Isabella

I'll be ordering some plants for my 75 gallon tank from this website http://www.azgardens.com/algae_eating_fish.php in a week, and it also carries the TRUE Siamese Flying Fox (Crossocheilus Siamensis). I think I'll order this algae eater together with my plants. The website also carries Otos.

I have a few questions before I order:

How many SAEs should I get for my 75 gallon tank? I'd best like to have only ONE, but I've read they're schooling fish. What should I do? According to the website, SAEs grow to only 3 - 4" over the span of 3 years.

Could I mix SAEs with Otos? That is, get one SAE and a few Otos?

What do I feed the SAEs and Otos with?

Lastly, what are the odds of the fish surviving the trip? Are there any special precautions with acclimatizing fish ordered via mail? They'll be shipped overnight. Besides, how are live fish shipped? Are they transported in heated and filtered tanks? Are they being transported in the dark?

I'm primarily looking for a combination of algae eaters that won't be too large and won't produce too many wastes, and that won't break my plant leaves while cleaning them. I need to keep my tank and plants clean and fee of algae.

Thanks a lot for any advice

jack11

Ive heard that they get tp 5" and that they can become extremely territorial.

Jack

Isabella

I think you're confusing them with the FAKE SAEs, which can get aggressive and territorial. TRUE SAEs are very peaceful. What is the scientific name of the fish you're talking about?

jack11

I'm not entirely sure, that is the information i was given when i asked about them on this forum so your probably right. how can you tell the
difference between the real ones and the fake ones?

Jack.

Isabella

Here's how:

http://www.thekrib.com/Fish/Algae-Eaters/
http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/cyprinid.html

jack11

Ok i think the one that i was talking about was the flying fox...

good luck with them!

Jack

Marc

SAEs, False Flying Foxes, and Flying Foxes/False SAEs are all very much alike. The biggest difference is that a full grown SAE should have a solid golden top, with a black bar in the center, going to a whitish bottom. I've seen pictures of bluer/steelish topped ones, though.

They are usually shipped in bags with a mild tranquilizer (Bag Buddies) and water clarifier so they don't suffer too badly from soaking in their own waste and don't thrash around in the bag. If it's cold they're shipped with a heat pack. They are shipped in the dark in a box.

If the fish have been shipped overnight and given ample water (so the concentration of ammonia is low), you can acclimate them normally (drip line or float the bag). There is very little chance that the fish will be dead unless they were VERY roughly handled, frozen, etc. A healthy fish should arrive in good health and be anxious to swim.

Judging by the rate at which my False Flying Foxes (close relative) grew with sparing feedings and fairly low (74) temperature, they will probably be 4-5" at a year old. You could probably keep it by itself, but it IS supposed to be a schooling fish. Sometimes schoolers like to swim with other fish, sometimes they don't. If you'd like it to be happiest, I'd say to buy a pair.

SAEs and Otos should get along fine, too.

They will eat flakes, live foods, frozen foods, etc. Algae wafers would be good. Maybe some veggies. If they're like other algae eating loaches, they're going for the critters that live in the algae, so a little bit of a meaty diet on the side couldn't hurt.

Isabella

Thanks Marc I really do hope they'll arrive in a healthy condition! (That is, if I order them.) I don't have black beard algae in my 75 gallon tank (yet!), but I want to buy the SAE as a precaution. I have this type of algae in my 30 gallon tank and it looks totally nasty and is impossible to remove! I don't know of any algae eater other than the true SAE that will eat this type of algae.

If I buy 2 true SAEs, will that be a lot of waste production in your opinion? I think if I buy 2 of them, that will mean no more space for Otos. I really want to keep this tank clean and I don't want to stock it completely fully.

P.S. What worries me is that the website says it's very possible that the SAEs may die during the trip Though the shipping is via FedEx and it's overnight. I think this is the best shipping available, and they should still die?

Thanks Jack I didn't buy them yet, lol, but I'll certainly need the luck if I do buy them

Marc

If they're saying that, it's to avoid any responsibility for DoAs. If they do not gaurantee that their fish are healthy and will arrive as such, then do not buy from them.

Oh - don't look at them as algae eating machines! Having two would be for their happiness, not for the algae. Always consider the happiness of the fish over aesthetics, if possible.

