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August 26th, 2006
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Fish Newbie
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Identity crisis
Hello there fellow fish friends,
I have just recently brought "Sampson" from my local fish store, and i would like to find out what type of fish he is... as so he can end his identity crisis. He is so full of life, and is always the center of attention.
So if anyone can help, that would be great.
thanks,
Luke
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August 26th, 2006
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Fish Master
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Re: Identity crisis
Welcome to Fish Lore, Luke 
That's definitely a Siamese Flying Fox (Siamese algae eater), and the correct one! They're often confused with Golden algae eaters, which are "fake" Siamese algae eaters as they don't eat every type of algae and can be aggressive. Yours is the true Siamese algae eater that I hear is very effective at eating algae and that is peaceful.
The scientific name of the Siamese Flying Fox is Crossocheilus Siamensis and that of the "fake" Siamese algae eater (the Golden one) is Gryinocheilus Aymonieri. The true Siamese algae eater looks the way yours does, and the fake one looks like this: (it happens to be mine, lol) |
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August 26th, 2006
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Fish Master
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Re: Identity crisis
P.S. I may add that though Golden algae eaters don't have a very good reputation, mine really does a great job with algae (except for black brush algae). I think if these (Golden) algae eaters are given a lot of space, they won't be aggressive.
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August 27th, 2006
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Fish Newbie
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Re: Identity crisis
thank you all for your help identifing my mate Sampson.
you guys are great.
luke
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August 27th, 2006
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Moderator
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Re: Identity crisis
luke5853 I was just looking at your signature and thats a beautiful variety of fish but it is very over crowded. 40l converts to 10G. Was wondering if you know it's overcrowded
Carol |
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August 27th, 2006
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Fish Keeper
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Re: Identity crisis
I honestly think that's an Indian/Chinese Algae Eater - not a SAE. The gold top of a SAE is unmarked on any specimen or picture I've seen - it was just a solid gold. However, I've seen IAEs with the dull gold color and the very same pattern this little guy has. His fins, too, seem shaped more like the IAE than a SAE and he also seems to be lacking the small whiskers that are found on all SAEs.
Here's a decent diagram of what an SAE will look like - http://www.thekrib.com/Fish/Algae-Eaters/sae.jpg
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August 27th, 2006
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Fish Helper
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Re: Identity crisis
Sampson looks an awful lot like a Chinese Algae Eater. I had two of them in my 20 gallon, and they can get aggressive if not given enough room.
Sara
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August 28th, 2006
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Fish Newbie
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Re: Identity crisis
Re: over crowding,
Thank you for your concern carol about my signature carol,
I don't have all my fish in one tank. i did forget to type in the second tank. i will update it soon.
They are in my office at home, one to the left of my desk, and one to the right.
 Boy its hard getting work done, with all these beautiful distractions around.
Luke.
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August 28th, 2006
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Moderator
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Re: Identity crisis
How do you get anything done!! LOL Glad to hear their in two tanks 
Carol |
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August 28th, 2006
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Fish Master
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Re: Identity crisis
Actually ... Marc may be right about the algae eater. He's right about the whiskers. Chinese algae eaters (or the fake ones - I'm already lost with names, lol) don't have whiskers while Siamese ones do. I am not seeing any whiskers on Luke's picture, so it may well be a Chinese algae eater - the same that I have - only with a different color. Meaning, Luke may have the one that is aggressive and does not eat all algae (red algae in particular). Look: http://www.thekrib.com/Fish/Algae-Eaters/
OK ... Now I am completely lost ... Which one is supposed to have the whiskers? The Chinese or the Siamese algae eater?
What do all of you think? Which one do you think Luke has? |
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August 28th, 2006
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Fish Master
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Re: Identity crisis
OK, I checked my Freshwater Encyclopedia. Once again, Crossocheilus Siamensis is the true Siamese Flying Fox (Siamese Algae Eater) and it is the one that has ONE barbel (whisker) and the one that is peaceful (except toward its own species) and that eats all algae.
Gyrinocheilus Aymonieri is the Chinese Algae Eater (a.k.a. sucking loach) that does not have whiskers and does not eat all types of algae. It is also the aggressive one (may even suck on fish's slime coating). It can be found in two colorations: gold or grayish with the black stripe across its body.
Now, there is another loach that is of concern to us. It is the Flying Fox, whose scientific name is Epalzeorhynchus Kallopterus. It is similar in appearance to Crossocheilus Siamensis (Siamese Flying Fox), BUT is has TWO barbels (whiskers) - and that is how we distinguish between the true Siamese Flying Fox and just the Flying Fox (by the barbels). Gyrinocheilus Aymonieri has NO barbels at all.
Moreover, Gyrinocheilus Aymonieri does not really occur in China. Neither is it a true algae eater. It "has an aperture in the top corner of the gill cover that allows it to take in water for respiratory purposes while still clinging on to a surface with its mouth", according to my encyclopedia.
This is to make everything clear as to the names of the algae eaters / loaches:
- Crossocheilus Siamensis - Siamese Flying Fox / Siamese Algae Eater; Cyprinids group
- Gyrinocheilus Aymonieri - Chinese Algae Eater (a.k.a. sucking loach and a.k.a. Golden Algae Eater); Loaches and Suckers group
- Epalzeorhynchus Kallopterus - Flying Fox; Cyprinids group
So, now, which one do you think Luke has?
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August 28th, 2006
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Fish Keeper
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Re: Identity crisis
It is NOT a Flying Fox or False SAE (very similiar to Flying Fox). Both of those have a solid black bar on the top, which can't be said about this fish. They have barbels, as well.
I'm not sure the Flying Fox is a loach - they are more closely related to the red-tailed and rainbow FW "sharks".
Edit: I'm sticking with the CAE.
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August 28th, 2006
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Fish Master
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Re: Identity crisis
*** I updated my above post a little (created the "names list"). ***
I am not seeing any barbels on Luke's picture and his loach looks exactly like mine except its body color. I now think it is Gyrinocheilus Aymonieri (Golden/Chinese "algae eater") - which is not a true algae eater, though it will eat green and brown algae. It may get aggressive with time and may suck at fish's slime coating. But I believe if you provide it with lots of space, it won't be aggressive. So Luke's fish is probably neither Crossocheilus Siamensis (Siamese Flying Fox) nor Epalzeorhynchus Kallopterus (Flying Fox / fake Siamese Flying Fox).
I guess I have answered my own question: It is the Epalzeorhynchus Kallopterus that is a fake Siamese Flying Fox, and the true one is Crossocheilus Siamensis. Can anyone confirm I've got the correct information?
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August 31st, 2006
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Fish Newbie
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Re: Identity crisis
Okay Everybody I think I've found out Sampsons Identity,
I believe he is a Sucking Catfish.
I've found some pictures and some info which matches him to a tee.
"Being a bottom-dweller, the Sucking Catfish's most prominent feature is a big suckermouth, which it uses for scraping algae and clinging to objects. They have a special opening on the upper part of the gill cover for the water intake so the fish can breathe without using its mouth. Sucking Catfish are not fussy about water chemistry providing the water is kept clean and they predominantly eat algae and plant food but readily accept all kinds of foods."
So what do you guys and gals think? Am i on the right path?
Luke
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August 31st, 2006
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Fish Master
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Re: Identity crisis
What is the scientific name of this fish?
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August 31st, 2006
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Fish Keeper
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Re: Identity crisis
According to the page I'm guessing you found that on, you've found the fish we were talking about, the Chinese/Indian Algae Eater. It's got a ton of names, if you hadn't noticed
http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/p...7_comment.html Or somewhere on that site, by the way, is the page.
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