oh dear we have a chinese algae eater

[millym]

oh i wish we'd read annas newbie no nos before we started!!!!!(how many times have you heard that) we have just realised that our algae eater is the sort that can get v nasty!!! we were told it was a peaceful community fish but after reading loads , now think we've made a big mistake & realise we have a chinese algae eater. our one was tiny when we got him but is now 3 inches long & in the last week has decided to pick on our corys whenever they get near.
does this always get worse we are worried that he may get nastier- so far no damage, but reading all the stuff on cae's are not sure what to do with him. feel a bit mean just taking him back when he hasnt done anything really bad(yet) but dont want to risk our fish getting bullied/hurt. has anyone got/heard of cae's that behave??? any stories/info appreciated. we hate seeing the corys chased.
thanks

 

[platypus]

Sorry to break it to you, but I have heard so many CAE horror stories - I started off with 3 of them, have already taken 2 back to my LFS and am definitely going to take my 3rd back as soon as I can catch the bleeder!

 

[Alien Anna]

CAEs can be great community fish if the community in question is some fairly aggressive cichlids or something like that. If I ever get a mbuna tank I'd seriously consider getting a large CAE as a bottom feeder - they do have great personality, like a lot of aggressive fish.

However, for the usual sort of community a CAE is a disaster waiting to happen, I'm afraid. He's still a baby but when he gets big... watch out!. The other problem is that when he gets big, no one will take him because by that point he won't be eating a great deal of algae. The kindest thing would be to take him to a decent fish shop and get him re-homed in something more suitable. You can tell them he's terrorising your corys (because after all, that's true).

I know about CAEs because I started out with a pair myself. They were only 2" long but already they were vicious. I also had to get rid of a red-tailed black shark who was eating his tank-mates. I'd love another RTBS at some point, but hopefully next time I'd know what I was buying and would have suitable tank-mates. None of these fish are "bad" in themselves but they have to have the right sort of environment and the right sort of tank mates.

I replaced my CAEs with an SAE and I've just taken delivery of another two SAEs this morning (because they're schooling fish). As you go along in this hobby you learn what sort of fish suit you and what don't and it often takes quite a few embarassing trips to the LFS to get it right.

 

[Tolak]

I've got a 2 1/2" CAE in a 10g tank with 2 small platys. He does'nt seem aggressive towards them, although he acts spaztic, swimming from one end of the tank to the other full tilt for no apparent reason. I also have a 50g tank with 3 plecos in it, a 10", 8", and 6", along with 6 platys. Should I get rid of the CAE now, or would he be ok in the larger tank with the larger fish? It sounds like he's a disaster waiting to happen, and I don't think my wife really likes him anyway!

 

[Alien Anna]

I've got a 2 1/2" CAE in a 10g tank with 2 small platys. He does'nt seem aggressive towards them, although he acts spaztic, swimming from one end of the tank to the other full tilt for no apparent reason. I also have a 50g tank with 3 plecos in it, a 10", 8", and 6", along with 6 platys. Should I get rid of the CAE now, or would he be ok in the larger tank with the larger fish? It sounds like he's a disaster waiting to happen, and I don't think my wife really likes him anyway!

Some people love their CAEs, but they need the right environment. A large tank shared with other large fish is probably fine - I don't think common plecos would have a problem with a CAE. The CAE is likely to grow to about 11", but your plecos will probably grow to about 20", way larger than the CAE. The only likely problem is going to be territory - even in a 55 gallon, there may not be enough territory for the plecos, let alone a CAE as well.

The platies may have some hassle from the CAE but generally its wide bodied, and flowing finned fish that have the big problem with them. They will try and suck the slime off them, however.

 

[Debo]

Anna,
What about the red tailed shark??? I have one and he's great......so far. Can you look at my tank members and see if you can forsee any problems he may have with any of them?
Deb

 

[Tolak]

Well, my wife got home a bit ago, and she really is'nt too fond of the CAE. We discussed trading him in, as we really don't need another fish that is going to grow to 10"+, and need to have a fish to help keep the 10g clean. We love the plecs, and thought that a bristlenose would fit the bill for that tank. The 50g is a tank we took in after my Dad moved into a nursing home this past July, and we reciently did some filter and light upgrades in order to give his fish a nice home. The 10g has been running for about 11 yrs. with asst. platys and danios. Would a bristlenose be suitable for a 10g tank, or is there a better fish available to suit our needs?

 

[Alien Anna]

Well, my wife got home a bit ago, and she really is'nt too fond of the CAE. We discussed trading him in, as we really don't need another fish that is going to grow to 10"+, and need to have a fish to help keep the 10g clean. We love the plecs, and thought that a bristlenose would fit the bill for that tank. The 50g is a tank we took in after my Dad moved into a nursing home this past July, and we reciently did some filter and light upgrades in order to give his fish a nice home. The 10g has been running for about 11 yrs. with asst. platys and danios. Would a bristlenose be suitable for a 10g tank, or is there a better fish available to suit our needs?

A bristlenose would be great but a 10 gallon is really pushing the amount of floor space a bristlenose needs, so if he is the only bottom feeder that would help.

 

[Alien Anna]

Anna,
What about the red tailed shark??? I have one and he's great......so far. Can you look at my tank members and see if you can forsee any problems he may have with any of them?
Deb

You've already got some pretty aggressive fish in there (tiger barbs for instance) and you don't have any fish with delicate finnage (bettas or gouramis) so it looks OK. Just keep an eye on him in case there are problems - RTBS's aren't CAEs so I wouldn't expect huge problems.

 

[Lithril]

You could always use the CAE as an excuse to get another tank....

 

[millym]

thanks everyone,
looks like it'll be a trip to the lfs!!! when we catch him. im going to try dangling the net in with some lettuce in it to see if we can get him without a mad chase stressing everything out. he loves lettuce. still feel mean booting him out as i know its only his natural behaviour but i know we have to do it.

lithril -we'd love another tank - but would need a bigger home for us first

 

[platypus]

millym - this is what I did except with cucumber. It requires loads of patience but it seems to be the least stressful way. If you leave the net resting in the tank with the lettuce outside so it's not moving around, then after a while you should get your CAE right inside the net and then you can just whip him out quick. Good luck!

 

[Moe]

When I have to get a fish out I try the food thing and I use two nets, one to chatch them and the other to kind of guide them in the right direction.