Loach Id Needed - Yellow Loach?

[fishnovice]

I've just adopted what was described as a Yellow Loach,It;s about 4in including tail, yellow orange with black eyes. Slightly thicker and less eel like than my weather loach. It's in with a weather loach and plec who get catfish pellets and fresh veg every day. I;m assuming it eats the same food ?
What species is it?
What does it eat?
Are they aggressive 0 willit kill my weatherloach and goldfish? (former owner got rid of it as he said it was attacking and killing angelfish)

 

[onebto]

Any chance of a picture ?

 

[jacko32]

any chance its a Golden Algae Eater - Gyrinocheilus aymonieri.

 

[Assaye]

Does it look like this?

If yes, it is a chinese algae eater, often sold as simply "algae eater" or "sucking loach".

They reach 8-10 inches as adults, require 40 gallon + tanks and are renowned for being highly territorial. They are also well known for attacking smaller fish and sucking the slime off larger fish like catfish and goldfish.

They will eat most forms of sinking pellet and need some meat in their diet.

 

[fishnovice]

Yes it's the orange one, thanks for your help. Checked it out. It's definitely algae eater as it has those telltale "holes" above its gills. I've isolated it temporarily in spare tank to stop it killing my poor loach and goldies but need to rehome urgently as spare tank has no heater or filter.Just fed it sinking catfish pellets.

Will it be OK in cichlid tank with jewels and cons and L001 plec or will it attack my cichlids too? Can't take any risks with my precious pets. These things are a menace and shouldn't be sold to unsuspecting people. The previous owner got it as a 2in cute baby last Oct and now it's killing large angels!

 

[Assaye]

Yes it's the orange one, thanks for your help. Checked it out. It's definitely algae eater as it has those telltale "holes" above its gills. I've isolated it temporarily in spare tank to stop it killing my poor loach and goldies but need to rehome urgently as spare tank has no heater or filter.Just fed it sinking catfish pellets.

Will it be OK in cichlid tank with jewels and cons and L001 plec or will it attack my cichlids too? Can't take any risks with my precious pets. These things are a menace and shouldn't be sold to unsuspecting people. The previous owner got it as a 2in cute baby last Oct and now it's killing large angels!

I should imagine it would be OK in a cichlid tank, as long as the tank is big enough. How many gallons/litres is it?

Don't get me started on miss-selling pets! I used to work in a pet shop and even had to miss-sell pets myself at the risk of being fired if I didn't. At least I gave the owners the information they needed but it's amazing how many people will go ahead and buy a sailfin plec, silver shark or algae eater for their 30 litre tank even after they've been told how big they get and such.

 

[fishnovice]

It's a 4ft tank so there is plenty of room though I was hoping for more interesting stocking. This algae eater will limit my possibilities for new fish. Don't really care about the algae eater but are you 100% sure it won't attack my 2 female convicts, 3 young jewels, 8inch L001 plec and 2in young striped Malawi (yes I know he shouldn't be in there but I was told he was a male con when I agreed to adopt him and there was nowhere else to put him when he arrived.Gets on OK with the rest so far). I heard the algae eaters attack scaleless fish like plecs. Unless I'm 100% certain he won't harm any of my other fish algae eater will have to stay where he is. Yes I know it's unfair to keep him in unsatisfactory conditions but it would be even more cruel to let him seriously injure or kill some poor defenceless guppy, angel or goldfish.He's killed an angel already.

 

[Assaye]

It's a 4ft tank so there is plenty of room though I was hoping for more interesting stocking. This algae eater will limit my possibilities for new fish. Don't really care about the algae eater but are you 100% sure it won't attack my 2 female convicts, 3 young jewels, 8inch L001 plec and 2in young striped Malawi (yes I know he shouldn't be in there but I was told he was a male con when I agreed to adopt him and there was nowhere else to put him when he arrived.Gets on OK with the rest so far). I heard the algae eaters attack scaleless fish like plecs. Unless I'm 100% certain he won't harm any of my other fish algae eater will have to stay where he is. Yes I know it's unfair to keep him in unsatisfactory conditions but it would be even more cruel to let him seriously injure or kill some poor defenceless guppy, angel or goldfish.He's killed an angel already.

No-one can be 100% sure of that. They do like to suck slime and will always be territorial so will chase the other fish if they go near its cave. Most fish are better behaved when they come into a new tank and don't get to be the first fish in there. Helps make them less dominant and territorial.

It's a much safer bet than with the goldfish but as I said, you can never be sure.

 

[fishnovice]

It needs a cave as well? That could cause serious problems as my plec currently sleeps in a 12in black plastic tube and the cichlids especially cons like hiding in a large cracked Greek-urn type pot with holes. No room for any more large "caves". Also at 8-10in adult size, the CAE will soon be a serious rival for my plec over territory/caves.

 

[Assaye]

It needs a cave as well? That could cause serious problems as my plec currently sleeps in a 12in black plastic tube and the cichlids especially cons like hiding in a large cracked Greek-urn type pot with holes. No room for any more large "caves". Also at 8-10in adult size, the CAE will soon be a serious rival for my plec over territory/caves.

Yep. You coul try dividing off a section and puttin the CAE and a new cave in there, and see if he adopts it. Might be a way of giving him his own territory so when you take the divider out, he's happy and they all have their own space?

He might not be evil - you never know. Just because he was a bully in a different tank doesn't mean he'll keep the behavior. I would give it a go but then again, I have a HUGE soft spot for these naughty fish