Flying Fox Vs. SAE

[ecal468]

So......after searching for an SAE and no one even hearing of them around here I settled for a Flying Fox a while ago. This week I went to one of the LFS's and lo' and behold there was a tank full of SAE's! I haven't had any problems with the Fox yet and was wondering if I should try and trade him back for a SAE. Anybody have any opinions? The Fox has completely taken care of the hair algae, although he sometimes follows/chases the other fish, but I don't know if it is aggressive or not.

 

[TimmyB42386]

if you like the fish as a fish, and not to serve the algae eater purpose , than keep it. I like flying fox's and think they are pretty attractive, since you have it, you might as well keep him, and if he gets to aggressive, than bring him back.

 

[12 Volt Man]

I too like flying foxes, although mine never eat hair algae.

but I always keep a few true SAE in all my planted tanks.

its like pancakes and syrup. they go well together

 

[H3D]

Flying foxes are cool, but they do not eat as much algae as a SAE would. Make sure you give it an extra source of food.

 

[chaibill]

i have hear that the sae will suck the slime coat off of fish keeps me from getting one. I am down to one oto they keep getting stuck to the filter then dying. But the lfs has some gold sae's and some are a mix which i like, kind of marbled.
the foxs have the solid line like oto's right the sae has the patch kind of line.

 

[Que]

Here is a page I have found very useful.


http://www.thekrib.com/Fish/Algae-Eaters/

SAEs are reported to be the most docile of the 4.

Chaibill... the CAE is the one reported to suck the slimecoat off broadsided fish like discus and angels.

Q

 

[TimmyB42386]

yea those gold and marbled sae are chinese algae eaters. I don't believe SAE's have different color morphs

kind of reminds of the zebra pleco deal... everybody wants one so everything with white stripes is a "zebra pleco"

Around here Anything that resembles an SAE are always marked as sae, even if they clearly aren't.

 

[ecal468]

Thanks guys, I might look into trading him back. I'm not sure what the store policy is on that kind of thing though. I don't want to be the guy who buys a fish then returns it b/c he doesn't like it. Know what I mean?

 

[chaibill]

right so my LFAS sells CAE as SAE since they have the "broken" line not the solid one and then the gold are the CAE variation right

 

[12 Volt Man]

just for reference, here is the true siamensis.

anything else is an imposter: