Advice?

[AquaNut]

I asked this question in the new world cichlids forum, and twenty people read it, but nobody offered an opinion , so I thought I'd try here. I have a CAE who needs a new home. He's getting too aggressive for my tank. My lfs doesn't want a big, mean CAE in their tanks, either, but someone offered to take him and put him in with an oscar. The CAE is probably 5" right now, but growing rapidly, and the oscar is about 6". She figures the oscar is way too slow to catch the CAE and the CAE is too smart to bother the oscar. I've never had an oscar.. does this sound okay??

 

[teknikz]

u might find that the oscar will have a chomp on the cae but i might be wrong....as the oscar is not fully grown the cae might be too big to be lunch

 

[CFC]

The oscar will get bigger quickly and eat the CAE

 

[AquaNut]

That's what I was afraid of and the reason I was asking for advice. Anyone have any ideas about what I could do with the CAE?

 

[Alien Anna]

You could try advertising for a new home in the paper. A CAE would be great in a species tank and wasn't there someone on the forum that kept CAEs with African cichlids? That would work.

 

[AquaNut]

Unfortunately, I live in a pretty small town with no real 'fish scene'. I'll put up a poster in the lfs and see if anyone's interested. If there are no takers, how big of a tank would he need if I was going to keep him alone? I really just don't have room to set up too many more tanks around here, and have been working out a scheme to allow me to set up another 55 for a pair of angels I want to re-house. Ugh. He really is a very cool fish and I hate to give him up, but after all the horror stories I've read, I figure I should take heed of his aggressive behaviour before he does some real damage. Until he gets bigger, do you think he'd be happy in a 5 gallon if it was well planted and had his favourite rocks?

 

[LimpyFins]

i guess i have a dumb question - what's a CAE?

 

[Lateral Line]

Chinese Algae Eater - Gyrinocheilus aymonieri. Large growing territorial fish from India through South East asia. Often sold to beginners, however, not an ideal beginners fish.

*** EDIT ***

My spelling has got dreadful since I left England!

 

[AquaNut]

Yes, unfortunately I was one of many newbies who fell for the adorable little 2cm SAE look alike. I've had him a couple of years now, and long ago realized what he really is. The more I think about it, the more I think I'm going to set up a little tank for him. I can't give him up knowing he may well be lunch to somebody's predatory fish. It was my own mistake and ignorance that brought the lil guy into my home; I should do the responsible thing and give him a good home as long as I can.

 

[Lateral Line]

>>>
I should do the responsible thing and give him a good home as long as I can.
<<<

Respect.

 

[AquaNut]

Well, I went to the lfs and picked up a new tube of aquarium safe silicone and repaired a leaky 8 gallon tank. I haven't actually figured out where this little tank is going to sit, however. I have a distinct shortage of electrical outlets at this point. At any rate, Algernon should be in his new home within the week (if I can catch him).

 

[LimpyFins]

ah! thanks for the clarification. i'm familiar with the algae eater, just not the abbreviated lingo.