eiders ( / ˈaɪ.dər / ) are large seaducks in the genus somateria .

the scientific name is derived from ancient greek somatos " body " and erion " wool " , referring to eiderdown .

the three extant species all breed in the cooler latitudes of the northern hemisphere .

the down feathers of eider ducks , and some other ducks and geese , are used to fill pillows and quilts — they have given the name to the type of quilt known as an eiderdown .

steller 's eider ( polysticta stelleri ) is in a different genus despite its name .

the call of the duck has been likened to sound of " surprised pantomime dames , or even the comedian frankie howerd " .

eider

eider <EOT> the spectacled eider was originally named fischer’s eider in honor of a german paleontologist ( “fischer” still appears in the scientific name of the species ) .

the steller’s eider is flightless for about 3 weeks each year while it molts .

environmental contaminants in four eider species from alaska and arctic russia . - pubmed - ncbi

the king eider forages on sea beds up to 25 meters ( 82 ft ) deep .

the spectacled eider was first officially described in 1847 by german naturalist johann friedrich von brandt .

wildlife sound recordist , chris watson , presents the eider . eiders are northern sea - ducks perhaps

the inupiat name for steller’s eider , igniquaqtuq , means “the bird who travels with fire . ”

eider males typically show black and white pattern and soft - coloured areas on their bodies . but the head pattern is always very distinctive . from the black crown and white face of the common eider , through the “spectacles” and the long , sloped forehead of the spectacled eider or the conspicuous yellow - orange frontal shield and red bill of the king eider , to the nuchal greenish - black feather tuft and black collar of the steller’s eider , all these peculiar features allow a good identification .

the male spectacled eider is unmistakable with its green head and round white eye patches . the female may be more easily confused with the females of other eider species . however , a distinct characteristic of the female spectacled eiders are the round patches of slightly lighter brown feathers around the eyes . the female spectacled eider is also comparatively duller and paler in color with less distinctive barring than the females of other eider species .

reduced prey availability is another potential threat to spectacled eiders . regime shifts due to climate change may alter prey assemblages in the eider’s habitat . the spectacled eider may also compete for their prey with commercial fisheries .

the steller’s eider is the only species in its genus . the other three species are in different genera .

in winter , tens of thousands of the threatened steller ' s eider sea ducks stay in izembek and molt .

threats to the spectacled eider include lead poisoning , predation , overharvest , reduced prey availability , and catastrophic events .

the female steller’s eider is mostly brown and much less distinct than the male . the blue wing patches , blue - gray feet , white wing linings , and smaller size distinguish the female of this species from other eider species .

the spectacled eider ( somateria fischeri ) is a large sea duck that breeds on the coasts of alaska and northeastern siberia . they are named for the large white “spectacles” around its eyes , the spectacled eider’s striking look sets them apart from other marine birds .

most famous for the soft breast feathers with which they line their nests . these feathers were collected by eider farmers and used to fill pillows and traditional ' eider - downs ' . drake eiders display to the females with odd moaning calls which you can hear in the programme .

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the oldest recorded common eider was a male , and at least 22 years , 7 months old , when he was found in eastern canada .

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the oldest recorded king eider was a female and at least 22 years , 1 month old when she was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in nunavut .

overharvest is not thought to be the driver behind the reduction in spectacled eider populations . however , it is possible that subsistence harvest of this species may hinder its recovery .

eiders can be found across arctic and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere and all species breed in alaska and siberia . both king eider and common eider have larger breeding range , extending to northern europe and through arctic atlantic . during the breeding season , they frequent the seacoasts and freshwater lakes and rivers of arctic tundra , usually not far from sea .

the spectacled eider also faces possible threats from oil and gas development in the arctic ocean as there is currently no effective way of cleaning an oil spill in the arctic sea ice environment .

the female king eider does not feed very often during the 22 - 24 day incubation period . one female did not leave her nest for seven days before being flushed by an arctic fox .

eiders are gregarious birds and usually live in large flocks all year round , except the spectacled eider which occurs in smaller flocks . the pairs form in late winter or early spring and even during migration , and the nesting period usually begins as soon as they arrive at their breeding grounds . they nest mainly solitary or sometimes in loose colonies on islands or peninsulas in lakes and ponds in tundra . however , the common eider breeds in larger colonies along seacoasts , on small islands or on shorelines . the breeding season extends over april , may and june , although the steller’s eider nests from late june to august .

the pacific form of the common eider is distinct genetically and morphologically from the other forms , and may be a different species . the male has a thin black v on its chin and a bright yellow or orange bill .

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but unlike males , the females have mostly brown , tinged rufous , barred and spotted plumage . the steller’s eider female shows some white wingbars on her dark brown plumage , and the spectacled eider female shows paler “spectacles” but well - visible . however , they can be identified by size and shape of both body and bill . this cryptic plumage protects them while they are incubating on the ground . the juveniles are paler than adults , and often resemble females .

these example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word ' eider . ' views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of merriam - webster or its editors . send us feedback .

a colorful duck of the northern seacoasts , the common eider is the largest duck in the northern hemisphere . the male ' s bright white , black , and green plumage contrasts markedly with the female ' s camouflaging dull striped brown .

the common eider is subject to strong predation pressure , primarily from glaucous gulls and arctic foxes which take a large proportion of the eggs , and small chicks . the polar bear can also be a major predator of eggs at some sites .

a large duck of arctic coastal waters , the king eider is one of north america ' s most spectacular waterfowl species . highly gregarious for most of the year , it forms prodigious flocks during spring migration , sometimes exceeding 10 , 000 individuals .

the common eider is a large diving duck that is easily distinguishable , even at quite long distances , because of the elongated profile of the head . adults of this species are approximately 58 cm long and weigh from 1 . 2–2 . 8 kg .

the female king eider alone attends the nest . when an intruder is present , the female sits low on the nest with her head flattened on the ground . she sits tightly on the eggs and sometimes can be touched or picked up off of the nest .

the spectacled eider’s habit of concentrating in large flocks during the winter and molting periods makes it very vulnerable to catastrophic events , such as an oil spill or bilge pumping . any catastrophic events in the area of these flocks could have a major impact on the entire population .

the only member of the genus polysticta , the steller’s eider , is the smallest species . its head pattern is simpler , but the greenish - black tuft of feathers on the nape gives it an interesting appearance . this one represents probably the link between eiders and other sea ducks .

north slope borough residents have been involved with education and outreach programs to protect steller’s eiders . there are few opportunities for citizens to be involved in the research or management of steller’s eiders at this time but they can help protect steller’s eider habitat if they live near communities where eiders breed or winter .

management of steller’s eiders falls under the jurisdiction of the us fish and wildlife service ( usfws ) . management by the usfws is governed by the migratory bird treaty act . sport hunting for this species was closed in 1991 . subsistence hunting is also closed . the steller’s eider is also protected under the endangered species act .

the threat of oil and gas development in and near teshekpuk lake , known as an important bird area of global significance , is a possible threat to the spectacled eider’s future . representative doc hastings’ proposed legislation to drill in the national petroleum reserve - alaska could open up the most sensitive areas like teshekpuk lake to drilling and lead to the downfall of this threatened species .

population declines in four species of eider ; common ( somateria mollissima ) , king ( somateria spectabilis ) , spectacled ( somateria fischeri ) and steller ' s ( polysticta stelleri ) , have raised concerns about exposure to contaminants . livers and kidney tissues were collected from eiders in alaska and russia for organic and elemental analyses . results showed that organochlorine and many elemental levels were below toxic thresholds ; however , in many cases , cadmium , copper , lead and serenium appeared high relative to other waterfowl and may warrant concern . with the exception of lead , local anthropogenic sources for these elements are not known . although adverse physiological responses have not been documented in eiders , these four elements cannot be ruled out as contaminants of potential concern for some eider species .

population declines in four species of eider ; common ( somateria mollissima ) , king ( somateria spectabilis ) , spectacled ( somateria fischeri ) and steller ' s ( polysticta stelleri ) , have raised concerns about exposure to contaminants . livers and kidney tissues were collected from eiders in alaska and russia for organic and elemental analyses . results showed that organochlorine and many elemental levels were below toxic thresholds ; however , in many cases , cadmium , copper , lead and selenium appeared high relative to other waterfowl and may warrant concern . with the exception of lead , local anthropogenic sources for these elements are not known . although adverse physiological responses have not been documented in eiders , these four elements cannot be ruled out as contaminants of potential concern for some eider species .

