fish description – Golden Algae Eater Care Guide ($Gyrinocheilus\ aymonieri$ ‘Gold’ Strain)
| Category | Detail |
| Scientific Name | $Gyrinocheilus\ aymonieri$ (‘Gold’ Strain) |
| Common Name | Golden Algae Eater, CAE, Sucking Loach, Honey Sucker |
| Origin | Rivers and fast-flowing streams of Southeast Asia (Thailand, Laos, Vietnam) |
| Adult Size | 10–12 inches (25–30 cm) (often stops at 6–8 inches in smaller tanks) |
| Temperament | Peaceful as a juvenile; highly territorial and semi-aggressive as an adult |
| Lifespan | 10–15 years |
| Care Level | Intermediate (due to aggression and eventual large size) |
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Appearance and Sexual Differences
- Short Description: This fish has an elongated, slender body and a distinctive sucker-like mouth which it uses to cling to surfaces, a key adaptation for its fast-flowing river habitat. The body is an attractive golden-yellow or olive-gold color.
- Coloration: Body is uniformly golden-yellow. Juveniles may have subtle dark patterns that fade with age. Sexing is very difficult: males may develop small, pronounced tubercles (“thorns”) around the mouth as they mature, and females are often slightly larger and rounder.
- Fins: Proportional, often clear or light yellow. They have a unique gill structure that allows them to breathe without releasing their mouth-grip.
- Behavior: Highly active bottom-dweller, using its mouth to cling and scrape surfaces. Juveniles are great algae eaters, but this tendency wanes with age. Adults become increasingly territorial and aggressive, especially toward other bottom-dwellers or slow, flat-bodied fish.
Tank Requirements and Water Parameters
- Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons (208 liters) is the minimum recommended for an adult, with longer tanks (4+ feet) being essential. They are active and need ample open space.
- Schooling: Best kept as a solitary individual in a community tank due to aggressive tendencies. If keeping a group, a tank over 100 gallons with ample territory is necessary.
- Temperature: Tropical range: $72^\circ$–$82^\circ\text{F}\ (22^\circ$–$28^\circ\text{C})$ (ideal $74^\circ$–$80^\circ\text{F}$).
- pH Level: Highly adaptable: 6.5 to 7.5. They are hardy but require clean, well-oxygenated water with moderate to strong flow, mimicking their natural fast-moving stream habitat.
- Aquascape: Use smooth river rocks, driftwood, and a sandy or fine gravel substrate. Provide numerous hiding spots (caves, roots) and visual barriers to break up territories. Bright lighting is suitable, as it encourages algae growth for grazing.
Diet and Feeding
The Golden Algae Eater is an omnivore that shifts toward a meat-based diet as it ages.
- Staple Diet: Juveniles graze heavily on algae and biofilm. Supplement their diet with high-quality sinking algae wafers and blanched vegetables (zucchini, cucumber, spinach).
- Supplementation: As they mature, their diet must be supplemented with protein. Offer sinking pellets, frozen foods, and live foods: Bloodworms, Brine Shrimp, and small crustaceans.
- Schedule: Feed once or twice daily, ensuring food sinks to the bottom, where they prefer to feed.
Compatibility
- Caution: Do not house with slow-moving or large, flat-bodied fish (e.g., Angelfish, Goldfish, Discus), as they may latch onto them and feed on the protective slime coat, which can lead to injury and infection. Aggression toward other bottom-dwellers increases with size.
- Good Tank Mates: Fast-moving, robust, and active fish that occupy the mid-to-upper water columns. Examples include larger Barbs (Rosy, Tiger), Danios (Giant), Rainbowfish, and some peaceful, durable Cichlids.





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