Chinese high fin banded shark or Chinese sucker, Myxocyprinus asiaticus

immature


adult


Anyone have any experience with them?

It seems like many on here are constantly searching for ways to control algae. According to aquarium and koi pond sources, this species is becoming more and more common in the trade for use in controlling algae. From my research, they are in the Catostomidae family, or suckers. From my research it seems they are cold water tolerant to at least Zone 7 and I have seen reports to Zone 4. They are a river species and require a very specific spawning habitat precluding them from overpopulating in a pond as they could not reproduce. However, they can and will do fine in pond environments. As to what types of algae they will consume, I do not know but many sources state they are ravenous feeders on algae. They reach about 3' as adults with 2' being a more common size.

As to their legality in stocking in an open water system I do not know. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with them...

That's an interesting fish CJ, everything else comes from China, soon we'll have to order all our fish from there.
I would be surprised if they would be legal to stock, we can't even get permmision to stock normal fish.
That fish would be fun in a swimming lake when they see that fin coming at them.

Yeah that fin would get me out of the water pretty darn quick at first!!! First I have heard of them, sound interesting though.

What a neat looking fish! I'd love to have a couple of them in my pond even if they didn't control algae.

Unfortunately, I'm always very concerned about invasive species, and I know the WV DNR is even more cautious. I doubt we'll see any here for a while.

My mom has a koi pond at her house (you should see the size of some of her koi, they're huge) and the koi supplier recommend that she stock one of those. She did. It was cool to see swimming around, it stayed at or near the bottom of the koi pond. It really blended in with the bottom rock and we would go weeks without seeing it. The last time I saw the fish it had grown to about 8 inches in length. A couple of years ago it mysteriously disappeared never to be seen from again. I don't know what happened to it. We never got a letter or post card or ransom note or anything.

Cat,

You have some Koi in a pond correct? Have you had any trouble with it messing things up?

Eating eggs or fish?

Dirty Water?

Just wondering as I thought if would be neat to have at least one in a pond, then you would not have to worry about them spawning.

Thanks

As far as the legality on one hand as long as it's not on a list of prohibited species it's possible one could go ahead and stock it. On the other hand I'm sure if you asked if it would be O.K. you would get a resounding "no."

Personally I would advise against it. On too many occasions have there been species that weren't supposed to be able to reproduce or were benign that turned out to be anything but. Our grand government planted the common carp and believed they would be the greatest game fish ever.

I agree Cecil... Unless they come out with a triploid variety for open water pond stocking, it probably is best to leave them to home aquaria. However, if more research can be done on them and they do prove to be effective at algae control, effort could be put into producing triploid ones for open water stocking. Plus they are pretty cool looking fish, albeit unlikely to be seen in a larger BOW because of their adult coloration. I know they used to be imported mostly from China where they are endangered because of dam building and other habitat destruction. There is now a facility in FL that is breeding them here in the States.

I don't have the time right now to look it up or I would. CJ, (or anybody else) do you know what water temps it will survive in?

Travis

Great find, thank you for posting this. The number one drawback to TP is the need to restock annually. True, more research is needed on this species, but if they don't reproduce in still water environments it seems to address that concern. Tolerant up to zone 4 includes most of us...I'm definitely interested in learning more!

Any idea what the maximum size is CJ?

I think he said 3' but average 2'.

I guess if I bothered to read his entire post...

I apparently they are fairly slow growers. But as I said 3' seems to be max size, but many guys said they have had fish in their koi ponds for 10 years and they are only 18". There is one guy who has several in his outdoor Idaho koi pond and they have done well for years. He is in Zone 4. The biggest concern I can see if that they escape from private ponds, get into a river here in North America where they can reproduce and badly affect the natural balance. However, I am not sure how they could be worse than Asian carp...

Cecil

What's your initial assessment of these fish?

I can't make one as I don't have enough information. CJ would be in a better position to do that. For really good information one would have to set up at least a couple of similar ponds with one a control.

I am with the "leave it alone" bunch. They cannot reproduce is still waters. but ponds get flooded and run into rivers. If they are cold tolerant, that would be a real problem.

Here is the info.

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesS...mp;lang=English

Thanks Eric

I noticed they also have pharyngeal teeth...wonder if they are used to prey on mollusks or snails?

It seems like they are not very fecund. Fishbase lists population doubling time as 4.5-14 years! That is very high...

The concern of them establishing a population in America is real. A species like this is a big candidate. Bright colored when small and becoming duller and boring as they grow. Many aquarists would simply tire of them and release them into the wild. That is why I still see brightly colored goldfish swimming in the Potomac...

The biggest thing would be to study temperature tolerance. Then determine if they are usable as an algae control method and then work on producing triploid fish like they have with grass carp. Whether anyone would ever take the time and effort to do such a thing? I doubt it...