the current population level of spectacled eiders is significantly lower than historical levels . the species is listed as threatened under the endangered species act ( esa ) and is a state of alaska species of special concern . current nesting population is ~ 8 , 000 breeding pairs in alaska and ~ 140 , 000 individuals in russia . to learn more , visit the adf & g special status page for spectacled eider .

threats to the steller’s eider include predation , lead poisoning , contaminants , and long - term or cyclical changes in the marine environment . the effect of climate change on steller’s eiders is unknown . steller’s eider eggs and ducklings are vulnerable to predation by ravens , jaegers , snowy owls , arctic and red foxes , and large gulls . on the wintering grounds , birds are vulnerable to bald eagles . lead poisoning due to ingestion of spent lead shot was historically a significant source of mortality . however , lead shot was outlawed for the hunting of waterfowl in 1991 making it less of a threat today . contaminants are also a concern for this species due to their habit of congregating in large dense groups in a few areas . contamination , such as an oil spill , in a wintering or molting area , could have a major impact on the entire population .

the eider is the uk ' s heaviest duck and its fastest flying . it is a true seaduck , rarely found away from coasts where its dependence on coastal molluscs for food has brought it into conflict with mussel farmers . eiders are highly gregarious and usually stay close inshore , riding the swell in a sandy bay or strung out in long lines out beyond the breaking waves . it is an amber list species because of its winter concentrations .

the common eider has a circumpolar distribution and breeds in the arctic and boreal zones of the northern hemisphere . they nest along the coast of europe from northern france , through the netherlands and the british isles to iceland and northwards through scandinavia to the arctic coasts of russia as well as in arctic regions such as svalbard , north - east siberia , the arctic north america and greenland . they winter largely within the breeding range , migrating southward from only the most northerly regions .

eiders are sea ducks , a group of diving ducks that breed inland but generally spend the rest of the year in coastal marine waters . the steller’s eider is the smallest of the four eider species . males are unusually colorful but both sexes have an iridescent blue wing patch , lined above and below by white , which is unique for a sea duck and more similar to a dabbling duck such as a mallard . the male ' s white head has a black spot behind each ear and green shading at the back of the head . the eye is surrounded by black and the bill is bluish gray . the white head is offset by iridescent blue - black under the chin and in a broad collar pattern extending down the back . large white shoulder patches and white - lined deep blue scapular plumes provide bold contrast on the back and sides . the light breast , sides , and belly of males is shaded front - to - back from a tan to deep rust .

the common eider is a large diving duck that is easily distinguishable even at quite long distances because of the elongated profile of the head . it has a circumpolar distribution and breeds in the arctic and boreal zones of the northern hemisphere . they nest along the coast of europe from northern france , through the netherlands and the british isles to iceland and northwards through scandinavia to the arctic coasts of russia as well as in arctic regions such as svalbard , north - eatern siberia , arctic north america and greenland .

at sea or in freshwater lakes or rivers , eiders feeds primarily on molluscs , crustaceans , small fish and various marine invertebrates including worms and echinoderms , and algae too . on arctic tundra , they feed on leaves , seeds and berries , green parts of plants and other vegetation . freshwater insects , larvae and arachnids are also taken . in the water , they feed mainly by diving and head - dipping , and upending in shallow waters . the spectacled eider also plucks and dabbles on the water surface .

the spectacled eider is a medium - sized sea duck measuring an average 53 cm in length for males and 50 cm in length for females . adult male breeding plumage is characterized by a white back and a black tail , belly and chest . other distinguishing characteristics include a bright orange bill with white feathers at the base , and a green shaggy head with round white “spectacles” around each eye . adult female breeding plumage is a dull brown color with darker brown barring and light brown eye patches . both sexes have long sloping foreheads .

historic numbers and distribution of steller’s eiders were significantly greater than current times . however , most information prior to the 1970s is anecdotal so it is difficult to accurately quantify the decline in numbers and the contraction of the breeding range . as of 2010 , 600 steller’s eiders or less arrive on the alaska breeding grounds each year with most near barrow . the alaska - breeding population is listed as threatened under the endangered species act ( esa ) and is a state of alaska species of special concern . to learn more , visit the adf & g special status page for steller ' s eider .

several sub - species have been described . the svalbard population belongs to the sub - species s . m . borealis , which also breeds in northeast canada , greenland , iceland and franz josef land . in svalbard the common eider breeds both in colonies on small islands and in a more dispersed fashion along the coast of spitsbergen . the greatest nesting densities occur on the western and north - western coast of spitsbergen and on tusenøyane . the svalbard population winters around iceland and along the coast of northern norway . some svalbard birds may also spend the winter in ice - free waters off the west coast of svalbard .

in svalbard the common eider has a nesting strategy that differs from that of most other populations , in that the males remain with the females during the first stage of the incubation period ( one to two weeks ) . the males then leave the nesting areas to form moulting flocks along the coast . immediately after hatching , as soon as the young are dry , they go out to sea with their mother . the females and their young usually aggregate in groups in shallow - water areas along the coast through the summer and early fall . the highest age recorded in norway ( including svalbard ) is 58 years .

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eiders are threatened by oil pollution and lead poisoning as they pick up lead shot from hunting in ponds or lakes . several predators such as ravens , gulls , jaegers and foxes , and hunting pressure in some areas , involve some declines in populations . the global warming is a problem in the wintering range as it is altering the ecosystem of this area . the ice is replaced by open water , and warmer temperatures reduce the prey’s availability . in the same way , higher temperatures involve the drying of wetlands in the breeding range . currently , the steller’s eider is listed as vulnerable , but the three other species are evaluated as least concern .

the nest is built by the female , a shallow scrape on the ground made with grasses and lined with down from the female’s breast during the egg laying . the females lay 4 - 6 eggs , 6 - 8 in steller’s eider . they incubate alone and perform all the nesting duties . the males leave the breeding grounds at the beginning of the incubation , and start the migration in order to gather at distant areas for moulting , before to reach the wintering grounds . the females incubate during 25 - 28 days . at hatching , the chicks are precocial and able to walk and feed within one day . they fledge between 50 and 75 days after hatching , depending on the species . they are sexually mature at 2 - 3 years .

the total common eider breeding population in svalbard is estimated to be somewhere between 13 , 500 and 27 , 500 pairs and the late summer population is comprised of 80 , 000–140 , 000 individuals . the european breeding population is estimated to be 840 , 000 pairs , and is regarded as stable , although some sub - populations are declining . extensive collecting of down and eggs are thought to have reduced the population somewhat during the first part of the 20th century , but early numbers are rather uncertain , so this may not be the case . although protection measures and bird sanctuaries were established in 1963 and 1973 , no marked increase in the population has occurred since that time . annual population monitoring established in the kongsfjorden area in 1980 and surveys of moulting birds in 2002 and 2010–2011 suggest a stable population in recent decades . human disturbance at nesting sites should be avoided in order to minimize loss of egg and chicks to predators .

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but that hasn ' t been good news for some of their prey , including other vulnerable birds , such as eiders .

for example , pilot - biologists discovered the wintering grounds of spectacled eiders , an arctic sea duck , after a swift decline based upon aerial survey data .

there are several species of large diving ducks called eiders . they are heavy and round - bodied , with a humped bill that produces a characteristic sloping profile . eiders live in the cold far north . they are the source of eiderdown , feathers that the hen plucks from her breast to line her nest and insulate her eggs . eiderdown is used as a warm filling for jackets , pillows , quilts , and sleeping bags . hens are mottled brown , but drakes ( males ) are boldly patterned , with green pigment on the head .

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a small , dark goose - the same size as a mallard . it has a black head and neck and grey - brown back .

a nocturnal bird that can be seen hawking for food at dusk and dawn .

male ring ouzels are particularly distinctive with their black plumage with a pale wing panel and striking white breast band .

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this bird species has different identifying features depending on sex / age / season .

in the breeding season , eiders are best looked for from the northumberland coast northwards and off the west coast of scotland . they are found in the same areas in winter and also further south on the yorkshire coast and around the east and south coast as far a cornwall . belfast lough is a n ireland stronghold and some are also found off the welsh coast .

* this map is intended as a guide . it shows general distribution rather than detailed , localised populations .

eiders can be seen all year round in breeding areas . on coasts to the south of the breeding range , birds can be seen from autumn and stay there for the winter .

