Scientific Name: Gyrinocheilus aymonieri
Common Name: Gold Algae Eater, Chinese Algae Eater, Honey Sucker, Sucking Loach
Adult Size: 11 inches
Life Expectancy: 10 years
Habitat: Thailand, Laos and Vietnam
Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallon
Ideal Tank Conditions:
- Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F
- pH Range: 6.8 – 7.4
- Hardness Range: 8 - 12
Temperament: Generally peaceful, but they can become territorial as they mature.
Diet & Nutrition: Omnivorous; feed a well-balanced diet consisting of algae and sinking algae wafers. Supplement with raw zucchini or cucumbers as a treat once or twice a week; raw vegetables should be anchored near the bottom of the aquarium. Adults will benefit from sinking pellets, frozen and freeze-dried brine and mysis shrimp and bloodworms.
Breeding & Spawning: Use a breeding tank with fine-leaved plants such as Java Moss. Feed the selected pair high-quality foods like live or frozen brine shrimp and daphnia to prepare them for breeding. The female will lay adhesive eggs on the plants, and the male will fertilize them. Remove the adults after spawning to prevent them from eating the eggs. Eggs will hatch in a few days, and the fry will need tiny foods like infusoria or commercial fry food. As the fry grows, introduce larger foods such as baby brine shrimp.
Gender: Males tend to have more pronounced "thorns" around the mouth.
