Isabella

OK folks

For those interested, I've ordered one true Siamese Flying Fox (Crossocheilus Siamensis) for my 75 gallon tank. If they'll have it, I should have the little critter next week The girl at my LFS said they do get them every once in a while and that they should have it for me, if not now, then very soon anyway. I am glad to hear this. To make sure, they get the right one, I wrote down the scientific name for her as well as the common names this algae eater has. That's not all - the day I'll go to pick it up, I'll take my Freshwater Encyclopedia with me to the store ... lol (yes, I will ) and will compare right there on the spot if that's the right one. The girl said she's sure the ones they're getting are the true S. Foxes. But, that remains to be seen

P.S. Does anyone know if this fish can be kept in one tank with Gold Algae Eater? My GAE is currently back in my 30 gallon tank. I may leave it there, or I may move it back to the 75 g. again - if it's OK to keep it with the true SAE. If I keep the GAE permanently in the 30 g., I think I'll order a few Otos for the 75 g. too. Can't wait to get the true SAE

COBettaCouple

cool.. i don't know that fish real well, but i look forward to seeing yours.

Isabella

Well, I don't really know it either, lol. But have heard and read good things about it, so I'll give it a chance

neverendingninja

Remember, make sure it doesn't have a sucker-type mouth. Just a typical fish mouth. Thats a very easy way to distinguish from CAE.

Isabella

Ninja, I'll keep that in mind. Though I wonder: How does a fish that has normal mouth (as opposed to sucker mouth) eat algae? It can't suck on algae, can it? If so, how can it eat, for example, green or brown algae?

MrWaxhead

They nibble at it, they do have a normal mouth with a tiny barb over each side. And they nibble at it quite well, when they are small and there is not alot of other food in the tank. As they get bigger they tend to pretty much eat regular food for the most part. But that being said, I think they are a very neat looking fish they have a very neat scale pattern and there fins take on a beautiful golden hue.

Isabella

Mr. Waxhead, lol, I don't care how they look (all fish are beautiful to me anyway), but what I care about is how effective they are at eating algae! My SAE has to eat hair algae because I am getting a lot of it on the tops of my Vallinserias. I am also getting green/brown algae, which either the SAE or the Otos have to eat!

Will the SAE really eat hair/brush algae? As for the brown/green algae, I think any algae eater and loach eats it.

That mouth of the SAE really bothers me, lol. I mean, it's the nature of an algae eater to have a sucker mouth. Sucker mouth specifically tells you that a particular fish sucks at algae. Can an algae eater with normal mouth clean algae as effectively as an algae eater with sucker mouth does?

COBettaCouple

The Ameca Splendens that we have like to eat algae and have a regular mouth but they just did a stellar job cleaning a silk plant that had algae all over the leaves. Watching them work on it, it was like they shaped their mouths like little suction cups and just kept 'bouncing' at the algae. I'm not sure if the SAE would do the exact same thing, but these young fry did such a good job, i'm sure a SAE would do even better.

Isabella

All righty, thanks Dave

COBettaCouple

no prob.. looking forward to seeing your SAE.