Chinese algae eater tank mates

Good matches

43 of 98

The safest picks for chinese algae eaters are oscars, tiger barbs and kissing gouramis. Each match shares chinese algae eaters' temperature and pH and leaves them alone.

Turns mean with age and sucks the slime off flat, slow fish.

Temperature

74–80°F

pH

6–8

Temperament

Semi-aggressive

Minimum tank

75 gal

With care

47

Avoid

8

Good tank mates

• Oscar74–80°F
• Tiger barb74–80°F
• Kissing gourami74–80°F
• Congo tetra74–80°F
• Blue gourami74–80°F
• Bala shark74–80°F
• Cherry barb74–80°F
• Severum74–80°F
• Paradise fish74–79°F
• Corydoras74–79°F
• Kuhli loach75–80°F
• Tinfoil barb74–80°F
• Odessa barb74–79°F
• Serpae tetra74–79°F
• Electric blue acara74–80°F
• Hatchetfish75–80°F
• Black ghost knife74–80°F
• Bichir74–80°F
• Silver dollar75–80°F
• Pictus catfish74–79°F
• Swordtail74–79°F
• Glass catfish75–80°F
• Yoyo loach75–80°F
• Rummy nose tetra75–80°F
• Bristlenose pleco74–80°F
• Rosy barb74–77°F
• Boesemani rainbowfish75–80°F
• Bolivian ram74–79°F
• Molly74–80°F
• Otocinclus74–79°F
• Dwarf neon rainbowfish75–80°F
• Clown loach77–80°F
• Upside down catfish74–79°F
• Cardinal tetra76–80°F
• Crayfish74–77°F
• Zebra loach74–79°F
• Clown pleco74–80°F
• Bamboo shrimp74–80°F
• Dojo loach74–77°F
• Panda cory74–77°F
• Siamese algae eater75–79°F
• Peacock cichlid76–80°F
• Electric yellow cichlid75–80°F

Possible, with care

• Betta Chinese algae eaters are much bigger and pushier than bettas, which are slow and easy to bully at feeding time.
• Pea puffer Pea puffers are aggressive. Chinese algae eaters hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.
• Guppy Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for guppies.
• Honey gourami Chinese algae eaters are much bigger and pushier than honey gouramis, which are slow and easy to bully at feeding time.
• Jack Dempsey Jack dempseys are aggressive. Chinese algae eaters hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.
• Sparkling gourami Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for sparkling gouramis.
• Neon tetra Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for neon tetras.
• Black skirt tetra Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for black skirt tetras.
• Harlequin rasbora Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for harlequin rasboras.
• Dwarf gourami Chinese algae eaters are much bigger and pushier than dwarf gouramis, which are slow and easy to bully at feeding time.
• Cherry shrimp Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for cherry shrimp.
• Lemon tetra Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for lemon tetras.
• GloFish tetra Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for glofish.
• Glowlight tetra Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for glowlight tetras.
• Black neon tetra Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for black neon tetras.
• Blood parrot Chinese algae eaters sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like blood parrots and rasp their slime coat.
• Elephant nose fish Chinese algae eaters sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like elephant nose fish and rasp their slime coat.
• Platy Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for platies.
• Pearl gourami Chinese algae eaters are much bigger and pushier than pearl gouramis, which are slow and easy to bully at feeding time.
• Pencilfish Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for pencilfish.
• Ember tetra Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for ember tetras.
• Convict cichlid Convict cichlids are aggressive. Chinese algae eaters hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.
• Pygmy cory Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for pygmy corys.
• Zebra danio Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for zebra danios.
• Celestial pearl danio Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for celestial pearl danios.
• Rainbow shark Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Firemouth cichlid Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Mystery snail Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for mystery snails.
• Chili rasbora Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for chili rasboras.
• Endler's livebearer Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for endlers.
• Common pleco Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Kribensis Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Amano shrimp Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for amano shrimp.
• Ghost shrimp Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for ghost shrimp.
• Red tail shark Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• African cichlid African cichlids are aggressive. Chinese algae eaters hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.
• African dwarf frog African dwarf frogs eat slowly and nearly blind. Fast chinese algae eaters will take the food first, so target-feed them.
• Killifish Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for killifish.
• Gold barb They only share 74–75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Flowerhorn They only share 80°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Apistogramma Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Ramshorn snail Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for ramshorn snails.
• Nerite snail Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for nerite snails.
• Assassin snail Chinese algae eaters grow to 10 inches and need 75 gallons, far more than a tank set up for assassin snails.
• Hillstream loach They only share 74–75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Zebra pleco They only share 79–80°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• German blue ram They only share 80°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.

Avoid

• Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); chinese algae eaters need 74–80°F. No temperature suits both.
• Angelfish Chinese algae eaters sometimes latch on to slow, flat fish like angelfish and rasp their slime coat.
• Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); chinese algae eaters need 74–80°F. They meet only at 74°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Koi Koi are coldwater animals (59–77°F); chinese algae eaters need 74–80°F. They overlap only at 74–77°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Silver arowana An adult silver arowana eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 10 inches chinese algae eaters do.
• Discus No shared temperature. Discus need 82–88°F, chinese algae eaters need 74–80°F.
• White cloud minnow White cloud minnows are coldwater animals (60–72°F); chinese algae eaters need 74–80°F. No temperature suits both.
• Fancy goldfish Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); chinese algae eaters need 74–80°F. They meet only at 74°F, the edge of both ranges.

Planning a mixed tank? The tank mate checker tests every pair at once. Or read the chinese algae eater care sheet.