Amazing Algae Eater

[Dan White]

My tank is 6 or 8 weeks old now, and the plants started developing what
appeared to be a red algae on many of the leaves. I picked up an algae
eater. Forgot the name, but it is pencil shaped and has light stripes, no
whiskers. He goes along methodically and even backs up on his fins to
vacuum areas on the rocks he may have missed. Anyway, after just a few
days, there is not a trace of algae anywhere (55g tank!). I haven't been
able to spend much time with the tank and wasn't feeding them myself for
several days. Is it possible that this fish did such a good job, or might
the algae have more likely died off on its own? It is hard to believe that
would happen because the leaves are so clean looking!

dwhite

[Ali Day]

"Dan White" > wrote in message
et...
> My tank is 6 or 8 weeks old now, and the plants started developing what
> appeared to be a red algae on many of the leaves. I picked up an algae
> eater. Forgot the name, but it is pencil shaped and has light stripes, no
> whiskers. He goes along methodically and even backs up on his fins to
> vacuum areas on the rocks he may have missed. Anyway, after just a few
> days, there is not a trace of algae anywhere (55g tank!). I haven't been
> able to spend much time with the tank and wasn't feeding them myself for
> several days. Is it possible that this fish did such a good job, or might
> the algae have more likely died off on its own? It is hard to believe
that
> would happen because the leaves are so clean looking!

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Crossocheilus&speciesname=siamensis

Sounds like a SAE.

I have 5 in a 600L tank, and never really have to clean the sides any more,
they're that good I'm thinking of getting rid of my two plecs, who I never
see anyway.

A

[Dick]

On Fri, 1 Oct 2004 10:16:35 +0200, "Ali Day"
> wrote:

>
>"Dan White" > wrote in message
et...
>> My tank is 6 or 8 weeks old now, and the plants started developing what
>> appeared to be a red algae on many of the leaves. I picked up an algae
>> eater. Forgot the name, but it is pencil shaped and has light stripes, no
>> whiskers. He goes along methodically and even backs up on his fins to
>> vacuum areas on the rocks he may have missed. Anyway, after just a few
>> days, there is not a trace of algae anywhere (55g tank!). I haven't been
>> able to spend much time with the tank and wasn't feeding them myself for
>> several days. Is it possible that this fish did such a good job, or might
>> the algae have more likely died off on its own? It is hard to believe
>that
>> would happen because the leaves are so clean looking!
>
>http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Crossocheilus&speciesname=siamensis
>
>Sounds like a SAE.
>
>I have 5 in a 600L tank, and never really have to clean the sides any more,
>they're that good I'm thinking of getting rid of my two plecs, who I never
>see anyway.
>
>A
>
I would keep the plecos. Most of my tanks have Siamese Algae Eaters,
9 in my 75 gallon tank, but that tank also has 3 plecos, 6 Clown
Loaches and two Cory cats. The Cory cats and plecos came first and I
find them fascinating to watch although I don't see the cats very
often.. The SAEs tend to stay together and just now 5 of them are
resting on Anubia leaves. I hope you have room to keep them all. I
think the larger the variety the better the healthier of the tank.

dick

[Dan White]

"Ali Day" > wrote in message
...

> Sounds like a SAE.
>

Yep, that's the one!

dwhite

[Ali Day]

> I would keep the plecos. Most of my tanks have Siamese Algae Eaters,
> 9 in my 75 gallon tank, but that tank also has 3 plecos, 6 Clown
> Loaches and two Cory cats. The Cory cats and plecos came first and I
> find them fascinating to watch although I don't see the cats very
> often.. The SAEs tend to stay together and just now 5 of them are
> resting on Anubia leaves. I hope you have room to keep them all. I
> think the larger the variety the better the healthier of the tank.

I had a discus die a month or so back, and would like to replace it with a
'couple' I have seen that are for sale in my LFS. I'm not at the limit at
the moment, but once my 8 clowns are fully grown in a few years, I'll be
borderline. I never see the plec's because I have a fake hollowed out log in
the tank and they stay in there with the clowns. I do see the clowns
occasionally, but that's only in the evening when the lights start to dim.

5 discus too much for a 600L anyone?

Cheers

A

[Ali Day]

> I would keep the plecos. Most of my tanks have Siamese Algae Eaters,
> 9 in my 75 gallon tank, but that tank also has 3 plecos, 6 Clown
> Loaches and two Cory cats. The Cory cats and plecos came first and I
> find them fascinating to watch although I don't see the cats very
> often.. The SAEs tend to stay together and just now 5 of them are
> resting on Anubia leaves.

Mine are hellishly territorial, and we have actually named them for were
they sit.
CO2, Vase, Plant leaf, Roots and pump, they go mad if another one encroaches
on their territory. I have four that are growing up at the same rate
currently 4 inches, and one that stuck about 2.5 inches. Male - female
maybe?

cheers

A

[Vicki S]

(snip)

>The Cory cats and plecos came first and I
>find them fascinating to watch although I
>don't see the cats very often.

Hey Dick,
If you add more cory's to your tank you will see them more. In a group
of 7 or more cory's are very active and comedic.

Vicki


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[Dances With Ferrets]

Uh... sorry, but I'm oblivious here... SAE stands for Siamese Algae
Eater.... and that's the one commonly referred-to as a "flying fox"...
correct?

[Billy]

Erroneously, yes. Definitely not the same fish.
http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/cyprinid.html

Flying foxes eat little (if any?) algae, and can be rather
aggressive.

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billy
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"Dances With Ferrets" > wrote in message
om...
| Uh... sorry, but I'm oblivious here... SAE stands for Siamese
Algae
| Eater.... and that's the one commonly referred-to as a "flying
fox"...
| correct?


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