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mother common eiders lead their young to water , and often are accompanied by nonbreeding hens that participate in chick protection . broods often come together to form " crèches " of a few to over 150 ducklings . attacks by predators may cause several broods to cluster together into a crèche . once formed , a crèche tends to stay together throughout the brood rearing period , although some of the different females attending it may leave .

any of the species of the genera polysticta or somateria , in the seaduck subfamily merginae , which line their nests with fine down ( taken from their own bodies ) .

this page was last edited on 19 april 2018 , at 22 : 51 .

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urltoken unabridged based on the random house unabridged dictionary , © random house , inc . 2018

and related genera , which occur in the n hemisphere . the male has black and white plumage , and the female is the source of eiderdown

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a northern sea duck , of which the male is mainly black - and - white with a coloured head , and the female brown .

‘terns and eiders had been disturbed , while eiders had been doubly hit because the pickers were depleting the mussel beds on which they feed . ’

‘both of these types are plentiful on the cape , as are sea ducks , such as scoters and eiders , viewable from many vantage points . ’

‘primary predators for these eiders were large gulls , and occasionally evidence of mammalian predation was found . ’

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males and females have very different plumage ; the male has a black crown , belly and tail , while the rest of the plumage is white , the breast usually has a pinkish tinge . males also have characteristic green marks on the sides of the head . the female is brown with light , closely packed bars over the whole body . young males are a mottled brown - black and white , the pattern of which varies with age . young birds are difficult to distinguish from adult males in transitional plumage after the nesting season , when they are switching to their winter colours .

the male ' s voice is a deep , prolonged ”coo - roo - uh” , the female ' s call is a growling ”cor - r - r” .

common eiders are maritime ducks , which occur along coastlines in the breeding season , especially on smaller islets where they are safe from mammalian predators . they breed in colonies of variable size and density . nesting groups become established in the spring as soon as the tundra is clear of snow and the ice around the islets has melted ; in most years in svalbard this occurs towards the end of may , but may be as late as the end of june at some sites in some years .

the proportion of the population that breeds varies greatly between years depending on ice condition in spring and early summer . common eiders leave the nesting area immediately after the eggs hatch to occupy shallows waters along the coast , where they remain until leaving svalbard during autumn .

they feed on various benthic animals ; mussels are a preferred food , but they will also consume small crustaceans found in the inter - tidal zone and shallows .

pair formation takes place during the autumn in common eiders and the same birds may stay together for several years . they are a ground - nesting species that prefers flat areas , sometimes sheltered by stones or pieces of wood , but usually the site is completely exposed . the nest is a simple , shallow scrape made by the female , but it is carefully lined with plant material and a thick layer of down . nest - sites are re - used , and old nests are often characterized by an elevated rim .

the normal clutch size consists of four to six eggs , which are grey - green or olive - green in colour . clutches with up to 13 eggs have been recorded in svalbard , but large clutches are usually laid by more than one female ( i . e . the result of dump nesting ) . the incubation period lasts 24–26 days . before nesting the females accumulate a large reserve of fat . they do not feed during the incubation period and must therefore survive on stored reserves . they can lose up to 40 % of their body weight during incubation .

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this species has been uplisted to near threatened . within europe it has experienced moderate declines and these have not been compensated for by increases elsewhere in the species ' s range . declines are thought to be driven by a range of threats including overharvesting of aquatic resources , pollution , disturbance and hunting . should the declines be found to be more severe , or new information reveal declines in the

populations then the species would warrant uplisting ; it almost meets the requirements for listing as threatened under criterion a4abcde .

recommended citation birdlife international ( 2018 ) species factsheet : somateria mollissima . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 . recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species : birdlife international ( 2018 ) iucn red list for birds . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 .

steller’s eiders first breed at 2–3 years of age . pair bonding occurs in the winter , and the eiders move to arctic nesting grounds as the spring sea ice breaks up . they are solitary breeders that prefer to nest on islands or peninsulas in tundra lakes and ponds near the coast . the female selects a nest site while the male performs distraction flights . the nest is built out of grass then lined with down during egg laying . females generally lay 5–7 olive - brown eggs . males typically leave once incubation begins . females incubate the eggs for 25–28 days until hatching .

ducklings are precocial and hatch with open eyes and a dark brown layer of down . they can thermoregulate and walk soon after hatching , allowing them to leave the nest within 24 hours . mothers stay with their young throughout brood rearing . young birds can fly within 5–7 weeks of hatching .

steller’s eiders forage by diving or dabbling in shallow water . on the breeding habitats , steller’s eiders primarily eat insect larvae associated with freshwater wetlands but may also eat aquatic plants . in marine habitats they eat small fish and saltwater invertebrates , including snails , clams , worms , and echinoderms found in the bottom sediment . they forage singly or in large flocks that often dive and surface in unison .

males perform courtship displays for females , with as many as 3–7 males following a single female . courtship behaviors include a series of head - turns , shakes , and rearing out of the water . males also perform aggressive displays towards other males , including chin - lifts which display the black chin - patch .

steller’s eiders migrate long distances each year , up to 4 , 800 kilometers , between their breeding and wintering grounds . they migrate side by side in long lines only a few feet above the water . they generally travel along coastlines or follow open leads in the ice . migration northward to the breeding grounds begins in late - april . they reach their nesting sites in the arctic tundra in late may to early june . males leave the breeding areas by early july to travel to molting areas . the females remain on the breeding grounds until the chicks fledge . then they travel to molting areas or directly to wintering grounds further south .

the breeding range of steller’s eiders is the arctic coastal plain of northern alaska and russia . there are three recognized breeding populations of steller’s eiders worldwide . two populations breed in russia . the russian - atlantic population breeds in russia and winters in the barents and baltic seas of northern europe , never associating with alaska . the russian - pacific population breeds in russia and winters in the bering sea and northern gulf of alaska and mixes with the russian - pacific population in the bering sea and northern gulf of alaska during the molt and winter . alaska’s breeding population occurs in two disjunct regions , the yukon - kuskokwim delta in western alaska , where only a few birds may nest , and the arctic coastal plain , primarily near barrow .

almost all steller ' s eiders nest in northeastern siberia , with less than 1 % of the population breeding in north america . in the winter , most of the world’s steller’s eiders are found in the alaska peninsula and the aleutian islands . others winter as far west as the commander and kuril islands of russia and as far east as kodiak island and kachemak bay in cook inlet , alaska .

the population of steller’s eiders may have declined by up to 50 % between the 1960s and 1980s . estimates of the wintering concentration of steller’s eiders along the alaska peninsula was 400 , 000–500 , 000 in the 1960s , and dropped to an estimated 200 , 000 in the 1990s , and 100 , 000–140 , 000 in the 2000s . the cause of this drastic decline is unknown .

steller’s eiders were once targets of waterfowl hunters . hunting of eiders was ended in 1991 .

egging and subsistence hunting of steller’s eiders is minimal in alaska . the effects of subsistence hunting in russia are poorly documented .

the usfws , in cooperation with the north slope borough , has developed an education and outreach program designed to protect steller’s eiders on the breeding grounds . fox control has also been implemented near barrow in order to improve nesting success . regulators are also protecting steller’s eiders on the wintering grounds by reviewing development plans .

current research and monitoring has focused on detecting population trends and improving our understanding of breeding biology and annual distribution . scientists do not know if the russian - pacific and alaskan breeding populations are distinct or if they represent one larger population with some birds breeding in alaska intermittently . other research has focused on trying to understand the role of contaminants and predators in limiting population growth .

the four eiders included in the tribe mergini , subfamily anatinae , in the large family anatidae , are sometimes separated from the other sea ducks and placed in their own tribe somateriini .

the three eiders of genus somateria are closely related . these large marine ducks show strong sexual dimorphism with males displaying complex and coloured head pattern and black and white bodies , while females are duller , mostly brown , and fairly similar in all species .

during winter , they remain in northern waters , either in bays or river mouths , or at sea in deep waters and away from land , according to the species . their usual wintering grounds include northern europe , iceland , w greenland , ne north america , alaska , aleutian islands , kamchatka , and southern bering sea . they return to their breeding grounds when the sea ice starts to break up .

the flight during these migrations is fairly low over the water . the birds fly side by side and form an undulating line just above the waves . sea ducks are powerful fliers .

the displays are typically similar to those of all the anatidae . the males perform usual courtship displays including rearing up out of water , wing - flapping , shaking head , stretching neck upwards and jerking head back in quick motion . at this period , the drakes produce various cooing and crooning calls while displaying . some fights may occur between males around one female .

