarf gourami and an african dwarf frog in there with the algae eater. All the fish are pretty small right now. I'd rather remove the algae eater than have any of the others be hurt.

 

[Tednol]

two of my female dwarf gouramis were murdered i think by my chinese algae eater.
they have the same concepts as yours///aggresive territorial and atack slow moving bigger fish.

 

[canarsie11]

two of my female dwarf gouramis were murdered i think by my chinese algae eater.
they have the same concepts as yours///aggresive territorial and atack slow moving bigger fish.

Murdered?!

Wow

 

[millym]

hi
we also stupidly bought a golden/chinese ae when we started out & it was fine until it got to about 2.5 - 3 inches in size & then got very nasty.........harrassed our corys morning noon & night so eventually we accepted he had to go for rehoming (sadly really we liked the fish but it just wasnt suitable for our tank)

id personally take him back before he starts getting territorial. but theyre buggers to catch........we used a bottle trap + a lot of patience before finally catching him.

good luck

 

[Tednol]

two of my female dwarf gouramis were murdered i think by my chinese algae eater.
they have the same concepts as yours///aggresive territorial and atack slow moving bigger fish.

Murdered?!

Wow

but i have sat him down and told him that he has to calm down, and eat algae.
which he is now
My secret is to give him a hiding place.
Make some places for him to hide>
where no over fish can get to, solves the territorial.
he's seems ok in my 12(u.k) / 15(u.s) tank