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Encyclopedia / Algae Eaters / Chinese algae eater
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Photo by Igor Balashov, CC BY · source · credits

Variations

2 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Chinese algae eater

Gyrinocheilus aymonieri · Cae, Golden algae eater, Sucking loach

Aggressive as an adult.

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28 cmBody length, without tail ✓
22–26 °CTemperature ✓
6–8pH ✓
304 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Chinese algae eater is tropical.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 22 °C.
Not recommended
  • Adult chinese algae eater latch onto flat-sided fish like angelfish and eat their slime coat.
Not recommended
  • Adult chinese algae eater latch onto flat-sided fish like discus and eat their slime coat.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 26 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 22 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 6.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

442 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓2–20 dGH
Group size ✓Can live alone
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ✓10–15 years
Size in shops 3–5 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Aggressive as an adult.

Food

Algae, wafers.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Mature females are noticeably thicker-bodied than males; young fish cannot be sexed. Tubercles can appear on the snout and sides of the head.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Rarely bred in captivity ·

Not known to have been bred in aquaria; farmed for the trade in large numbers using hormones.

Pairing

Adult group.

Setup

Farm ponds with hormones.

What starts it

Hormone induction.

Eggs

Many eggs on farms; hatch in 1-2 days.

Raising the fry

Infusoria first.

Common mistakes
  • Aggression
  • Wrong tank mates
  • Expecting home spawns
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionMainland Southeast Asia – Mekong and Chao Phraya basins
Rivers and lakesMekong and Chao Phraya rivers
HabitatFast, rocky streams and rivers
Native rangeAbout 800 km across
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The story of the chinese algae eater

Despite being sold as the 'Chinese' or 'Indian' algae eater, it is native to mainland Southeast Asia. It grazes on algae and biofilm, becomes increasingly territorial as it grows, and may attach to the flanks of larger tankmates to feed on their body mucus. Golden forms are sometimes artificially dyed.

French naturalist Gilbert Tirant described this fish in 1883 from Indochina. Despite its common name it lives mainly in the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins rather than China. Its sucker mouth lets it cling to rocks in fast water, and young fish are sold as algae eaters.

First described by Gilbert Tirant in 1883. Named for Named after Étienne Aymonier, a French explorer of Cambodia.

  • It has a special gill opening that lets it breathe while its mouth is attached to a rock.
  • It becomes territorial and less interested in algae as it grows.
  • A golden form is popular in the trade.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources