False SAE's

[Ali Day]

After a year and a half of what I thought were SAE's it turns out they are
the false variety. They eat most of the algae in my tank except the tuft
type. My LFS has said they will take them back for real SAE's. I do like
them and they do have 'personalities' and having just taken two dwarf plecs
back to the LFS to make space for the discus, my other half would be upset
if I got rid of more tank members.

Do SAE's make that much difference?

Does anyone have website info on the false SAE's?

Cheers

A

[Mean_Chlorine]

Thusly "Ali Day" > Spake Unto All:

>Do SAE's make that much difference?
>
>Does anyone have website info on the false SAE's?

Well, the main difference between false SAE's and true SAE's is that
the false ones are more aggressive against eachother, otherwise
they're considered very similar.

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

[Tony Volk]

My false SAE (Flying Fox?) is much more aggressive, and primarily eats
non-plant food. It's also a bit more colorful (and is about 4" long).
Although recently, when I cut back feedings, he went back to nibbling algae.
So I'd keep them if you're interested in a territorial fish and like them
otherwise. But if you're looking for a prime algae eater(s), I'd swap them.
If you're keeping them as your primary algae eaters, make sure they don't
get a lot of other scraps, otherwise they may totally ignore algae. Cheers,

Tony

"Ali Day" > wrote in message
...
> After a year and a half of what I thought were SAE's it turns out they are
> the false variety. They eat most of the algae in my tank except the tuft
> type. My LFS has said they will take them back for real SAE's. I do like
> them and they do have 'personalities' and having just taken two dwarf
plecs
> back to the LFS to make space for the discus, my other half would be upset
> if I got rid of more tank members.
>
> Do SAE's make that much difference?
>
> Does anyone have website info on the false SAE's?
>
> Cheers
>
> A
>
>
>

[Ali Day]

"Tony Volk" > wrote in message
...
> My false SAE (Flying Fox?) is much more aggressive, and primarily eats
> non-plant food. It's also a bit more colorful (and is about 4" long).
> Although recently, when I cut back feedings, he went back to nibbling
algae.
> So I'd keep them if you're interested in a territorial fish and like them
> otherwise. But if you're looking for a prime algae eater(s), I'd swap
them.
> If you're keeping them as your primary algae eaters, make sure they don't
> get a lot of other scraps, otherwise they may totally ignore algae.
Cheers,


Cheers for that Tony, I'd come to much the same conclusion myself. I got rid
of a couple of dwarf Plec's a month back thinking they weren't doing much
and to make some space in the tank, and it seems it was those that were
keeping the tank clean. I've spoken to the LFS and I'm going to change them
the False SAE's for real ones. Just got to catch the buggas first.

A

[Dick]

On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:18:59 -0500, "Tony Volk"
> wrote:

>My false SAE (Flying Fox?) is much more aggressive, and primarily eats
>non-plant food. It's also a bit more colorful (and is about 4" long).
>Although recently, when I cut back feedings, he went back to nibbling algae.
>So I'd keep them if you're interested in a territorial fish and like them
>otherwise. But if you're looking for a prime algae eater(s), I'd swap them.
>If you're keeping them as your primary algae eaters, make sure they don't
>get a lot of other scraps, otherwise they may totally ignore algae. Cheers,
>
>Tony
>

I used to feed my fish twice a day. I now feed them once a day
cutting the available food in half. The fish are fine and the algae
eaters keeping the tank cleaner. I thought I had been careful to not
overfeed, but I was wrong. It was easier to cut the number of
feedings than to feed once. I still can know that some food reaches
all levels, whereas smaller feedings at one time meant the aggressive
top feeders would get the bulk. I do like my SAEs, but they are food
hogs, very aggressive top, middle and bottom eaters.

I really lucked out and got true SAEs ordering over the internet. I
didn't even know about "Flying Fox" until I had mine for several
months. The SAEs are very compatible with all the fish in my tanks
and in the 75 gallon tank they join into a community swim.

dick

dick

>"Ali Day" > wrote in message
...
>> After a year and a half of what I thought were SAE's it turns out they are
>> the false variety. They eat most of the algae in my tank except the tuft
>> type. My LFS has said they will take them back for real SAE's. I do like
>> them and they do have 'personalities' and having just taken two dwarf
>plecs
>> back to the LFS to make space for the discus, my other half would be upset
>> if I got rid of more tank members.
>>
>> Do SAE's make that much difference?
>>
>> Does anyone have website info on the false SAE's?
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> A
>>
>>
>>
>