Need halp identifying SAE...

[AuraBoyX]

Hey All,

Thanks for all the great advice in helping me set up my tank... It is done fully cycled and stocked. This is a image of the 75 gallon tank (aquascaping still in progress):



I have happy inhabitants... But a brown hairlike algae is growing on my plants... I went to the local fish store and purchased a Siamese Algae Eater. I would like help veryfying that it is in fact Crossocheilus siamensis...

This local fish shop seems to be on the ball and knowledgable they also know I work in another pet supply store in the area (we dont sell live animals)...

I paid $20.00 for an adult Siamese Algae Eater (about 5"). I let him adjust to the tank temp then slowly added my water on top of his eventually letting him loose into the tank... He spent a couple hours hiding in the center cave/ornament and now is slowly staring to come out...

I took pictures of him (and plan to take more) because I am worried he may not be Crossocheilus siamensis. I need him to clean my tough algae and I really don't want to have been overcharged - IF it happened.

Below are some preliminary pictures of him:



It is tough for me because all the pictures I see online are pictures of younger fish and it is hard for me to compare...

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance!
Chris

 

[GCL]

Looks like a true SAE to me. If you get a chance to see it's underbelly while it's swimming around, see if it has a black mark there.

 

[GCL]

Here's a picture of mine if it helps you.

 

[AuraBoyX]

Hey all, thanks for the help... I have an aquaintance heavily in the hobby and he came over to see the SAE and upon first glance he saw the specimen in my tank and said "That's not a Siamese Algae Eater... That's a flying Fox." He said this almost instantly upon seeing it. I guess the yellow tinge to the fins and the large 'fat' size were the key signals... Alas I must continue my search for this fish as I returned him the day after I purchased him . I felt bad removing him from my tank but if he couldn't help me with my algae there was no point in keeping him especially if he could not co-exist with a true SAE... Oh well, back to the search!

I did do some online reading on the differences between the varieties sold as SAE - this link in particular: Algae Eating Cyprinids and it all seemed to support my friends analysis...

The fish I had had VERY yellowish fins... I am not sure if that came through as much in the photos but it was the case... He almost fit the description of the False Siamese Algae eater but the stripe went through the tail. It's all very complex.

Anyway. Thanks again!!!

 

[GCL]

Well, I'm glad you had someone verify it for you. Here are some nice links with descriptions and some photos for you to print out when you go shopping for one again.

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

http://www.aquaticscape.com/articles/algae.htm --Pictures are at the end of the article.