Is this true about Chinese algae eaters?

Question

Do chinese algae eaters really start sucking on the sides of other fish when they are adults? If so, how can I keep them from doing that to my fish? I can't buy another 20 gallon. I have an 18 gallon. My dad is letting me get a 5 gallon tank, but only that. I won't be able to get it until 3 weeks from now or less... Also, what fish should I move from my 18 gallon to the 5 gallon? I have:
- 2 rasbora heteromorphas (harlequin)
- 2 sunset coral dwarf platy
- 2 neon tetras
- 3 glow light tetras
- 2 CAEs
- 3 fancy guppies; 2 female 1 male

One of the CAEs is always on the bottom and seems to be dead. He isnt as active as the other one, who is VERY active. Is something wrong with him? Is he going to die? What can I do? I thank you guys for all the wonderful answers you gave me and will give me for this question. You guys know where and how to use your knowledge about fish. Way to go! :-) :-D Keep up your good work!

I can't return the CAEs I got them a month ago.

Answer 1

First off, I've had aquariums for over twenty years.
Currently, I have a 30 gallon of community fish, a 55 with South American Cichlids and a 55 with African Cichlids.
I have a chinese algae eater in the 30 gallon. He is 7 years old and five or six inches long. He is very active and sometimes gets after the other fish, but not anything to be concerned about.
He, along with other CAEs I've had, have never been a problem with other fish.
Your 18 gallon is plenty big for the fish you have now. A GENERAL rule on community fish is 1 or 2 fish per gallon.
However, if you want to move some, I would move the platys, simply because platys, mollys, and the like, tend to have higher risk of carrying or contracting disease/parasites.
You may also consider moving the guppies to allow them to have babies :)

Answer 2

Chinese algae eaters while young are generally peaceful but as they grow they will become more aggressive and can damage other fish especially large bodied slow moving fish. I would see if you could re-home your cae with another hobbyist or a local fish store.

Answer 3

I bought a "Chinese algae eater" which was definetley not a cae. He started getting aggressive and i suspected that he was latching on to my other fish. A couple of weeks a go i had a tank catastrophe and had to change his tank mate to a betta. After three days he would pretend to be dead every time the betta swam near. It was really amusing, i'm pretty sure that the betta ended up killing him, either the stress or they got into a fight. my advice, as mean as it is to let the other cae die. That way you will only have to deal with one if it begins to misbehave.
if it begins to misbehave i would put it in the five gal with the tetras,but let the five gal build up bacteria for a little before transporting it.

Answer 4

I've got two CAEs and never noticed either of them trying this with my other fish (a semi-large clown loach, a semi-large Pakistani loach and a Pearl gourami). The Paki and the CAEs all like to hang out together inside a hollow log ornament.

Answer 5

I have had them in my tanks for years and have only seen them suck on another fish a couple of times ( the other fish shook him off)
I have kept them with plecos, guppies, mollies, silver sharks, clown loaches, harlequins and neons, zebra danios, platys and siamese fighters (bettas).
Maybe I have been lucky - I found out about their reputation after I got them.
I did have one that beat another one to death though.

Answer 6

I've heard of this, but you really only need to worry for big, slow fish.

The fact is, your tanks are all too small to keep this fish long term - they are too aggressive and get too big. Your best bet is to move them to the fish store and get something more suitable. Not what you want to hear I'm sure, but it's the best answer I could give you and remain honest.

Answer 7

the chinese algae eaters usually live at the bottom of the tank. (they stay on the bottom eating algae), so it is completely normal if your CAE is at the bottom of the tank.

i have never heard that CAE's suck on the sides of other fish before. . . so im not sure if that's true.. because i have about 4 CAE's in my aquarium, and they are already fully grown, and they never seem to do that.

good luck!!

Answer 8

I haven't had a problem with them, but I haven't kept that many personally. But a student at the university where I worked had one that killed 6 neons and a snail in her tank, though.

Answer 9

I personally dont care for chinese alage eaters. I call them "jerks" very territoral fish.