COBettaCouple

i agree.. overnight shipping done right will get your fish there alive and fine.

Isabella

Marc ... you're right. I've caught myself being selfish just now! I've always kept repeating "no fish should ever be kept singly", and now look at me, lol. Yes, I'll buy 2 if I buy them

Dave, I'm hoping so I have until the end of this week to gather all necessary info before ordering them (or not, lol).

Isabella

Guys, I've posted the same thread on PlantGeek.net. Check out the reviews about the website where I was going to buy the true SAEs from: http://plantgeek.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10156

What do you think?

Marc

Not worth the risk. Check out eBay or Aquabid.

Isabella

I never order from those places and don't know how they work, etc. I checked AquaBid.com and couldn't find anything on "Crossocheilus Siamensis" there

Besides, is it safe to give out my credit card information to websites like that?

Any idea if Dino sells the true SAE? LOL

gremlin

I'm more familiar with the 'chinese' algae eaters...If fed well and given ample room with hidey holes such as caves or thick plants, they do NOT get aggressive with other fish. I have had two algae eaters for just under a year in my outdoor pond with a pleco, several goldfish and mosquito fish. the pond has two rock shelves/caves and several lilies. I put them in when they were about 1/2 inch long and they are now 5-6 inches long. Before I put them in the pond, I was filling a 2 gallon bucket with moss every two days. After 1 month, I had to put extra food in for the algae eaters...no more moss! For a 75 gallon, I would recommend just one algae eater or two if you put them in at the same time. Make sure there are at least two (three are better) caves for them to hide in. They like algae wafers and fresh veggies (cucumber and squash). they also like shaved carrots...

Isabella

Thanks for the info Gremlin But I already have the Chinese/Gold Algae Eater (as you can see in my signature), and I know all about it The reason I need another algae eater is that the Gold one does not eat Black Brush Algae, and the true SAE does.

I know the Gold/Chinese Algae Eater won't get aggressive if given plenty of space and room. That's exactly how mine is - he's never been aggressive towards my fish. I know for a fact that people who say this algae eater is aggressive, keep them in too small tanks and with most probably unsuitable diet. Otherwise, this fish is an excellent algae eater (except for the Black Brush Algae) in my experience. I am glad you also see this algae eater's positive side

I am keeping my Gold Algae Eater in my 75 gallon tank temporarily. He alone keeps the entire 75 gallon tank very clean. I still don't know whether to leave it there, or get the true SAEs. I have Black Brush Algae in my 30 gallon tank which is virtually impossible to remove, and getting true SAEs would be a precaution in order to never get Black Brush Algae in my 75 gallon tank.

You made an interesting comment. Now, I wonder if true SAEs and Gold/Chinese Algae Eaters (as well as BN plecos and Otos) can destroy plants like Java Moss and otherwise very-fine leaved plants?

P.S. I didn't know Chinese/Gold Algae Eaters like to eat carrots, lol. Aren't carrots too hard for them?

MrWaxhead

True SAE's do not destroy plants at all, and I have singles of them in 3 different tanks and they are just fine. I had a pair in one tank for about 4 months and the larger of the two got very territorial and relentlessly attacked the smaller one when ever it got in its area. I have never had room to house a good number of them, as they do get over 5 inches very fast, within a year. From anyone I have talked about these fish in planted tanks, they have all said 1 or 5+ with lots of room for them each to have a home territory.

When they are young and under 3 inches they are algae eating machines, once they get over 4 inches they are pretty much a food eater, and only eat algae if they can't find food. Granted I don't usually have algae so they may have just gotten used to food. And I have recently added 6 ottos to my 50g with a single SAE, and they don't botter each other at all.

I added the ottos as I ran out of c02 (didn't notice for 3 days) and had a minor algae outbreak, so I wanted to give the SAE and amano shrimp a hand in ridding the algae. Within 5 days of getting c02 back up, a single SAE, 10 amano, and 6 ottos I was completely algae free again. I had to cut back the feedings though or the SAE wouldn't touch the algae, if he sees a sinking wafer for the corries he goes mental, but so do the bigger amanos, they actually pack entire algae discs away now.

Isabella

Thank you once again Mr. Waxhead!