# I think our golden algae eaters are harming our ghost knife fish



## Julia Golberg (Apr 19, 2021)

We’ve had a 40 gallon tank with one angel fish (used to be two but one got stuck in a decoration and ended up badly injured), two golden algae eaters, and one ghost knife fish. The fishes have all gotten along well for over a year and we haven’t experienced any issues with them. Recently I noticed two large holes on our ghost knife fish whenever he came out to eat, and judging by the shape of these markings I think the suspects are our golden algae eaters. It seems more plausible considering that the ghost knife and one of the algae eaters like to hang out in the same cave. We can always remove the golden algae eaters and return them to the store, but before any of that, are there any other possible solutions to this?








Here is the image I managed to get of him this morning


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

It does look like a wound, but it could also be from a decoration, hitting the lid or infection. The key now is to make sure the wound doesn't get infected by bacteria or fungus and get worse.


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## Julia Golberg (Apr 19, 2021)

emc7 said:


> It does look like a wound, but it could also be from a decoration, hitting the lid or infection. The key now is to make sure the wound doesn't get infected by bacteria or fungus and get worse.


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## Julia Golberg (Apr 19, 2021)

Yeah that’s been my biggest concern. Although I read up that these guys are pretty sensitive to salt treatments as well as medications that prevent those secondary infections so I’m a bit hesitant to add anything to the tank right now. Thankfully the wound seems like it’s healing up without any infection. Although I still think it might be our algae eaters causing this. As it turns out they are notorious for sucking on slime coats as they mature which my dad and I found out a bit too late unfortunately, but we are thinking of removing them and returning them to a local store soon.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I don't know enough about them to say if they are the culprit, but if they are, there isn't any way to stop it. I seem to remember that Chinese algae eater are not Chinese and don't eat algae once they grow up.


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## changingwater (Mar 14, 2009)

I have had one and a albino cat fish, that would attack my Oscar in the middle off the night. Seperate them or buy another tank, or trade fish. They dont keep your tank clean, i myself dont see much use in them.


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