Gyrinocheilus
Encyclopedia
Gyrinocheilus, also Chinese algae eater or sucking loach, is the single genus in the family Gyrinocheilidae, a family of small Southeast Asia
n cypriniform
fish
es that live in fast-flowing freshwater
mountain streams. They hold on to fixed objects using a sucker-like mouth, and, despite the name, feed on a wide range of detritus, rather than simply on algae
.
. This allows the fish to cling onto objects in the fast-moving water of their habitat. They therefore stay close to the bottom where their primary food, algae, is more readily available.
Uniquely among fish, members of this family have gill slits with two openings each. Water enters through one opening, and leaves through the other. This allows the fish to breathe without having to take water in through the mouth, which it uses to cling to surfaces.
The CAE is sometimes kept in aquaria
to control algae. It can range up to 11 inches (28 cm) in length. It has a reputation for becoming increasingly jealous of its territory as it matures, and also can be aggressive to fish, especially slow, flat-bodied fish. In the home aquarium
, the algae eater makes a poor tank mate. It is very aggressive and boisterous; they often attack other fish and rip off scales, causing infection. It rarely swims to the surface as it likes to be on the bottom of the tank. It is very hardy and can survive in semi-dirty water, plus a wide range of temperatures, 60 - 90F (16° - 32°C), allowing it to be sometimes kept in unheated aquariums indoors. Similar to the pleco, CAEs tend to hide in caves when they are not feeding. If a cave is not available for them to hide in, they will attempt to make one themselves by digging under large rocks or against the walls of the aquarium.
Though in the wild they feed exclusively on algae, in the aquarium there is some controversy on the effectiveness of the algae eater. While they are young, they may be effective. But as they grow, they may develop more of a taste for processed foods and consume those instead. Some aquarists also report large specimens attacking and consuming smaller fish, such as Neon Tetras.
, Crossocheilus siamensis, which belongs to family Cyprinidae.
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
n cypriniform
Cypriniformes
The Cypriniformes are an order of ray-finned fish, including the carps, minnows, loaches and relatives. This order contains 5-6 families, over 320 genera, and more than 3,250 species, with new species being described every few months or so, and new genera being recognized regularly...
fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
es that live in fast-flowing freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
mountain streams. They hold on to fixed objects using a sucker-like mouth, and, despite the name, feed on a wide range of detritus, rather than simply on algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
.
Sucker
The mouths of these fish have developed into a suckermouthSuckermouth
In fishes, a suckermouth is a ventrally-oriented mouth adapted for grazing on algae and small organisms that grow on submerged objects....
. This allows the fish to cling onto objects in the fast-moving water of their habitat. They therefore stay close to the bottom where their primary food, algae, is more readily available.
Uniquely among fish, members of this family have gill slits with two openings each. Water enters through one opening, and leaves through the other. This allows the fish to breathe without having to take water in through the mouth, which it uses to cling to surfaces.
The CAE is sometimes kept in aquaria
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
to control algae. It can range up to 11 inches (28 cm) in length. It has a reputation for becoming increasingly jealous of its territory as it matures, and also can be aggressive to fish, especially slow, flat-bodied fish. In the home aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
, the algae eater makes a poor tank mate. It is very aggressive and boisterous; they often attack other fish and rip off scales, causing infection. It rarely swims to the surface as it likes to be on the bottom of the tank. It is very hardy and can survive in semi-dirty water, plus a wide range of temperatures, 60 - 90F (16° - 32°C), allowing it to be sometimes kept in unheated aquariums indoors. Similar to the pleco, CAEs tend to hide in caves when they are not feeding. If a cave is not available for them to hide in, they will attempt to make one themselves by digging under large rocks or against the walls of the aquarium.
Though in the wild they feed exclusively on algae, in the aquarium there is some controversy on the effectiveness of the algae eater. While they are young, they may be effective. But as they grow, they may develop more of a taste for processed foods and consume those instead. Some aquarists also report large specimens attacking and consuming smaller fish, such as Neon Tetras.
Species
- Gyrinocheilus aymonieriGyrinocheilus aymonieriGyrinocheilus aymonieri is a freshwater fish that is native to large parts of southeast Asia. It is of interest as a local food source and for the aquarium trade, being first imported into Germany in 1956.G...
(Tirant, 1883) (Siamese algae-eater, Chinese algae-eater) - Gyrinocheilus pennocki (FowlerHenry Weed FowlerHenry Weed Fowler was an American zoologist born in Holmesburg, Pennsylvania.He studied at Stanford University under David Starr Jordan...
, 1937) (Spotted algae-eater) - Gyrinocheilus pustulosus VaillantLéon VaillantLéon Louis Vaillant was a French zoologist. He is most famous for his work in the areas of herpetology, malacology, and ichthyology...
, 1902 (Borneo algae-eater)
Similar fish
As "algae eater" is a common name for several fish, hence gyrinocheilids can be easily confused with other species. Most notably is the Siamese algae eaterSiamese algae eater
The Siamese algae eater, Crossocheilus oblongus, is a species of freshwater fish in the carp family, Cyprinidae. This bottom-dwelling tropical fish is found in mainland Southeast Asia that includes the Chao Phraya and Mekong basins as well as the Malay Peninsula. Their natural habitats are streams...
, Crossocheilus siamensis, which belongs to family Cyprinidae.