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Some Information Folks Please

Latest post 5-15-2008 9:25 by parsley. 6 replies.
  • 5-13-2008 21:49

    Some Information Folks Please

     I've been reading what a lot of you have in your tanks. Very interesting. Years ago when I wanted a golden algea eater I was told only to have one that they can't live in each others company. He was happy for a long time but he started to pester the larger fish. Needless to say he left home for pastures new in an aquarium shop (good one). However, I'm noticing some of you have a few living together in the one tank. Also someone came into the pet shop I was in last week and asked for 4 algea eaters in a way that he knew what he was doing. Tell me, are the ones that some of you have together still youngsters that you are planning to split or are they all adults? I've also heard somewhere that if kept in small groups they are less aggressive? Don't know where I've seen this or heard it. Is it rubbish? If they have each other to bug do they tend to leave other fish alone? I'm really curious as I was most happy with his algea skills as tank was spotless. Just felt it was a pity he was such a pest.

    I'm sure some of you knowledgable people can enlighten me!!

    cheers

     

    Happiness is a Goldfish!
  • 5-13-2008 22:06 In reply to

    • Richy
    • Top 25 Contributor
      Male
    • Joined on 11-14-2004
    • Newcastle, England
    • Posts 4,517
    • POTM 3rd

    Re: Some Information Folks Please

    I had one in a tank a few years ago and it used to chase my pearl gourami's and suck their sides. I'll never get another one!!!

     

    TANK 1. 1 BGK, Pair Gold Panchax, 1 Sailfin plec. Mopani wood + Fake silk plants. Substrate, sand + gravel. Ext filt.

    WEBCAM  TANK 2. 15 Copper Harlequins (Hengeli), 3 albino bristlenose (2 m + 1 f), 1 Lda031, 1 Male CT Betta, 2 Adolphi Cory's, 5 chain loach, 3 Albino Cory(1 highfin), 4 Axelrodi Cory, 15 pygmy cory's, 2 Hoplo Littorale, 12 Popondetta Furcata, 3 Bamboo Shrimp, 6 Amano shrimp & 1 misc long armed shrimp (possibly Indian). Plants, Sword, Bacopa Caroliniania, Vallis Nana, Rotala Wallichii & Cabomba, Driftwood. Susbtrate, sand + gravel. Ext filter.

  • 5-14-2008 8:27 In reply to

    Re: Some Information Folks Please

     there are several species which all look very similar but are different species with different behaviours

    unfortunately the common names do not define the species as a lot of lfs get the id wrong

    some examples of common names are algae eater, siamese algae eater, chinese algae eater, sucking loach, sucking fish, golden agae eater etc

    its the siamese one you want but it escapes my memory how to id, i generally keep away as its too easy to get wrong

    they all tend to be excellent at cleaning up algae when you, but as they mature this goes away and they become a 'pest', sucking the sides and damaging large bodied fish - they eat the slime coat (certainly not good if you have discus)

    sorry i can't share more as i've never kept them

    other alternatives that clean up certain types of algae and are ok with plants might be otocinclus or bristlenose (ancistrus - watch out for sailfin or large fin varieties as i've hear they are hybrids and not so good with plants, depending on the mix)

    as long as you don't have loaches or large fish then you might also want to think about shrimp such as amano, cherry, tiger etc. Cherries and Tigers are good as they breed successfully in fresh water

    21G: ADFs, Amano, Cherry and Tiger Shrimp
    50G: Pearl Gouramis, Guppies, Neons, Lemons, Pygmy Cories, Otos, Clown Plec, bristlenose pleco, platies, swords
    50G: Tall, bowfront SA setup, Angels, Festivums, Rams, Pictus', Raphael, bristlenose pleco
    (10g QT tank)
    80g: Mbuna, Red Zebras, Yellow Labs, Blue Cobalts, Lab Hongis, Bumblebees, Syno M.punctatus, Plec

  • 5-14-2008 12:14 In reply to

    Re: Some Information Folks Please

     Heres how to id them, i was given one as a gift, (unwanted fish) and there was some discussion as i was told it was a simese algae eater, and some people said it could be a flying fox, anyway since that day  i was sent this site and this is what i go by, its easy once you know whats what. di

     

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

     

    Also dont go by labels in shops, the last lot i got were labeled siamese flying foxs, and they are siamese algae eaters and not flying foxs.

    Ive now got three youngsters and one other one, ive added the others to stop the bigger one being so aggressive, i originally had three, one jumped out the tank and died, another i think had been fighting and go injured so i was left with the one. Ive recently moved them the other tank with angels and tetras and he seems partial to guppies tails, ive two fish one male and one female without a tail??

