On 25 Oct 2004 06:55:32 -0700, (Mister Jerk)
wrote:

Michael Larsen wrote in message t...




Okay everyone.. Thanks all for your comments, I stopped by the store
this weekend and picked myself up an SAE.

When first adding him to the tank, he immediately proceeded to swim up
and down the glass, apparently eating algae.. A good sign!

But today, the second day he is in the tank, he is constantly chasing
2 of my largest (yellow) platies around the tank constantly, and
trying to chase the 8 black neons (more unsuccessfully). Is this
normal behaviour?

he hides between some rocks for a little while, but then seeks out the
yellow platies again, only giving up when they both (2 of them) cower
in the top corner of the tank. I assume he is chasing them because of
their size? He completely ignores the fry and smaller platie.

Comments?

thanks in advance.


Sounds to me like you have not got SAE, but one of it's lookalikes,
eventually "false siamese alge eater" (Epalzeorhynchus sp).
True SAE does not have this behavior.


Michael,

Actually, he is definately a true SAE. I was quite careful in choosing
him.

I have since done a rearangement of the tank, and placed my lava rocks
in a way that offers concealment. Since then, the SAE has totally
calmed down. In fact I think he was just bored, and/or trying to
school with the platies. I now often see them swimming around
together.. No more aggression at all. I guess he was just looking for
a friend.

I have 9 SAEs in a 75 gallon community tank. They do school, but
often are off in pairs or alone. Just now all 9 are resting on a
plant leaf by themselves. Hmmm, that is one to a leaf, the leaves are
spread about the tank, no togetherness right now. They nibble on my
arm and hand when I am playing gardner, this is a group activity.

The test for real SAE is if the black line extends into the tail, the
false SAEs the line stop where the tail begins.

dick