Chinese algae eater

The Chinese algae eater is a freshwater fish in the family Gyrinocheilidae, native to rivers and streams of Southeast Asia. It has a long, slender body with a sucker-like mouth and mottled brownish coloration, and an albino golden form is common in the trade. While marketed as an algae eater, it becomes increasingly territorial and aggressive with age and grows much larger than many buyers expect. Older individuals may harass tank mates and even rasp at the slime coat of slow, flat-bodied fish. It uses its sucker mouth to cling to surfaces in fast-flowing water and grazes algae when young, but shifts toward a more protein-rich diet as it matures, so its diet must be supplemented with prepared and meaty foods. Given its size and temperament, it needs a large tank and robust tank mates, and it is best regarded as a demanding rather than casual algae control fish.