Problems with Chinese Algae Eater

Cae

I love mine as well because they have more character than other algae eaters; however my personal experiences show that they are only good with some fish. I used to have a large tank and between my Oscars, Snakeheads, Cichlids etc....they always killed common plecos, however I had an adult CAE live very well with them. I know have a very small tank-20G and I have 6 tiger barbs, 1 catfish, and the CAE. They all get along great. It is very funny if I throw a sinking algae pellet in the tank because he protects it. My last one did stop eating a lot of algae and pellets. My recommendation is if you have one, they should be kept with semi-aggressive to aggressive fish. They will terrorize smaller, slower, more peaceful fish.
 
Cae

I have to say that I liked mine too. He lived for 5 years in a 55g with a pink gourami and two angels. He bothered them a bit but never attached himself to them. He did like swimming with the clown loaches though. Once in a while he would start messing around with the rocks, and then he would park himself in front of the tank where I couldn't miss all five inches of him. This was my big sign that he was bored and hungry. I'd give him an algae wafer or two and he was good for a few days. He did like cucumber too. Sadly he jumped out of the tank one day and I couldn't save him.

Lisa
 
PetSmart/PetCo taking back fish...

I talked to the fish department folks at five of our local (Phoenix area) pet-chain stores. In every case, I was told that they absolutely cannot put any returned fish back into the tanks or resell them for quarantine issues.
One store said any fish taken back are thrown away immediately. Four of them said that if the fish were a desireable one in excellent health, it *might* end up re-homed with an employee. Otherwise they toss the fish in the trash as soon as you're out of the store. Basically they're letting their customers off the hook for the death of the fish.

Now, it might be different at your local store. My sister's nearest chain store has several employees who belong to a aquatic orgnization that runs rescue tanks and helps re-home problem fish. Even then, they generally only manage to save about 20% of the fish they accept due to the multiple transfers involved with a fish that's generally already been kept under stress.

I have a CAE, he's a nuisance and a bully, but has gorgeous color and he's fun to watch. When the time comes to transfer our fish to the new tank, I'm going to have to argue with myself about keeping him. But if I decide not to, he'll be humanely euthanized. Frankly, there are just too many CAE's out there to have any hope of re-homing them all. At least until someone sets up an Algea Eaters Refuge that take all our unwise and regretted purchase of the beasts.
 
I've never found any chain store that will take trades. You have to find an independent, locally-owned LFS. In the ones around here the owner is usually working behind the counter and can make the decision. Ive traded many fish and recieved cash, credit, and sometimes just the piece of mind that the fish will have another good home.
 
ive had a CAE, baby one of course, wich is only 2 inches. he has not caused any harm, in my ten gal tank. yes i no it will grow huge! it depends on the size u got it and if u feed it properly. also the tank size will limit the fishes size but yah either take him back to the store or keep him in his own "special" tank.
 
using a small tank to "limit" a fish's size is cruel and harmful. stunting a fish causes reduced immune response, loss of color, high stress, illness, and early death. if you don't have or won't be able to aquire a tank big enough for a fish, don't keep it.
 
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