females and chicks are threatened by several predators such as gulls , jaegers and foxes , the female during the incubation and the ducklings after hatching while they start to walk and feed . both females and young migrate and reach the wintering grounds where they will moult .

eiders are powerful marine ducks , somewhat different from other anatidae . the head pattern of males is sometimes considered ghostly and mysterious , but they are gregarious and beautiful .

when they are not nesting , these ducks spend most of the year in the frigid waters of the arctic , where they eat bottom - dwelling mollusks and crustaceans . during the winter months , these ducks move far offshore to deep waters , where they often gather in dense flocks in openings of nearly continuous sea ice .

unlike other sea ducks , spectacled eiders appear to remain in only a few areas and become vulnerable during their molting season as they cannot fly away from a hazard . spectacled eiders also use long large cracks in the ice where water flows in their migration .

the u . s . population is approximately 3 , 000 - 4 , 000 nesting pairs .

historically , spectacled eiders nested along much of the coast of alaska , from the nushagak peninsula in the southwest , north to barrow , east nearly to the canadian border , and along much of the arctic coast of russia . however , climate change and oil and gas development have drastically reduced their habitat range . as a result the western alaskan population of spectacled eiders dropped by 96 percent between 1957 and 1992 .

endangered species coalition po box 65195 | washington dc 20035 | 240 . 353 . 2765

spectacled eiders arrive on the breeding grounds as pairs in late - may or in june . preferred nest sites appear to be on islands or peninsulas in lakes . nest initiation typically occurs in may - july and varies according to numerous factors that include latitude and weather . females generally lay 3 - 9 oval , olive - green eggs at an average rate of one egg every 24 hours . males depart the breeding areas sometime during egg - laying and early incubation , leaving the females to care for the eggs . the females incubate the eggs 24 - 28 days and tend to the young after they hatch . ducklings are covered in down when they hatch . young spectacled eiders learn to fly at 50 - 52 days of age and fledge in late august . young eiders will remain at sea until their first breeding attempt at 2 - 3 years of age .

egg and duckling predators in alaska and russia include mink , arctic fox , red fox , gulls , and jaegers . hen eiders will take their young to open water , or to hide in emergent vegetation in response to avian attacks .

spectacled eiders feed by diving and dabbling . in the nonbreeding season , they are found in marine waters diving down to feed on benthic mollusks and crustaceans in shallow waters ( less than 80m deep ) or free - floating amphipods in deeper waters . during the nesting season , they forage in ponds by diving and dabbling , often feeding on aquatic insects , crustaceans , mollusks , and vegetation . they will also feed on grasses , berries , and seeds .

spectacled eiders generally congregate in large , dense flocks in the winter in small openings in the sea ice . outside the winter , they typically fly in small , compact flocks of less than 50 individuals . they typically fly with a rapid wing beat less than 50m above the ground or water .

males may chase each other to compete for females during the breeding season , however , physical contact is rare . spectacled eiders are believed to follow a monogamous mating system .

spring migration from the wintering area includes multiple stopovers at coastal sites with arrival on the breeding grounds in late may or june . males leave 1 - 2 weeks after incubation of the eggs begins . females and young eiders travel to their wintering grounds in late summer . after spectacled eiders leave the nesting grounds , they travel along established migration corridors in the bering , chukchi , and beaufort seas . males molt and stage in mechigmenskiy bay in russia , eastern chukotka peninsula in russia , or in ledyard bay , alaska . the females molt and stage in eastern norton sound if they nested in the yukon - kuskokwim delta or in ledyard bay and mechigmenskiy bay if they nested on the north slope . from these molting and staging areas , the birds will head out to the bering sea for the winter .

the breeding habitat of spectacled eiders is in wet tundra regions . they nest along arctic coasts of alaska and russia and on the yukon - kuskokwim delta in alaska . molting areas have been found in norton sound and ledyard bay in alaska and in mechigmenskiy bay and offshore waters between the kolyma and indigirka river deltas in russia . in the winter , the entire global population of spectacled eiders congregates in gaps in the sea ice ( called polynyas ) in the bering sea between st . lawrence and st . matthew islands . the wintering habitat of spectacled eiders was unknown until the 1990s . they use these gaps in the ice to dive down and collect mollusks and other crustaceans from the sea floor .

the population of spectacled eiders has declined significantly since the 1960s , but the cause of this decline remains unknown . on the yukon - kuskokwim delta , the population declined by over 96 % between the 1970s and 1990s . following this dramatic decline , the population appears to have stabilized .

though the cause of the decline in spectacled eiders is unknown , lead poisoning from ingestion of spent shot has been a significant source of mortality in alaska . the use of lead shot was banned in 1991 so the threat from lead poisoning should be reduced though illegal use may continue at some level .

in nesting areas , predation by foxes , gulls , and ravens may be preventing the recovery of the species . predation tends to be higher in areas near human habitation due to the year - round availability of food and shelter for certain predators .

all spectacled eiders overwinter in the bering sea using polynyas ( gaps ) in the sea ice .

spectacled eiders were once a target of waterfowl hunters . however , sport hunting of this species has been closed in alaska since 1991 .

this species was harvested for its meat and feathers , and their eggs also were an important subsistence food . however , in 1991 subsistence hunting of spectacled eiders was closed in alaska , and remains closed .

spectacled eiders are currently listed as a threatened species under the endangered species act and protected by the migratory bird treaty act , both of which are implemented by the u . s . fish and wildlife service . the state of alaska retains trust responsibilities over this species and is actively engaged in the management , conservation , and regulation of spectacled eiders and their habitat .

there are several research projects on spectacled eiders underway . one project is designed to determine winter habitat and the causes of the population decline . this study uses satellite transmitters to track the birds to identify molting and feeding areas in the bering sea . another project studies the impacts of lead shot poisoning and environmental contaminants on the eiders .


gyrinocheilus is the single genus in the family gyrinocheilidae , a family of small southeast asian cypriniform fishes that live in fast-flowing freshwater mountain streams .

the species in this genus are commonly called " algae eaters . "

they hold on to fixed objects using a sucker-like mouth , and , despite the name , feed on a wide range of detritus , rather than simply on algae .

a " golden " variety of g. aymonieri , the chinese algae eater or " sucking loach " , can be found in many pet shops and fish farms .

gyrinocheilus

gyrinocheilus <EOT> the other species in the genus , gyrinocheilus pennocki and the gyrinocheilus pustulosus , are rarely seen in the aquarium trade .

gyrinocheilus aymonieri is commercially bred with the use of hormones . there are no well documented reports of aquarium breeding of gyrinocheilus aymonieri .

chinese algae eater - gyrinocheilus | tropical fish misc . | pinterest | freshwater fish and tropical fish

matt clarke looks at gyrinocheilus pennocki , the spotted algae eater , a fish easy to mistake for aymonieri .

froese , r . & pauly , d . , eds . ( 2011 ) . gyrinocheilus aymonieri in catalog of fishes .

gyrinocheilus aymonieri is a large , drab fish with little to recommend it and a fish which is unlikely to get along with any other species .

chinese algae - eaters ( gyrinocheilus aymonieri ) often feed off the body slime of other fish , causing injury or death . photo by pseudogastromyzon / wikipedia

kingdom : animalia phylum : chordata class : actinopterygii order : cypriniformes family : gyrinocheilidae genus : gyrinocheilus species : g . aymonieri , ( tirant , 1883 )

the iucn red list of endangered species lists gyrinocheilus aymonieri as ' least concern ' . the species is very widespread and local threats make little difference to the whole population . gyrinocheilus aymonieri is widely collected as a food item . some are still collected for the aquatic trade but most aquarium fish have been commercially bred with the mutant white morph being the most popular .

gyrinocheilus : from the ancient greek γυρῖνος ( gyrinos ) , meaning ‘tadpole’ , and χείλος ( cheílos ) , meaning ‘lip’ , due to the somewhat triangular , tadpole - like shape of the mouthparts .

gyrinocheilus species exhibit some morphological peculiarities which separate them from all other genera in the order cypriniformes . they lack pharyngeal teeth and possess a small , spiracle - like aperture at the top of each opercle .

keeping gyrinocheilus aymonieri in a group with the aim of spreading the aggression won ' t normally work , it will make things worse because instead of there being just one trouble maker there will be several .

arai , r . , a . suzuki and y . akai , 1988 - japanese journal of ichthyology 34 ( 4 ) : 515 - 517 the karyotype and dna value of a cypriniform algae eater , gyrinocheilus aymonieri .

