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Cyprinds
/ Indian Algae Eater
Indian Algae Eater, Chinese Algae Eater, Sucking Loach
Gyrinocheilus aymonieri | Pictures
Synonyms: Gyrinocheilus
kasnakoi, Gyrinocheilops kasnakoi, Psilorhynchus aymonieri
Physical description: An elongated fish with a flat belly profile.
The mouth is located on the underside
of the snout and is suction-cup shaped.
The caudal fin is forked.
The back is a copper-brown color, while
the lower parts are silvery-white.
A brown stripes extends from the snout, through the eye, and back to
the caudal fin.
Size/Length: To 11" (28 cm) in nature
Similar species: None
Habitat: Eastern India, Southeast Asia; Thailand
S: bottom
Aquarium: A 30" (76 cm) tank with a capacity of 20-30 gallons (75-114 L) is recommended for
fish up to 4" (10 cm).
Larger fish should be kept in larger tanks.
Use strong lighting to promote the growth
of algae.
Use roots, wood, and rocks to provide hiding places.
Tough plants can be used.
Water chemistry: pH 6.5-8 (7.2), 5-20 dH (10), 75-82°F (24-28°C)
Social behavior: A fish territorial towards others of its own species.
Well suited as an algae eater for a
community tank with larger fish.
Suggested companions: Gouramis, Danios, Barbs, Loaches, Acaras, Angelfish, Eartheaters, Knifefish.
FOOD: Algae; vegetables; spinach, lettuce; vegetable flakes, tablets; live; worms, crustaceans.
SEX: Unknown, Some claim that males have more "thorns" around the mouth.
Breeding techniques: Unsuccessful
Breeding potential: 10.
Breeding has not been successful.
Remarks: In nature, fish have been observed spawning at the length of 5" (13 cm)
Difficulty of care: 3.
A fine algae-eating fish that is peaceful in "community" situations.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
How to save the world's oceans from overfishing
(7/8/2007) Global fishing stocks are in trouble. After expanding from 18 millions tons in 1950 to around 94 million tons in 2000, annual world fish catch has leveled off and may even be declining. Scientists estimate that the number of large predatory fish in the oceans has fallen by 90 percent since the 1950s, while about one-quarter of the world's fisheries are overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. Despite these dire trends, the situation is changing. Today some of the world's largest environmental groups are focused on addressing the health of marine life and oceans, while sustainable fisheries management is at the top of the agenda for intergovenmental bodies. At the forefront of these efforts is Mike Sutton, director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's conservation program: the Center for the Future of the Oceans. The aquarium, which has long been recognized as one of the world's most important marine research facilities, is pioneering new strategies for protecting the planet's oceans. Sutton says the approach has four parts: establishing new marine protected areas, pushing for ocean policy reform, promoting sustainable seafood, and protecting wildlife and marine ecosystems.
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