    Computers are like air-conditioners: both stop working, if you open windows

  • 5-14-2008 17:20 In reply to

    Re: Some Information Folks Please

     Great link Di - think you've put that up beforeYes

    I love these fish - best algae eater on the planet if you get the right one!

    As has already been said, you should never go by the common names and should really try and ID them yoursel (using Di's excellent guide) as a lot of LFS don't know what they are selling when it comes to these fish.

    Crossocheilus siamensis is the one you want for algae. I have seen this labelled, siamese flying fox, siamese alagae eater and just flying foxes. In my opinion they should be called SAE, flying foxes are Epalzeorhynchus kalopterus - a rubbish algae eater that looks very similar (unless you know the differences).

    As to behaviour - they are very aggressive towards other dominat males of similar species. You can keep them together but I would keep them in large groups of 5+, given the size they can get to (6+ inches), this means a big tank, the group does not stop the aggression but spreads it out. In very large set ups you can probably keep a couple as they will each maintain a territory. I had two in a 500 litre setup that basically staked out their territory at either end of the tank and left the other one to it. This set up originally had 3 but one was killed by the others - not enough space for three to cohabit peacefully. So i suppose either keep a large group or stick to 1 SAE per 200-250 litres volume

    The older they get the more aggresive they get and even in groups you will sometimes get a problem with a dominant fish killing the others! Also the older they get, the less algae they eat, preferring more meaty foods(in my expereince) I have no idea why this is but a young SAE will survive on nothing but algae while an older one will switch to other foods!

    As they get older and more aggressive they will also start to become a nuisance to your other fish - especially cichlids and dominant males of other species.

    My advice - unless you have a jumbo tank is to only keep one and buy it very young. I have one in my Trigon with Discus and Clown loaches and apart from the occasional 'spat' between them there are no major issues. I bought him at about half an inch and he's now about 4 inches.

    As an algae eater, my experience is they will eat any sort and vast amounts of it, I have always added one to every single new set up as the first fish to control the expected hair algae blooms.

    Hope that helps

    1xTrigon 190
    3 Clown Loaches,14 Cardinal Tetras,8 Rummynose Tetras,6 Cory Trileneatus,6 Hatchetfish,4 otocinclus,1 SAE,1 Bristlenose,, 10 amano Shrimp, 1 pair Apisto Agazzizi. 3 Blue Discus
    Anubius Barteri,Crinum thianum,Limnophilia sessiflora,Rotala rotundifolia, Echinodorus Blehri, Ech. Parviflorus,Ech. cordifolius, Ech. Tenellus, nymphaea lotus, Hygrophilia polysperma, Microsorum pteropus,Lilaeopsis brasiliensis

    1xRekord 60
    Blue Lobster, Flash plec
    2 Anubias Barteri, 1 Microsorum pteropus 12 litre tank - 3 Glass shrimp, 4 japonica shrimp 1 Anubias Barteri, Riccia, Eleocharis acicularis Coming Soon - Bluedave's 5' Bullnose Marine Divider (Watch this space!)
  • 5-14-2008 17:33 In reply to

    Re: Some Information Folks Please

     SAE and Apisto cohabiting peacefullyYes (Although the apisto is no longer with us - fairly certain that was nowt to do with the SAE thoughSad)

    http://www.fishcrazy.co.uk/cfs-filesystemfile.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.PostAttachments/00.00.25.09.72/230a.JPG

    1xTrigon 190
    3 Clown Loaches,14 Cardinal Tetras,8 Rummynose Tetras,6 Cory Trileneatus,6 Hatchetfish,4 otocinclus,1 SAE,1 Bristlenose,, 10 amano Shrimp, 1 pair Apisto Agazzizi. 3 Blue Discus
    Anubius Barteri,Crinum thianum,Limnophilia sessiflora,Rotala rotundifolia, Echinodorus Blehri, Ech. Parviflorus,Ech. cordifolius, Ech. Tenellus, nymphaea lotus, Hygrophilia polysperma, Microsorum pteropus,Lilaeopsis brasiliensis

    1xRekord 60
    Blue Lobster, Flash plec
    2 Anubias Barteri, 1 Microsorum pteropus 12 litre tank - 3 Glass shrimp, 4 japonica shrimp 1 Anubias Barteri, Riccia, Eleocharis acicularis Coming Soon - Bluedave's 5' Bullnose Marine Divider (Watch this space!)
  • 5-15-2008 9:25 In reply to

    Re: Some Information Folks Please

    Very enlightening. Basically....they are all a pain in the a** when they mature!! It's makes you wonder is 'average Joe' just gets rid when they mature and go get another baby and so on. It's a shame. My small tropical isn't big enough for one and plus I know not to mix with fighters. I will just carry on a scrubbing! Thanks for the info folks. Have always just wondered. 

    Happiness is a Goldfish!
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