in nature gyrinocheilus aymonieri will sift through the detritus picking out morsels of food . in captivity it will eat anything and everything , sadly for most new fish keepers the fish they bought as an algae eater will ignore the stuff , instead it will go for a higher quality diet and eat all the usual fish food on offer . gyrinocheilus aymonieri are very bold feeders and may try to take over the food for themselves by behaving very aggressively to other fish at feeding time . shy timid species won ' t usually thrive for very long in the presence of a sucking loach .

gyrinocheilus aymonieri isn ' t actually a true loach . it is a close relative of the loaches but has its own family - gyrinocheiliidae , which contains one genus , with four species . as well as the typical wild form there is a white aquarium morph but both morphs behave in the same way .

gyrinocheilus aymonieri is very tolerant of wide ranging environmental conditions and from that point of view it is a very very easy fish to cater for . however it is generally to aggressive for most community aquariums and will invariably cause problems when introduced . it is particularly aggressive towards fish which are similar in appearance .

the chinese algae - eater ( gyrinocheilus aymonieri ) is a fraud . it doesn’t come from china , and it barely eats algae . worse , it often feeds off the body slime of other fish , injuring or killing them . many hobbyists end up with it as the only fish in their tank without knowing why .

despite the name , never rely on any fish with ' algae eater ' in its title . controlling algae is the job of the fish keeper , not the fish . almost every species which does eat algae will move on to the higher quality diet of fish food given the chance . this is very true of gyrinocheilus aymonieri .

most new aquarist buy gyrinocheilus aymonieri because it is wrongly sold as an algae eater when it is a couple of inches in length . initially it will be fine and probably choose to hide and keep a low profile but as it grows it will become increasingly aggressive towards all its tank mates and it won ' t eat any algae .

chinese algae eater alternative name ( s ) : algae eater , chinese catfish , sucking loach scientific name ( s ) : gyrinocheilus aymonieri category : tropical difficulty : maximum size : 28cms minimum tank volume : 250 litres minimum tank size : 48 " water temperature range : 22 - 26°c water ph range : 6 . 0 - 8 . 0 water hardness range : 5 - 20 dgh

i would be interested to know what kind of fish you actually had in the tank . usually , fish going by the common name " algae eater " are either gyrinocheilus ( chinese algae eaters ) or crossocheilus siamensis ( siamese algae eaters ) . the chinese algae eater ( often confused with the siamese ) tends to only fulfill the " peaceful bottom feeder " role until it matures . adult chinese algae eaters don ' t tend to eat algae at all and are quite aggressive !

aquarium : gyrinocheilus aymonieri is a robust and easy - to - keep grazer which does a good job of keeping algae to a minimum . however , the species can become quarrelsome and territorial and may rasp the mucus from the flanks of larger fishes , so you need to be careful what you mix it with . g . pennocki is probably the same . according to rainboth s fishes of the cambodian mekong , g . pennocki is found on large flat rocks in fast - flowing water . in the dry season it occurs in riffles and rapids in rocky streams .

notes : this fish is a member of the cypriniform family gyrinocheilidae . the genus has three species : g . pennocki , g . pustulosus and the widely available g . aymonieri . the easiest way to tell the three apart is to count the number of branched dorsal fin rays . g . aymonieri has nine , g . pustulosus has 10 and g . pennocki has 11 . gyrinocheilus are adapted for life in fast - flowing water and have greatly reduced swimbladders . a spiracle - like hole exists behind the gill to allow them to breathe while clinging to rocks with the suctorial disc in their mouth .

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distribution : southeast asia . freshwater mountain streams . no pharyngeal teeth . mouth inferior and suctorial for attachment onto objects . gill slit consisting of 2 small openings , inhalent aperture located above gill opening and communicating with gill chamber . barbels absent . feed only on algae . maximum size 30 cm . reared as aquarium fish .

greek , gyrinos = frog larvae + greek , cheilos = lip ( ref . 45335 ) .

the list below must not be used as an authority reference synonymy list like those found in scientific published revisions , which must be the source to be used and cited eventually when they exist .

rather , it reflects the current content of fishbase , and the progress with respect to synchronization with the catalog of fishes . however , we think it can be useful for users to assess the quality of information in fishbase , to start new work on the family , or to cross - check with other lists .

but we appreciate to be cited in publications when this list has been of any working value . in particular , for published scientific , we suggest then to cite it in the material and method section as a useful tool to conduct the research , but again , not as a taxonomic or nomenclatural authority reference .

unless it is explicitly precised , the list is not complete , please search all original names published for the family in the catalog of fishes ( genera , species ) , including those with uncertain or unknown status , that are not included in fishbase when they are not attached to a valid species .

this list uses some data from catalog of fishes ( not shown but used to sort names ) .

in the column coff , the digit indicates the status of synchronization with coff : 0 : not checked ; 1 : same status ; 2 : different status ; 3 : other combination ; 4 : synonym in coff ; 5 : species / subspecies issue ; 6 : synonym of another species in coff ; 7 : not in coff ; 8 : should not be in coff . the coff version currently used is the one published on 23 - 07 - 2014 ( ref . 97102 ) .

when subfamilies are recognized , nominotypical subfamily first then other subfamilies by alphabetical order .

type genus of the family first ( or of subfamily when subfamilies are recognized ) then other genera by chronological order of description ( and alphabetical order ) .

type species of the genus first by chronological order ( and alphabetical order ) , with last listed misapplied names in a light gray font .

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of this article , so you may wish to read it there . unique to this site , here are some photos of

) which is the only known fish to effectively eat red ( beard / brush ) algae . the other four fishes are ( 1 ) a very similar fish which we call the " false siamensis , " ( 2 ) a more colorful relative - the flying fox (

species and ( 4 ) the chinese algae eater . to the casual observer , all fish may look the same at first . even some reputable aquarium texts have confused the real and false siamensis . a summary table is included at the end to compare the distinguishing features among these interesting fishes .

this slender algae eating barb is the only known fish that eats red algae . it comes from the flowing waters of thailand and the malay peninsula . it was first brought to europe in 1962 , but became popular in the 1970 ' s when its ability to eat red algae was noticed . the fish is also known as siamese flying fox , and siamese fox . it previous scientific name was

it is a slender , grayish - brown fish with a distinctive black horizontal stripe . maximum length is 15 cm ( 6 " ) and might be obtained in two years , if the conditions are optimal . normally they grow slower and don ' t always reach that size in captivity . they can live over 10 years . all the fins are transparent or slightly milky without any yellow or reddish sheen . the black band goes from nose to the fork of the tail and its edges are zig - zagged . when a fish is stressed or fighting the black color fades significantly . underparts are silvery white and there is no light stripe over the black , but the whole upper body is brownish and every scale has a dark edge , which make the top look reticular . some dark scale edges might be seen under the black stripe . it has a pair of thin , forward - pointing barbels but they might be pressed against the cheeks when fish is swimming or resting . the long black stripe is also easy to see in young fishes , but the scale edge pattern and zig - zag edges are not clearly visible until the fish reaches the length of 5 - 7 cm ( 2 - 3 " ) ; the ones that are normally seen in european shops are about 3 - 5 cm ( 1 - 2 " ) long . adult females are often slightly fatter than males , no other sexual differences are known .

it is an active and fast swimmer , which thrives best in schools but can also be kept alone or in pairs . it is a strong jumper and should not be kept in uncovered tank , because it will eventually jump . siamese algae eaters often chase one another but they never get hurt in these fights .

has a peculiar resting position : it doesn ' t lie flat on its belly but keeps its body propped up with its tail , pelvic and pectoral fins . young fish sometimes rest on broad leaves , adult specimens prefer resting on bottom or dense , low plants like

. the swim bladder is not very developed , so the fish can ' t stay in midwater but it must be in constant motion or it sinks .

siamese algae eater is not very demanding . suitable temperature is 24 - 26 c ( 75 - 79f ) . they can tolerate ph from 5 . 5 to 8 . 0 , but 6 . 5 - 7 . 0 is ideal .

hardness should be less than 20 dh . water should be clean and oxygenated , because they come from bright and fast - flowing streams . they eat algae , including red algae and all kind of live and prepared foods . it is very rare that they harm plants in their tank if they are given enough green food . they also eat algae when they are mature , but seem to prefer flake food . liisa ' s fish eat duckweed (

) but have never touched any other plants . they haven ' t yet been bred in captivity , so all the specimens are caught from nature . it appears that the fish are seasonal and are not always available in the shops . minimum tank size for a pair of adult siamese algae eaters is 100 liters ( 25 gallons ) . the aquarium should be long and have lots of living plants .

