Home / Fishes / Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches / Gyrinocheilidae / Chinese algae-eater
No federal permit to keepChinese algae-eater
Gyrinocheilus aymonieri
Fishes › Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches (Cypriniformes) › Gyrinocheilidae (Sucker-mouthed algae eaters)
Gyrinocheilus aymonieri is a freshwater fish native to large parts of Southeast Asia.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 42 in long and 21 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 11.0 in / 28 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 77–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6–8.
- Hardness: 5–19 dGH.
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
- Diet: A grazer on plants and algae: base the diet on vegetable foods (algae wafers, blanched vegetables, spirulina). FishBase classes it as a omnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 59 × 18 in (roughly 80 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–79 °F, pH 6–8, 2–20 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament territorial; kept alone; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Provided sufficient cover is available this species is relatively unfussy in terms of décor, and should not harm softer-leaved plants.”
- Diet: “Primarily an aufwuchs grazer feeding on algae, small crustaceans, insect larvae, etc., and for it to develop its best colours and condition it should be offered regular meals of small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, Daphnia and Artemia, along with…”
- Tankmates: “Though normally sold as such this species is largely unsuitable for the general community aquarium.”
- Breeding: “As far as we know it hasn't been bred in aquaria but is farmed for the trade in large numbers with the aid of hormones.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Fishes
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Varies. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Cycle the aquarium before adding fish so beneficial bacteria can handle ammonia and nitrite.
- Size filtration and partial water changes to stocking and measured water quality. Topping up evaporated water does not replace a water change; treat incoming tap water appropriately.
- Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH regularly.
Diet
- A varied diet of quality prepared foods plus frozen or live foods suited to the species; feed only what's eaten in a few minutes.
Health watch
- Quarantine new fish for at least 30 days; longer may be needed. Use a separate system and dedicated nets, buckets and siphons.
- Never release aquarium fish or plants into the wild.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It is of interest as a local food source and for the aquarium trade. Its common names include honey sucker, sucking loach and Chinese algae eater.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Gyrinocheilus aymonieri” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams, lakes. Stays near the bottom. Occur in medium to large-sized rivers and enters flooded fields. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 77–82 °F (25–28 °C), pH 6–8, hardness 5–19 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Grazing on aquatic plants. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 77–82 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 92°F (up to 98°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 65°F (down to 51°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 72–82°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 71–77% on average (driest month about 64%) |
| Rainfall | about 1383 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 35 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Gyrinocheilus aymonieri is a freshwater fish native to large parts of Southeast Asia. It is of interest as a local food source and for the aquarium trade. Its common names include honey sucker, sucking loach and Chinese algae eater. G. aymonieri is found in the Chao Phraya basin, northern Malay Peninsula, Mekong basin (in Cambodia, Yunnan province in China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam), Mae Klong basin and the Xe Bang Fai River. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | G. aymonieri has been recorded as reaching at least 28 cm SL and is the only species in the genus to have 9 branched dorsal rays and 36–40 lateral line scales. The mouth is inferior with a special "sucker" modification which allows the fish to attach itself to smooth surfaces. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Adults are found in medium to large-sized rivers and enters flooded fields on solid surfaces in flowing waters. Mostly herbivorous, feed largely on algae, periphyton and phytoplankton, but also take insect larvae or zooplankton. In current, they hold onto fixed objects with their sucker-like mouth. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 59 × 18 in (about 80 US gallons).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Microbial diversity and potential pathogens in ornamental fish aquarium water Smith KF et al., PloS one 2012
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.