Chinese Algae Eaters

[Boxcar Muzzdogg]

The answer is consumerism. Its the religion of postindustrialized society and it tells its followers that not only is research unessecary, but that mindless consuming is virtuous and righteous. Its not just that the newbies do not have the pertinent information. ANY time a customer requests a chinese algea eater I give them all the important information, check to see if it is a good choice for their tank and make attempts to stear them away from the CAE.

Many customers realize that this fish will cause fproblems in their tank and possibly money so they ask if I have another algea eater. At this point I refer them to plecos or ottos. Of course everyone chooses plecos because they're bigger. At this point I explain that our common plecos will be at least 18 inches long at full grown. Most of them ignore this fact and purchase several plecos for tanks as small as 10 gallons.

What do these people do with the plecos and CAEs when they realize that the lfs was right (responsible lfs that is) and they can not keep them in their tank? They usually try to pawn it off on someone else, or as I have heard conversations of many times in my own store, flush it down the toilet.

Because, afterall, its just a consumer good, the same as a hamburger, a tshirt or a basketball right?

Its a combo of ingorance on the part of the consumer and greed on the part of dealers. Its as simple as that.

 

[rdd1952]

What do these people do with the plecos and CAEs when they realize that the lfs was right (responsible lfs that is) and they can not keep them in their tank? They usually try to pawn it off on someone else, or as I have heard conversations of many times in my own store, flush it down the toilet.

Because, afterall, its just a consumer good, the same as a hamburger, a tshirt or a basketball right?

[snapback]899948[/snapback]​

Unfortunately, that's probably very true, especially those that never find a forum like this and realize just how cruel it is to flush a live fish. And yes, a lot of people think of them as "just a fish", not as pets as we do.

 

[Weaver]

Its definitely the words algae eater which grabs the public .When someone sees those words they just think that its the answer to their algae problem and why buy an expensive SAE when you can buy a cheap CAE.The downside is never pointed out.I nearly made the same mistake myself as I couldnt tell the difference and the shop just had them marked as "algae eater"
In the end I bought bristlenose plecs--happy days

 

[jolaf]

Now I am scared I have two chinese algae eaters they seem a litle jumpy but not until tonight did I see it trying to suck the eyes of my blue gourami who is sick with ick and has since been expired by me to put it out of misery it was incurring. any one know if those two types of fish are ok together, CAE and gouramis?

The answer is consumerism. Its the religion of postindustrialized society and it tells its followers that not only is research unessecary, but that mindless consuming is virtuous and righteous. Its not just that the newbies do not have the pertinent information. ANY time a customer requests a chinese algea eater I give them all the important information, check to see if it is a good choice for their tank and make attempts to stear them away from the CAE.

Many customers realize that this fish will cause fproblems in their tank and possibly money so they ask if I have another algea eater. At this point I refer them to plecos or ottos. Of course everyone chooses plecos because they're bigger. At this point I explain that our common plecos will be at least 18 inches long at full grown. Most of them ignore this fact and purchase several plecos for tanks as small as 10 gallons.

What do these people do with the plecos and CAEs when they realize that the lfs was right (responsible lfs that is) and they can not keep them in their tank? They usually try to pawn it off on someone else, or as I have heard conversations of many times in my own store, flush it down the toilet.

Because, afterall, its just a consumer good, the same as a hamburger, a tshirt or a basketball right?

Its a combo of ingorance on the part of the consumer and greed on the part of dealers. Its as simple as that.

[snapback]899948[/snapback]​

 

[rdd1952]

Now I am scared I have two chinese algae eaters they seem a litle jumpy but not until tonight did I see it trying to suck the eyes of my blue gourami who is sick with ick and has since been expired by me to put it out of misery it was incurring. any one know if those two types of fish are ok together, CAE and gouramis?

[snapback]900213[/snapback]​

Usually CAEs don't do well with flat bodies fish such as gouramis and angels. That gives them more surface to try to get to their slime coat.

 

[IMCL85]

ppl who r new to this hobby might just buy fish by there name. like his tank is full with algae then when he goes to lfs he see algae eater even me will be getting one . beside another reason is probably they r easy to breed.

 

[CFC]

I have wondered the same thing. It is like the sign I saw at Walmart the other day for Red-bellied Pacu (max size 8") $5.98 *community fish* Where do they get these facts? Why would they even THINK of selling those unless it is just the dollar signs they see?

The trouble is that the true red bellied pacu does indeed only reach 8 inches, but juviniles of the black pacu have a red belly too which confuses the matter, so the uninformed staff look in a book and see that "red bellied pacus" only grow to 8" and dont know that what they have actually ordered are black pacus that will grow to 3 feet.

 

[OohFeeshy]

A lot of shops do have info about fish, especially shops where newbies go like Pets At Home. Lo and behold, on the CAE tank it says something like 'Algae eater, grows to 11cm. May becme aggressive as an adult'. But does anyone take any notice? Nah, they put it there as a laugh, don't they? Thats what annoys me, its like goldfish there. Theres a plain bit of text on the thingy for common goldfish saying 'grows to 30cm'. And theres a member of staff standing right next to it saying 'oh yes, one of those will be fine in your 1g tank'. Hmmmm, do they know how to read?