as they are not aggressive , they can be kept in any community tank big enough . their active behavior might stress some sensitive species like dwarf cichlids and prevent them from spawning . they should not be kept with red - tailed sharks ( epalzeorhynchus bicolor ) unless the aquarium is large and well planted , because that species is very aggressive towards all its relatives .

this algae eating barb strongly resembles the siamese algae eater . it comes from the same region and at least young specimens can school together . these fish are often mistaken for real siamese algae eater and in finland it is common to see some specimens among a tankful of siamese algae eaters . it seems that the real siamese algae eater is a rarity in us , and the " false siamensis " is normally sold as siamese algae eater . more confusing is that many respected aquarium books ( e . g . baensch atlas , volume 1 , english edition ) present this fish as the siamese algae eater (

there is still some uncertainty regarding the true identity of this fish . markku varjo states that it is the siamese stone lapping fish (

at first sight this fish is just like the siamese algae eater , but they are easy to tell apart when you know what to look . the black horizontal band does not go to the fork of the tail but stops at the base of the tail and its edges are rather smooth . when the fish is frightened the black stripe fades to light grey . all fins except pectoral are yellowish and there are dark markings on the dorsal fin . the rays near the base of the dorsal fin are black and there is another dark band in the upper part of dorsal . there is a distinctive narrow light stripe over the black horizontal band and the dorsal region is solid grayish brown without dark scale edges . the top area is also slightly darker than siamese algae eater . sometimes bright red or pink is seen around the mouth but it might disappear if the fish is stressed . it has two pairs of barbels ( unlike the siamese algae eater ) . maximum length is reported to be 15 cm ( 6 " ) . no sexual differences are known , but the amount of red might depend on the sex of the fish . in the orient , these fish are called " colorful flying fox . " ironically ,

" false siamensis " is more demanding on water quality than siamese algae eater . it needs very clear and oxygenated water , ideal temperature is 24 - 26 c ( 75 - 79f ) and the ph shouldn ' t get much under 7 . they eat some algae , but in nature they probably seek small animals from algae growths . in aquarium they eat all kinds of live and artificial foods . they have not been bred in captivity . minimum tank size for it is 80 liters ( 20 gallons ) .

can be kept in any community tank . adult specimens often get aggressive toward each other , so there shouldn ' t be more than one " false siamensis " in a tank . they might also harass related species and other small bottom - dwellers like loaches , if the tank is not big enough .

the flying fox is the most colorful of this fish group . for this reason , it has gained popularity in the u . s . over

and " false siamensis " . it comes from the flowing waters of thailand , sumatra and borneo . wholesalers sometimes deliver this species as siamese algae eater in finland . this fish is also known as trunk barb .

body and fin shape like two previous species . thin specimens are often pictured in the aquarium literature . the overall color is warmer brown or even goldish and the black horizontal stripe goes from nose to the fork of the tail like on siamese algae eater , but the part going through the tail fin in darker and broader . there is a narrow golden stripe over the black . dorsal , anal and pelvic fins have indistinctive dark bands and bright white tips . it has 2 pairs of barbels . maximum length is reported to be 15 cm ( 6 " ) . no sexual differences are known .

same as previous species . adult specimen is territorial and aggressive towards its own kind .

ideal ph is near 7 , temperature 24 - 26c ( 75 - 79f ) . it eats all kinds of live , prepared and plant foods . it has not been bred in captivity . minimum tank size 80 liters ( 20 gallons ) .

flying fox can be kept in a community tank , but it might chase other fish viciously from its territory . there shouldn ' t be more than one adult flying fox in a tank .

this is a close relative to siamese algae eater , and it is possible that specimens of this fish are sometimes found in schools of siamese algae eater or " false siamensis " .

body shape and color are basically same as siamese algae eater and " false siamensis " . all the fins are transparent and the black horizontal stripe does not extend to the tail fin . the stripe has smooth edges and the back is solid , not reticulated like on siamese algae eater . it has two pairs of barbels like flying fox . maximum length is 10 cm ( 4 " ) .

this algae eater belongs to family gyrinocheilidae , although it resembles both loaches and algae eating barbs . its english name isn ' t very accurate , because it comes from northern india and thailand , not china . it is also called the indian algae eater . there are still some unclear points in the systematic classification of this genus and it is possible that the species most often imported isn ' t

chinese algae eater is a bottom - dweller . the most prominent feature is a big suckermouth , which it uses for scraping algae and clinging to objects . there is a special opening on the upper part of the gill cover for the water intake so the fish can breath without using its mouth . this same feature is seen on suckermouth catfishes . the fish is light brown and there is a dark grey or brown horizontal pattern on its side , which can be either a zig - zag edged solid stripe or a row of separate spots or anything between these two . young specimens are more colorful . there are some dark patches at the back and small brown spots at the tail . all the other fins are transparent or slightly brownish . maximum length is 27 cm ( 11 " ) but normally it doesn ' t exceed 15 cm ( 6 " ) in an aquarium . females are larger and fuller , adult males might show spawning tubercles on the head .

it moves along all the surfaces of the tank scraping green algae with its suckermouth . older specimens prefer artificial foods and are rather aggressive .

chinese algae eater is not very demanding on water conditions : ph may vary from 6 . 0 to 7 . 5 and the temperature from 22c ( 72f ) to 28c ( 82f ) . water should be well oxygenated , as it comes from streams . it eats all kinds of foods , but must get enough algae or plant food . it is reported that it will stop eating algae if the temperature drops below 69 degrees f ( 20 deg . c ) . it has not been bred in captivity . minimum tank size 100 liters ( 25 gallons ) .

young chinese algae eaters can be kept in community , but adult specimens can be aggressive to other fish . they most often attack slow - swimming , flat - bodied fish and shouldn ' t be kept with them .

varjo , m . 1983 : levabarbi vai mika ? - akvaariolehti 3 / 83 : 16 - 19 .

petrovicky , i . 1988 : aquarium fish of the world . - arch cape press , new york .

mills , d . et al 1988 : tropical aquarium fishes . - tetra press , nj .

axelrod , h . 1989 : atlas of tropical freshwater aquarium fishes . - tfh , nj

riehl , r . and baensch , h . a . 1989 : aquarium atlas ( volume 1 ) , - mergus , germany .

smith , h . m . 1945 : the fresh - water fishes of siam , or thailand . bulletin 188 - smithsonian institute , washington d . c .

greek , gyrinos = tadpole + greek , cheilos = lip ( ref . 45335 )

freshwater ; demersal ; ph range : 6 . 0 - 8 . 0 ; dh range : 5 - 19 ; potamodromous ( ref . 51243 ) . tropical ; 25°c - 28°c ( ref . 1672 )

maturity : l m ? range ? - ? cm max length : 28 . 0 cm sl male / unsexed ; ( ref . 27732 )

has 9 branched dorsal rays ; 36 - 40 lateral line scales ; no dark spots on pelvic and anal fins ( ref . 27732 ) ; a small dark spot always present behind spiracle ; sometimes tiny tubercles on side of head and large tubercles confined to snout ( ref . 12693 ) .

occur in medium to large - sized rivers and enters flooded fields ( ref . 12975 ) . found on solid surfaces in flowing waters . mostly herbivorous , feed largely on algae , periphyton and phytoplankton , but also take insect larvae or zooplankton . in current , they hold onto fixed objects with their sucker - like mouth . for breathing , water is pumped into the gill cavity through a small spiracle and across the gills for gas exchange . large fish are sold in the markets , smaller ones are used to make prahoc ( ref . 12693 ) . aquarium keeping : needs plant feed ; adults territorial ; in groups of 5 or more individuals ; minimum aquarium size 60 cm ( ref . 51539 ) .

rainboth , w . j . , 1996 . fishes of the cambodian mekong . fao species identification field guide for fishery purposes . fao , rome , 265 p . ( ref . 12693 )

phylogenetic diversity index ( ref . 82805 ) : pd 50 = 0 . 7500 [ uniqueness , from 0 . 5 = low to 2 . 0 = high ] .

bayesian length - weight : a = 0 . 00389 ( 0 . 00180 - 0 . 00842 ) , b = 3 . 12 ( 2 . 94 - 3 . 30 ) , in cm total length , based on all lwr estimates for this body shape ( ref . 93245 ) .

trophic level ( ref . 69278 ) : 2 . 5 ±0 . 25 se ; based on food items .

vulnerability ( ref . 59153 ) : low vulnerability ( 24 of 100 ) .

