Are Chinese algae eaters catfish?

Question

because my local petshop calls them sucking catfish

and they call gold sucking loches

gold sucking catfish

Answer 1

they are loaches.

(and attack fish instead of eating algae)

oh. and they arn't from china either.

Answer 2

No, they are loaches. Here's some info on the little guys, just incase you want it.

The Chinese algae eater is commonly offered for sale in local pet shops but is probably not the best choice for most tanks. As juveniles they perform their job of eating algae with gusto but as they mature they may eat algae less and become very territorial. As they mature they may also start to affix themselves to the sides of larger flat bodied tank mates (such as Angelfish) and they will damage the scales of their victims.

These algae eaters can sometimes jump out of tanks so you will need a good hood with no escape points.

Just like other tropical fish, place your fish in a quarantine tank for a few weeks for monitoring before introducing them into your main tank.

As juveniles they should eat the algae growing on the walls and objects in your tank but it has been reported that they will eat algae less when they mature. Avoid placing them in newly setup tanks lacking algae for them to graze on. Algae wafers can be used to supplement their diet

Good luck!

Answer 3

They are a loach not a catfish.  Catfish are a different species.

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Answer 4

Yes they are a type of catfish, but seem to suck on the glass more that the bottom of the tank.