The Return Of The SAE

[Flavius]

I bought a SAE for my BBA outbreak and I was quite dissapointed to find out it was actually a False SAE. Then I went to another store to get the real ones. I was quite reluctant when they gave me the last two they had (sold as Siamese Flying Fox actually). I had so much BBA, I figured I'm gonna need at least 6. They were so small I thought they won't even cope with the new growth. Then in the first week they didn't even touch the algae, they'd go for the flakes instead. I said to myself, OK, that's it, another hoax. But they proved me wrong very soon. I cut back on the flakes and then it took them another week to get interested in the algae. First thing I noticed was their very much enlarged bellies and the incredible amount of waste they produced. I was like, OK, something's happening. Then the damage to the BBA started to be clearly visible. Basically these guys can chew on it all day long, non-stop.

That being said, these were the most useful fish I ever had, along with my clown loach that took care of another plague I had (snail outbreak).

I don't have a picture before, but this plant was covered about 80% in BBA. This is the result after only 3 weeks:

SAE at work, almost done with this one:

I hope they'll clean this pipe too:

SAE and False SAE for comparison. Rare picture

 

[jpappy789]

Interesting...so what's happening to these fish once they're "job" is done?

 

[Flavius]

I hope they'd go for the dot algae on the walls. And I guess there'll always be new algae. If not, they also love flakes.

 

[pinkertd]

I have two and I can now run the second bulb in my 2 bulb strip now that I have these guys. They have plenty of room, they're in my longfin pleco breeding tank, 75G. When I first got them they chowed down on flakes, but I really think they were very, very hungry. I think if I would have put M&M's in there they would have chowed down on them too! I didn't have a ton of algae on the plants but they have totally gotten rid of what I did have. They are two of the nicest fish I've ever had. I think I was lucky enough to get a male and female and they are constant playful companions to each other. They don't bother any of the other fish or the shrimp. The chomp down regularly on the fresh zuchinni I put in for the plecos and in the mornings the male waits by my hand while I find a few snails and crush them for him to eat. Glad you finally got the real ones!

 

[leocom2000]

back on flake food

 

[jpappy789]

I hope they'd go for the dot algae on the walls. And I guess there'll always be new algae. If not, they also love flakes.

I was more concerned about the stocking of this tank, but I guess that may be a little too off topic anyways...

 

[pinkertd]

They will not eat that spot algae that you see. No fish will. That's a job for the mag float or scraper.

 

[Flavius]

I was more concerned about the stocking of this tank, but I guess that may be a little too off topic anyways...

I'm giving away a few, I already found a new home for the false SAE. I'm not giving away the SAE and the loach by any means. I also wanna keep the cory and maybe one yellow AE. They suck on the walls, not sure if they actually remove much though.

 

[Flavius]

They will not eat that spot algae that you see. No fish will. That's a job for the mag float or scraper.

I heard zebra snails will eat spot algae. Any experience with that?

 

[pinkertd]

I cannot help you with a zebra snail question. Hopefully someone familiar with them will come along and help you.