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asia : known only from the kapuas , mahakam and kayan basins in borneo , indonesia .

maturity : l m ? range ? - ? cm max length : 35 . 5 cm tl male / unsexed ; ( ref . 7050 )

dorsal soft rays ( total ) : 10 ; vertebrae : 39 - 40 . no spots on any of the fins . side of the head with very many parallel rows of small tubercles ( ref 13074 ) .

kottelat , m . , a . j . whitten , s . n . kartikasari and s . wirjoatmodjo , 1993 . freshwater fishes of western indonesia and sulawesi . periplus editions , hong kong . 221 p . ( ref . 7050 )

bayesian length - weight : a = 0 . 01072 ( 0 . 00413 - 0 . 02777 ) , b = 3 . 03 ( 2 . 81 - 3 . 25 ) , in cm total length , based on lwr estimates for this ( sub ) family - body shape ( ref . 93245 ) .

trophic level ( ref . 69278 ) : 2 . 0 ±0 . 00 se ; based on food items .

vulnerability ( ref . 59153 ) : low vulnerability ( 19 of 100 ) .

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young specimen of the ornamental form known as ' marbled ' or ' piebald ' .

aymonieri : named in honour of french linguist , archaeologist and explorer étienne françois aymonier ( 1844 - 1929 ) , who collected or helped secure the type series while serving as a representative for the french protectorate of cambodia .

described from the mountains of samrong tong , kampong speu province , cambodia but is widely - distributed in the mae klong , chao phraya , middle / lower mekong and dong nai river basins in thailand , laos , cambodia and vietnam .

it’s often seen on sale under the trade names ‘indian’ or ‘chinese’ algae eater but does not occur naturally in either country .

inhabits flowing streams and tributaries with substrates of boulders , pebbles , gravel and sand , often in areas with submerged driftwood or tree roots .

the frequently clear , shallow water allows sunlight to penetrate the surface and the development of a rich biofilm covering submerged surfaces upon which the fish browse .

it’s thought to undergo seasonal migrations during which it can be found in deeper , more turbid water and may enter temporarily - inundated zones .

provided sufficient cover is available this species is relatively unfussy in terms of décor , and should not harm softer - leaved plants . however it will thrive in a set - up designed to resemble a flowing river with a substrate of variably - sized rocks , gravel and some larger , water - worn boulders .

this can be further furnished with driftwood roots and branches plus aquatic plants from genera such as microsorum , bolbitis , or anubias which can be grown attached to the décor . bright lighting will promote the growth of algae upon which the fish will graze .

like many fishes that naturally inhabit running water it’s quite intolerant to the accumulation of organic wastes and does best if there is a high level of dissolved oxygen and moderate water movement .

temperature : active over a wide temperature range of 60 – 90°f / 16° – 32°c . prolonged exposure to conditions towards either extreme of this range is not recommended however and this fish should be kept in a heated aquarium at 22 – 26 °c for general care .

primarily an aufwuchs grazer feeding on algae , small crustaceans , insect larvae , etc . , and for it to develop its best colours and condition it should be offered regular meals of small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm , daphnia and artemia , along with good quality dried flakes , granules and fresh plant material .

shelled peas , cucumber , blanched courgette , spinach , and chopped fruit all make good additions to the menu , and home - made , gel - based foods using a mixture of natural ingredients are also highly recommended .

once settled it will often ascend into midwater to feed and in a stream - style set - up as described above will be seen browsing the biofilm that tends to form on the rockwork .

though normally sold as such this species is largely unsuitable for the general community aquarium . this does not mean to say it must be kept alone , rather that tankmates must be chosen with care .

while small specimens tend to hide away much of the time they become increasingly territorial as they grow and can display particularly high levels of aggression towards similar - looking fishes such as crossocheilus , epalzeorhynchos , or garra spp .

other bottom - dwelling fishes including cichlids and most catfishes are best avoided as they may be picked on it may even attach itself to the flanks of larger tankmates in order to feed on their body mucus .

for the upper levels choose robust , active cyprinids , characids , or similar . ideally it should be the final addition to the tank in order to avoid it claiming ownership of the entire space .

keeping a group is one way to reduce intraspecific aggression but at least half - a - dozen or more individuals should be purchased because they will develop a distinct pecking order and in lesser numbers weaker individuals are more easily targeted . it goes without saying that a very large tank would be needed in order to attempt such a project .

sexually mature females are noticeably thicker - bodied than males but it is impossible to accurately sex young fish . when in spawning condition adult males develop noticeable tubercules on the snout .

as far as we know it hasn’t been bred in aquaria but is farmed for the trade in large numbers with the aid of hormones .

this species is among the most well - known fishes in the aquarium trade but juveniles are typically being offered for sale with little to no information regarding temperament , eventual size , and potential age which can be in excess of 15 years .

wild examples are not currently traded , with all of those seen on sale produced on a commercial basis . there also exist several ornamental strains including albino , ‘golden’ , ‘piebald’ and ‘short - bodied’ forms .

the golden variety is sometimes subjected artificial dying , an undoubtedly painful process which involves injecting the fish repeatedly with coloured dyes and normally leads to a significant reduction in lifespan .

despite often being sold as such this species is not a loach although it was was initially considered a member of the former subfamily homalopterinae . the results of an investigation regarding its karotype suggest it to be most closely - related to the families cobitidae and homalopteridae .

there are currently three described species although neither g . pennocki ( native to the mekong basin ) or g . pustulosus ( borneo ) are normally available in the aquarium trade . the former is the most similar in appearance to g . aymonieri but is distinguished by the presence of dark spot - like markings in the fins .

the latter are used as secondary respiratory openings through which water enters and passes over the gills before being expelled via the principal gill opening . the mouthparts can therefore be used independantly for feeding and anchoring to solid surfaces .

they also lack barbels , further distinguishing them from similar - looking fish such as garra cambodgiensis , epalzeorhynchos kalopterus and laterally - striped crossocheilus spp .

tirant , g . , 1883 - bulletin de la société des études indo - chinoises . saigon : 167 - 173 note sur quelques espèces de poissons des montagnes de samrong - tong ( cambodge ) .

kottelat , m . , 2013 - the raffles bulletin of zoology supplement 27 : 1 - 663 the fishes of the inland waters of southeast asia : a catalogue and core bibiography of the fishes known to occur in freshwaters , mangroves and estuaries .

rainboth , w . j . , 1996 - fao , rome : 1 - 265 fishes of the cambodian mekong . fao species identification field guide for fishery purposes .

how well do otocinclus catfish eat algae ? a little experiment from the den . . . .

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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .

, a mekong endemic . it is possible that the chinese record may be based on

the species has a wide distribution from southern china and southeast asia ( thailand , lao pdr , cambodia and viet nam ) .

populations have declined in some parts of its range ( e . g . , thailand ) as a result of over - exploitation . although considered threatened in china and viet nam , and perhaps naturally rare , it is assessed as least concern at present as it is not thought likely to have declined sufficiently across its range in order to qualify for a threatened category .

the middle / lower mekong ( thailand , cambodia , lao pdr , viet nam ( e . g . , the mekong delta ( electricity viet nam 2010 ) and the

and from the northern malay peninsula ( southern thailand , peninsular malaysia , and probably associated parts of the mekong drainage in myanmar ( mekong myanmar ( the mae kok , mae sai , and kengtung ) ) .

it is naturally rare / uncommon in china and southern viet nam ( mekong delta areas ) , but is locally common in viet nam ' s mekong tributaries ( the se san and sre pok ) and the chao phraya - mae khlong basin and the tonle sap basin . populations in thailand have declined ; it was an important component of fish sauce (

inhabits flowing streams and tributaries with substrates of boulders , pebbles , gravel and sand , often in areas with submerged driftwood or tree roots ( rainboth 1996 ) . it is thought to undergo seasonal migrations during which it can be found in deeper , more turbid water and is known to enter temporarily - inundated zones .

occurs in medium to large - sized rivers and enters flooded fields ( taki 1978 ) . it is a good indicator of stream / river quality ( c . vidthayanon pers . comm . 2011 ) .

highly commercial ; large fish are sold in the markets , smaller ones are used to make fermented fish products ( rainboth 1996 ) . found in the ornamental fish trade ; wild fish not often found , with most individuals from captive - bred sources , especially mutant ( albino - lutino ) forms ( c . vidthayanon . pers . comm . 2011 ) .

