Siamese algae eaters?

[jo.jacques]

Hey fellas,

Any ideas where I could find some Siamese algae eaters (Sae) around Ottawa??
My plants are covered with damn hair algae , and read somewhere that these fish are DEADLY to hair algae so Id like to try them!

Thanks a lot!

[missavgp]

I think I saw some at big als west yesterday

[jo.jacques]

Will call, thanks!

[wrm130]

I've found amano shrimp to be much more effective...just sayin

[jo.jacques]

The thing is my Opaline Gourami would probably kill/injure any shrimps I put in this tank

[76brian]

I have a pair, all the lazy buggers eat is fish food.

[exv152]

Just a note on SAEs there are other species that are commonly sold as SAE, but in fact are not SAE at all, and those tend to be more fond of regular food than algae.

[robt18]

^ flying foxes are the ones you're talking about probably... They often get shipped instead. Crossochilus siamensis are the good ones. However as they get more mature they still tend to eat more prepared food than algae.

[76brian]

http://www.petresources.net/fish/article/sae.html

Mine are true SAE. The staff at Big Al's are usually pretty good about having them labeled correctly.

Edit: Anyways, if I can catch them, you're welcome to them.

[Laura]

They get big when mature, is your tank large enough? Mine are about 4.5" TL

[wolfiewill]

I've been a big proponent of S.A.E.s for beard and thread for some time (some might say big mouth perhaps), and my experience is that as they get bigger (older?) they eat more algae than when they are younger. The key is that you must under feed them. Don't feed them according to what their size size might suggest. They are ravenous eaters and will eat anything you throw at them. Feed them a little high protein food 2 or 3 times weekly, some daily flake and twice weekly blanched zucchini (hang it by a thread or fishing line in the tank above the substrate for about 36 hrs only). And ignore their begging for more. They will spend most of their time grazing. They are better than Otto cats and Amanos at eating beard and thread algae in my tanks, and so are my only 'constants' in every tank. And they do fine singly, and under the above feeding regime don't seem to get longer than about 3 inches (take them back to your LFS if they get too big).

The real issue is getting authentic SAEs. I was in the market for some last week, and was disappointed by the recent batch at Big Al's in Kanata. I could find none in the tank to which I was directed. The tank was labelled SAEs, and there were lookalikes, but not a single authentic SAE. I would like to draw your attention to the following web site. This will detail each of the lookalikes, and make a comparison to the real SAE, namely (as mentioned by exv152) Crossocheilus siamensis.

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

[76brian]

The real issue is getting authentic SAEs. I was in the market for some last week, and was disappointed by the recent batch at Big Al's in Kanata.

I bought mine at the Innes location, I made sure they were real before I bought them... they've also been accurately identified every other time I've seen them there.
I guess west isn't as good at telling the diff? 

[iatetheweatherman]

They always have them at critter jungles. I bought two there a few days ago.

[jo.jacques]

Thanks a lot for your replies everybody. Very interresting!

[Monte]

I have two in my tank. They do a great job. I bought them at Big Al's.

[ottawa_fry22]

Very nice picture Monte. I cant wait to get myc02 to have my plants look flawless like that again. Speaking of SAE I want to pick myself up some again as well..they do school pretty and they get large..little over 3 inches mine were. Yes they do like to eat flake food more when they are older..but still do see them cleaning plants from time to time..better than nothing. I would get them many times again.

On another note -> One fish I wouldnt be fooled into again is the -Chinese Algae Eater-..they have the suction looking mouth like a pleco but they become aggressive not only from info in articles but personal experience. They chase and chase more than do any good.  They are also known to feed more off the slim coat of tank mates and can cause death that way depending on the fish being targetted.

Flying Fox..definatelely a SAE look-a-like.  Very small differences in looks.

Anyways..enjoy the SAE.