# Sucker cat fish - sp?



## abbott75 (Jan 10, 2008)

Does anyone know the species name for the common sucker catfish available in Australian aquariums?


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## tadpoles (Jan 10, 2008)

Bristlenose catfish?

Very common and cheap (at least for the normal ones)


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## abbott75 (Jan 10, 2008)

tadpoles said:


> Bristlenose catfish?
> 
> Very common and cheap (at least for the normal ones)



No, not the bristlenose, just the long browny clolured ones sold in pet shops as "Sucker Catfish". I'd post a pic if I had a camera...


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## 0_missy_0 (Jan 10, 2008)

Chinese algae eater I think.


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## abbott75 (Jan 10, 2008)

0_missy_0 said:


> Chinese algae eater I think.



Yeah I think that's it... thanks


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## meshe1969 (Jan 10, 2008)

http://images.google.com.au/images?...&ct=result&cd=1&q=chinese+algae+eater&spell=1


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## meshe1969 (Jan 10, 2008)

Hanging around fish forums they all recommend the Siamese algae eater over the Chinese. Less aggressive and apparently the Chinese stop eating algae as they get bigger.

http://images.google.com.au/images?...siamese+algae+eater&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi


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## cris (Jan 11, 2008)

tandanus tandanus


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## hotrodrob (Jan 11, 2008)

nope the tandanus is a native, carnivorous catfish that grows pretty big. The one that you are thinking of i beleive is the sucking loach, Gyrinicheilus aymonieri


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## HoffOff (Jan 16, 2008)

i have two of them Loaches


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## Chrisreptile (Jan 17, 2008)

meshe1969 said:


> Hanging around fish forums they all recommend the Siamese algae eater over the Chinese. Less aggressive and apparently the Chinese stop eating algae as they get bigger.
> 
> http://images.google.com.au/images?...siamese+algae+eater&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi



we call the siamese algae eaters, siamese flying foxes.

and the chinese algae eaters, sucking cats


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## hotrodrob (Jan 17, 2008)

I worked in an aquarium shop for 3yrs before my apprenticeship, it is amazing the amount of time i heard, "Hi, i bought a Sucking Catfish from you #yrs ago and know it has got big and sucks on the side of my angelfish/goldfish/discus/cichlid etc, can i sell it to you?"

And this is after you tell them that it gets big and stops predominately eating algae.


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## Moreliaman (Jan 17, 2008)

You have to be careful as theres 2 species of those Siamese algae eaters that look very simular & are sold under the same name, the genuine one has the stripe that continues through the tail.
I prefer the ancistrus, they seem to do a much better job & they dont bother any other tankmates.


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## Bonustokin (Jan 17, 2008)

You thinking of "[SIZE=-1]Gibbiceps" or "Pleco's" Abbot? They are brown.....
[/SIZE]


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## Camo (Jan 17, 2008)

Both gibbies and pleco's get big but. The best for eating algae would be ancistrus (bristlenose catfish).

There is the plain old sucking catfish which is pictured by hotrodrob then you have the algae eaters. The one i think abbot is talking about is the plain old sucking catfish.

Hope that clears it up.

Cameron


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