although the species may be impacted by dams , not enough is known about its migratory habits to predict the scale of impacts . populations have declined locally , especially in thailand , as a result of a range if factors , including over - exploitation .

more information on the species ecology , threats and distribution is required . listed as a protected animal in yunnan province in 1989 and considered endangered ( wang 1998 ) , and considered rare in viet nam ( huynh 1998 ) .

to make use of this information , please check the < terms of use > .

this page will give a completely detailed profile of the selected fish , from a to z . the profiled fish will be chosen randomly by badman , and will come from the complete genre of tropical fish . new profiles are added on a regular basis . if you would like to submit a profile for the site please contact me . don ' t forget to let us know you experiences with this fish by filling out the

the very common algae eater . i believe it received this name due to its sucking disc . in my experience i have found them to be a poor algae eater . nevertheless they are an interesting addition to your aquarium .

long and cylindrical with a down facing mouth . the mouth has thick lips with many folds that form a sucking disc . this disc helps the fish feed on algae . it is also the basis of its common name . the dorsal fin is well developed with nine protruding soft rays . the anal , ventral and pectoral fins are all rounded . the caudal fin has a deep fork .

the sides are a burnt yellow , with a brown stripe running down the length of the body . this stripe is commonly broken up into spots . the eye is also yellow . the tail and dorsal fins may have some small spots at the base and the general coloration is clear . the back is brown . the coloration of this fish is not set and is quite variable .

little is known of the sexing of these fish . breeding has occurred , but only accidentally .

please remember that the following comments are personal experiences and may or may not apply to your setup . use them as guide to help better understand your fish , like us all individuals will behave differently under different circumstances .

i have two of these in my tank . i have a divider in my tank with adult fish on one side and babies on the other , and one on each side . normally i do my research before i buy anything , but i needed an algae eater , and i definitely did not want a plecostomus because they get way too big for my tank . i plan on upgrading my tank soon , but not as big as i will need for those guys because they get absolutely huge when you can keep them alive ! i talked to the representative in the fish store to find out some more information about other algae eaters and she recommended these . so far they do very well . they have been absolutely wonderful these last couple months cleaning up my algae and the one i have with the babies doesn ' t bother them at all . the one with the adults tends to hide a lot though while the one with the babies is a bit more active . i have neons , mickey mouse platys and guppies right now ( my 2 year olds tank ) . if any signs of aggression arise , i do plan on separating them out of my tank since i do have small fish , and these guys aren ' t adults yet so aggression may still happen . rich now though , i am very happy with my fish . fish !

over the years , i ' ve owned several tanks and each one had one of these guys . my last one , the cae was a bully , then i got a jack dempsey and once he reached maturity , he devoured the cae . currently , my cae is toeing the line in a tank with a breeding pair of convict cichilds . nevertheless , this fish is definitely not for beginners , as almost every lfs will say . please do your research before buying any fish !

i had one for seven years in a 55 gallon tank with 7 silver dollars , one angelfish , one pleco , and one red tail catfish . all of these except the angelfish lived together for the whole seven years . him and the redtail catfish mildly fought over territory for a couple of years , but eventually they came to some agreement and settled down . this was a very interesting and lively fish . i would not discount him in the right tank .

i ' ve had one of these fish for about two years in a community tank . its bottom feeder buddies are a clown loach , a pleco and two corydoras . the other fish in the tank are 8 neons , 4 black neons and seven harlequins . i also had seven platies , however , the platties were all wiped out by the same disease , which also carried off a black neon ( completely un - cae related deaths ) . my cae has reasonably peaceful , and never done much more than chase the odd platy or neon for a couple of seconds , and i ' ve got no deaths to blame it for . based on some of the other comments here though , i ' d lay that on being lucky enough to get a cae with a peaceful personality . still he ' s a healthy and reasonably good looking fish in my tank .

imo alison did the right thing and selected very tough tankmates for this ( usually ) very aggressive fish . i kept one when young and yes the small specimens destroy algae brilliantly , but as others have noted the aggression increased with size and was meted out to anything in range . a truly terrible aquarium fish , with only it ' s natural toughness to recommend it , along with the fascinating morphological adaptations ( spiracles as mentioned in the profile , and the lack of functional swimbladder , causing negative buoyancy - which is why they sink when stationary ) . ps - they are frequently sold for coldwater tanks - do not keep these fish with fancy goldfish ! the fantails won ' t stand a chance and that ' s not fair . . .

it ' s funny i didn ' t know about the cae bad rap until i had successfully owned one for several years . when i bought my cae i was relatively new to fish keeping and was sold the " community fish line " . normally i research everything like crazy . i guess i lucked out this time . my cae just died this morning at the age of 7 and was a joy to have . his tank mates for the last three years were a rowdy bunch of african cichlids . i only saw him make an aggressive move twice and both times a cichlid was stealing an algae wafer out from under him . once the wafer was surrendered all was well . i even have three cichlids that were born in the tank and lived to adulthood with him around . my " recipe for success " was a 37 eclipse gallon tank , extra air stone , enough rock to displace 7 gallons of water , about a dozen cichlids and a pleco . maybe i was lucky but he was a great little fish .

i have a 90 gallon aquarium . the only fish that i have noticed any aggression from is my chinese algae eater . his tank mates are barbs , cory cats , a red tail shark and a skunk botia . this fish has quickly grown and now wants to dictate the harmony of my aquarium . if this doesn ' t stop soon my cae will soon find himself in some ranchers cow trough .

i have had my cae for close to 5 years now . he started out in my 20 gal . once he was full grown he started attacking and killing my other fish . i kicked him out of that tank , needless to say . i have since put him in my 125 gal tank and he is now like a new fish . his current tank mates are angelfish , assortment of tetras , bristlenose catfish and a butterfly pleco . he no longer bothers any fish . his best friend is the butterfly pleco . they are always swimming together . if you don ' t have a big tank these are not a fish for you . i would say anything less than a 55 gal would not be suitable . the smaller the tank the more you will see them being aggressive .

as much as i ' ve read that caes are aggressive , the only aggression my cae has shown was toward my large silver white female molly . he never bothered anyone else in the tank except her . as soon as she got close , he would chase her around the tank ' til he was satisfied . after a couple weeks of witnessing this , i moved him the my 20 gallon with the 6 tiger barbs , and 2 danios . haven ' t seen any aggression since . i ' ve had him for nearly 7 months without any real problems or deaths because of him . so , all in all , aggression really depends on the fish ' s personality ( and possibly it ' s tank mates as well ) .

i ' ve had a cae for awhile now . i would really really not recommend them for anyone who cannot provide a separate living space when they get larger . they eat tons of algae when they are small but when they get older and larger their diets completely change mine now prefers " meatier " foods over algae or any other vegetable based food . and if you do plan on putting this fish with other species make sure it is fast enough to get away or it will be a snack to this guy / girl .

four words . . . these fish are evil ! ! ! when i had them they killed almost every fish in my tank . to anybody who does not know , when the cae sucks on the side of your other fish , your cae is actually eating that fishes body slime . ( which is a bad thing , body slime keeps your fish more resistant to disease and keeps them happier . ) i had to flush my cae before it finished killing the rest of my fish . i had a group of tetras , a cory cat , and danios with the cae . when the cae was finished with his bloody fish rampage , all i had was one tetra and one danio .

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we have two large iridescent sharks we are looking to find another home for . our tank is too small and they are very large . do you have a big tank ? do you know they can grow 3 - 4 feet ? where are you located ?

looking for medaka rice fish . what ever species you may have for sale .

i ' m looking to but a balloon kissing gourami . any idea where i can get one ?

if anybody out there can tell me why my little fish that i have had him for about 7 years now maybe longer but anyway all the sudden today i hear this noise and i . . . ( more ) angel8

the chinese algae eater is a workhorse when it comes to its job . . . eating algae !

is a one of the best - known aquarium fish . it is found in large areas of southeast asia and southern parts of china . it was first exported to germany in 1956 for the aquarium trade , but in its native countries , it is used as a food fish .

this fish is highly desired by many aquarists . though not the most beautiful fish , it is appreciated for its ability to keep the aquarium free of algae . as a youngster , it does a great job at that , but its dietary preference will change as it matures . adult chinese algae eaters will look for meatier foods such as small crustaceans and even the slime coating of other fish . adults will also start enjoying the easier foods supplied by their keepers . other surprising aspects of keeping this fish , besides its changing diet , include its size , the number of very similar " look - alike " species , and its personality with its tankmates .