Description
Golden Algae Eater – Vibrant, Efficient, and Low-Maintenance Aquatic Cleaner
Add a pop of color and functionality to your aquarium with the Golden Algae Eater (Gyrinocheilus aymonieri), a beautifully golden-hued species known for its excellent algae-eating abilities and peaceful temperament. Native to Southeast Asia, this vibrant fish is not only a striking addition to your tank but also an effective cleaner, helping to keep your aquarium free from algae and detritus.
With its stunning golden-yellow coloration and sleek, elongated body, the Golden Algae Eater is a visual delight. As it matures, the fish’s bright coloration becomes more pronounced, making it a dynamic and eye-catching presence in any freshwater aquarium. While its appearance is captivating, its real value lies in its role as a natural algae cleaner, constantly grazing on algae and biofilm that may form on the substrate, rocks, and plants.
A peaceful and relatively low-maintenance species, the Golden Algae Eater is ideal for community tanks. It gets along well with other non-aggressive fish, making it an excellent choice for aquariums with a variety of species. It is most active during the day, using its specialized sucker mouth to scrape algae off surfaces, making it an essential helper in maintaining a clean, healthy tank.
Key Features:
-
Vibrant Golden Color: Sleek, shimmering golden-yellow body that adds a unique and beautiful contrast to your aquarium
-
Algae Eater Extraordinaire: Known for its algae-eating habits, it helps keep your tank clean by grazing on algae, biofilm, and detritus
-
Peaceful & Social: A calm species that is perfect for community tanks with other non-aggressive fish
-
Daytime Activity: Unlike some other algae eaters, it is active during the day, providing constant action as it feeds and explores the tank
Care Guidelines:
-
Tank Size: Minimum 30 gallons, ideally kept in larger tanks with ample swimming space
-
Water Temperature: 72–80°F (22–27°C)
-
pH Range: 6.5–7.5
-
Diet: Primarily algae, but will also accept sinking pellets, vegetable matter, and occasional protein-rich foods like bloodworms
-
Lifespan: 5–7 years with proper care
Tip: Provide plenty of hiding places, such as plants, rocks, or driftwood, as Golden Algae Eaters appreciate occasional refuge. Though they are known for their algae-eating abilities, a varied diet is essential for their overall health, so ensure they are supplemented with sinking pellets and other foods.
The Golden Algae Eater is an efficient, beautiful, and peaceful species that adds both functionality and color to your aquarium. With its striking golden body and algae-cleaning abilities, it’s the perfect addition to any freshwater setup.
Click & Collect
Livestock will only be bagged once you arrive, or if you contact us in advance to request it ready beforehand.
Local Delivery
Order anything from our in-store range and have it delivered right to you.
-
Minimum spend: £50
-
Delivery up to 10 miles: £10
-
Delivery up to 25 miles: £20
Distances are measured “as the crow flies”, not by road.
Once your order is placed, we’ll be in touch to arrange a suitable delivery date and time.
Please note, delivery may take a little longer as we often group orders together to build an efficient delivery run.
Important: If you’re ordering a large aquarium, please ensure someone is available to help unload the van on arrival.
Dry Goods Delivery
-
DX Express: 1 working day, same-day dispatch before noon 0-75kg
-
Express Pallet: 1–3 working days 75-500kg
If you'd like to add more items to an existing order that hasn't yet been dispatched, please place a Click & Collect order and leave a note asking us to combine the orders.
Please note: We currently only dispatch parcels Wednesday to Friday.
Pre-Order
Want the full details? Check out our Terms & Conditions.
Livestock Delivery
Thursday Delivery – £24
-
Dispatched Wednesday afternoon
-
Delivered Thursday before 1pm
-
Order by Wednesday 12 noon
-
Minimum spend: £50
Friday Delivery – £24
-
Dispatched Thursday afternoon
-
Delivered Friday before 1pm
-
Order by Thursday 12 noon
-
Minimum spend: £50
Saturday Delivery – £29
-
Dispatched Friday afternoon
-
Delivered Saturday before 1pm
-
Order by Friday 12 noon
-
Minimum spend: £50
📦 Want to Add to an Existing Order?
No problem! Just place a Click & Collect order and leave a note asking us to link it with your original one (as long as it hasn’t been dispatched yet).
🛒 Dry Goods Now Included!
You can now include dry goods in your livestock delivery – perfect for topping up supplies in one go.
❄️ Please note: We can’t send frozen food with livestock – please order frozen items separately.
⚠️ Delivery Exclusions
Unfortunately, we’re unable to deliver livestock to the following postcodes:
Scotland & Isles:
AB30–AB56, DD8–DD10, DG3–DG9, DG12–DG14, FK17–FK21, KA18–KA19, KA26–KA30, PA20–PA38, PA80, PH3–PH40
Cornwall Isles: TR21–TR25
All of the following postcodes are excluded:
BT, HS, IM, IV, JE, KW
Plus Channel Islands and Shetland Islands
Payment & Security
Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.

