Golden Chinese Algae Eater

The golden Chinese algae eater is a xanthic line of Gyrinocheilus aymonieri, a Southeast Asian cyprinid with a modified sucking mouth it uses to fasten onto rock and glass. The gold form is a clear butter-yellow rather than the mottled brown of the wild fish. It is sold as an algae eater and, while young, that is exactly what it does. It is worth being straight about what happens next.

Aquarium care

• Grows substantially larger than the small fish sold in shops.
• Becomes territorial and pushy with age, particularly towards its own kind.
• Adults often stop eating algae and may rasp at the sides of flat-bodied fish such as angelfish and discus.
• Best kept singly rather than in twos or threes.
• Wants a roomy tank with rock, wood, caves and some flow.
• Omnivorous: algae wafers, sinking pellets, blanched vegetables.

It suits a large, robust community with fast, sturdy fish that can keep out of its way. If you want a lasting algae solution for a planted community tank, otocinclus, nerite snails or a bristlenose pleco are better choices.

Stock rotates with each shipment, and livestock is sold for local pickup at our Lethbridge store. See the current algae eater list.