Siamese Algae Eater (SAE) questions

sploke said:

I just picked up what I'm hoping are 4 SAEs last night. They had "Indonesian flying foxes" and Siamese flying foxes". The Indos looked like standard FFs, darker back, dark stripe through the tail. The Siamese ones, which I bought (only about 1.5") have a much lighter back, and the stripe goes all the way through the tail but is much lighter on the caudal fin than on the body. Fingers crossed, I put them in my planted 10gal right now so hopefully they'll learn to eat hair algae quick, there's a ton of it.

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The algae eaters do seem to look alike at a glance, but after you've had several different kinds you wonder why you ever thought they looked alike..

kkifer said:

I have one 6 inch SAE in my 55 gal and I can't image having more than that. He's the dominator of the tank and sometimes chases the other fish around the tank at full speed. He's so possessive of food that he would rather chase everyone away from food than eat it. I was just watching him trying to keep everyone away from an algae wafer. Meanwhile, a little Amano shrimp started dragging it off. LOL The SAE annoys everyone but they don't seem to be afraid of him.

I remember now that I got him when I had BBA, and it did go away and hasn't come back. But I also started dosing Excel about then. Now I have to buy algae wafers to feed all the algae eating critters I bought!

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Just a wild guess but wonder if your SAE is more aggressive since he has no friends? I do often see mine together, schooling, or just huddling. Or perhaps it has to do with the tankmates, perhaps given the position an SAE would be dominant, since in none of my tanks the SAE's are the biggest, and I'd have to say my loaches are more determined to get food than the SAEs. Of perhaps there is no reason, you just happen to have one thats a bit more aggressive.

On the aggressive SAE, as someone said, it may be that he's aggressive since he's the only one. I have 3 and they cause no problems.


On a different topic, the LFS I purchased mine from had them listed as "Siamese Flying Fox"....just ask what the scientific name. They'll have it somewhere.

True, I don't like to keep single fish and wonder if he'd be happier in someone else's tank. I have a Congo Tetra with the same issue, he's widowed, but he's so beautiful I hate to part with him, and don't have room for more Congos. It's a dilemma.

I should qualify my comments about this SAE's aggression. Most of the time he IS very docile and plays nice with the others. Right now he's taking turns at the algae wafer very politely. When I wrote, he was having a little snit fit, but maybe he was just really hungry.

Ok just answered my question. I had 2 gold CAE'S with a tan stripe down their sides they hung out with one another and did not bother my other fish although I have read about their aggression. Unfortunately they died. Today I got what I thought were Siamese algae eaters but after seeing the pics they are CAE'S. I guess I will just have to watch for aggression if I see they are will have to remove them. Here they are:

my experience...

I have had experience with most of these fish. The fish stores give them lots of different names. Here are a few pics of the true siamensis, flying fox, and the chinese algae eater. I have never owned any of the garra species, so I don't have experience with them. My siamese eat just about anything. Flake, frozen, pellets, cucumber, zuchini. Mine do eat the new growth on Java Moss. I puchased them as the primary alga eaters in my 125gal planted. They keep my tank totally clear of algae, except for green spot algae on the glass. I have had 1 chinese alge eater for 12 years. 6 inches, blind in 1 eye. This fish has never been aggresive, but I know people who have had to get rid of theirs. After some recent reading on the chinese algae eater, I found there are a few different species. I am thinking the one I have may be gyrinocheilus pennocki. I don't know if this makes a difference in the attitude. I also adopted a flying fox from a fellow hobbyist. He had 2 and the larger was relentlessly chasing the smaller. When I introduced the fox to my tank it was shy at first. Now it chases the siamese, but causes no damage. It does not chase the CAE or ant othe fish.

i've got 3 sae they did a great job in eating algae.they sometimes chase eachother, no aggression towards the other fish.What do you feed them?