Who Dun It?

Ozdude wrote:

CAE's are dreadful, so it passing is actually not such a bad thing.

Replace with two Siamese Algae Eaters (siamensis) or SAE's and count your
lucky stars the CAE didn't get bigger and eat the shark

Note that SAE's are not always sold as SAE's. Know how to tell them:

http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/cyprinid.html
(same as http://www.thekrib.com/Fish/Algae-Eaters/)

Rocco Moretti wrote:

Ozdude wrote:

CAE's are dreadful, so it passing is actually not such a bad thing.

Replace with two Siamese Algae Eaters (siamensis) or SAE's and count your
lucky stars the CAE didn't get bigger and eat the shark

Note that SAE's are not always sold as SAE's. Know how to tell them:

http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/cyprinid.html
(same as http://www.thekrib.com/Fish/Algae-Eaters/)

Those SAE pages are the ones that worked for me. I found that
SAE's are sometimes sold as, or in the same tanks with, Flying
Foxes (a different, but similar looking fish).

The 5 SAE's in my 75 gal tank range from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 years
old. They remain very docile, but very busy algae eaters.

Paul

"Celtic_Wanderer" wrote in message
...
OK, here is a case for all you CSI fans. I came home from work today to
find my single Chinese Algae Eater DEAD! Not only was he dead, but he had
two big bites taken out of him.

The Suspects:
Bleeding Heart Tetra
Long Finned Sapae Tetra
Mickey Mouse Platy
Betta
Red Tailed Black Shark
Emerald Cory Cat
Cardinal Tetra

Any information leading to an arrest in this gruesome homicide while be
greatly appreciated.

The crime scene can be viewed at: http://home.comcast.net/~Celtic_wanderer

--
Celtic Wanderer
http://home.comcast.net/~Celtic_wanderer


Did you notice any of them spike the algae wafer? I bet they all avoided
eating it apart from the victim......my money would be on the one carrying
the syringe under his fin.....lol - but it could be a conspiracy and they
were all in it together....

Red Tail Shark


"Celtic_Wanderer" wrote in message
...
OK, here is a case for all you CSI fans. I came home from work today to
find my single Chinese Algae Eater DEAD! Not only was he dead, but he had
two big bites taken out of him.

The Suspects:
Bleeding Heart Tetra
Long Finned Sapae Tetra
Mickey Mouse Platy
Betta
Red Tailed Black Shark
Emerald Cory Cat
Cardinal Tetra

Any information leading to an arrest in this gruesome homicide while be
greatly appreciated.

The crime scene can be viewed at: http://home.comcast.net/~Celtic_wanderer

--
Celtic Wanderer
http://home.comcast.net/~Celtic_wanderer

Here here! I second that. I have two in my tank that are coming out and
going back to the LFS.


"Elaine T" wrote in message
...
Celtic_Wanderer wrote:
OK, here is a case for all you CSI fans. I came home from work today to
find my single Chinese Algae Eater DEAD! Not only was he dead, but he
had two big bites taken out of him.

The Suspects:
Bleeding Heart Tetra
Long Finned Sapae Tetra
Mickey Mouse Platy
Betta
Red Tailed Black Shark
Emerald Cory Cat
Cardinal Tetra

Any information leading to an arrest in this gruesome homicide while be
greatly appreciated.

The crime scene can be viewed at:
http://home.comcast.net/~Celtic_wanderer

I say the red tailed black shark did it under the driftwood with a piece
of gravel.

I think whoever killed him did you a favor. CAEs are very nasty when they
grow up.
--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

Elaine:

I have had the worst luck with Ottos. The first two I got for my daughters
10 gallon lasted about 3 months and died off. I replaced them and the new
ones didn't even last 3 weeks. I really like the Ottos too. Great workers
and peaceful. Could it be crappy Petco stock?


"Elaine T" wrote in message
news
Ozdude wrote:
"Celtic_Wanderer" wrote in message
...

So now that my Chinese Algae eater has been bumped off, what do you
recommend for controlling algae?


SAE (siamensis) X 2 - Siamese Algae Eaters.

Oz

I'd also add 4 Otocinclus for soft green algae on leaves. If you've got a
lot of green algae, Ancistrus spp. (bushynose plecos) are hardworking and
stay a very reasonable 3-4". If there's no algae left for the "cleanup
crew" to munch on, they'll need cucumber, blanched zucchini, romaine
lettuce in a clip, or algae wafers.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

Ray Martini wrote:
Elaine:

I have had the worst luck with Ottos. The first two I got for my daughters
10 gallon lasted about 3 months and died off. I replaced them and the new
ones didn't even last 3 weeks. I really like the Ottos too. Great workers
and peaceful. Could it be crappy Petco stock?

Otocinclus are usually wild-caught and often have flukes and internal
parasites. Shipping stresses them badly, and they do die off. It's not
even worth buying otos that the store hasn't had for at least two or
three weeks. Your three week die-off fish were probably brand new
imports with some sort of silent infection. By three months the ones
left of what I purchase are usually OK, so I'm surprised about your
first batch. I do find that they require algae wafers if the grazing is
light in the tank, and they can get thin pretty quickly. They're also
extremely sensitive to water conditions, so if anything went wrong in
the 10g, they'd be one of the first to die.

As for PetCo, they're getting the same wild-caught fish as everone else.
What I don't know is whether they use a cheaper importer who doesn't
disease treat. The most obvious problem I've seen with their Otos is
that PetCo doesn't always feed cucumber or algae wafers so the fish
remain stressed and hungry. I recently saw a tank full of Otos at some
chain where I went to grab some AmQuel trying to eat slime off of
gouramis because the tank was absolutely devoid of algae or vegetables.
I'd never seen the "attack oto" behavior before. Also, if there's a
batch that are obviously infected with parasites of any sort, PetCo and
other chains won't bother to treat them (they usually don't know how!).

I've always bought otos from LFS, and I only lose maybe 1 of 6 within
the first couple of weeks. Maybe try buying from a LFS, and only fat,
healthy looking otos that the store has had for at least 2 weeks -
that's what I do and it's worked so far.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com