10 Great Algae Eaters

thanks G

well he does a good Job!, thinking of adding one more!

 

Yer, I would recommend a few more? What size tank is it? They do seem to prefer to be in a group, and interact with one another, unlike the Flying Fox and Garra Cambodgiensis who both chase their own kind, and anything that resembles their own kind.

Regards
G!

 

Its a 3ft

http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/showthread.php?8181-Vez-s-Planted-3ft-tank/page3

will have a look this weekend, and get some more

 

got one more today, and he is silver! and very small, will post a pic tonight!

 

@Big G

I have found the complete opposite as I bought mine, the two of them the same place as vez did and they chase the crap out of eachother I have read up and it seems that the group needs to be atleast 5.

 

My two also chase each other, but not in an aggressive way like the other species, but much more playfully. They interact with each other really well. All the other similar species do not tolerate their like kind.

Could you perhaps post a pic to confirm ID?

Regards
G!

 

Sure it is exactly the same as @Vez has, bought them at the same store:

 

@hein24... That pic does indeed seem to be C. Siamensis, but the one thing that is throwing me is the yellow tinge in the fins? This is not a normal trait of Siamensis? Again, this could just be the camera 'white balance' throwing things off, but can you see this 'yellow tinge' when looking at the fish yourself?

Could you perhaps also confirm if the second fish is actually identical to the first? Black Lateral line extends into tail? Just the goldish silver back, with no yellow line above the lateral line? One set of barbs protruding from the very tip of the nose almost? Perhaps another pic?

I cannot understand why yours would be aggresive to each other? When you say they chase each other, its not just in a kind of 'friendly' way, or a 'hey! I was eating that' kind of way? Or do they just continuously chase each other around the tank at high speed causing absolute chaos and mayhem to all the other tankmates? Sorry if this seems patronising, I'm just trying to complete the 'picture' in my mind?

Did you get them both at the same time, and are they the same size, or is one much bigger than the other?

I'm going to look into this further, as you shouldn't be having issues if they are true C. Siamensis (which the photo suggests is the case)?

Regards
G!

 

Another quick way of identifying a true SAE is to look at it in profile. The SAE has a classic fish shape whereas the flying fox has the 'drooping snout' of a bottom feeder.

 

well my new one, is alot smaller, and they are fine with each other

 

True, as they are part of the Carp family according to the net!

 

@Zoom
Yes they are different fish.
The broad similarities, in form, swimming pattern,and colour scheme ....coupled with their nibbling, grazing feeding technique makes for many Mis-Identification .

Basically DON'T get Flying Fox Epalzeorhyncos spp which share the same form as those previously Labeo spp. 'SHARKS' ...eg.Bicolor, Rainbow, Ruby .
If you have a specific algae eating task requiring services of a BBAvore .
Find Crossocheilus spp. , or Garra spp. instead.

These Crossocheilus , and Epalzeorhyncos are almost always in the hobby in SA.
At least in Cape Town, some make it to hobbyists, either FROM me or via LFS
....the rest of the country should have easy access to whichever suits your needs

 

Hi,

Had the beginings of beard algae all over my tank espacially on the plants.

So off to my lps to look for a good algae devourer. Otos, SAE all spring to mind. While I was there, saw these cheap mollies. I had read here to consider them for algae control.
Well why not ? Bought 6 little ones at R 8.95 each. Its now Thursday and the little stars have been munching and munching on the algae and my plants look terrific. Nearly all the algae has been consummed.

Give mollies a try. Their quite pretty too ( I bought 2 white, 2 black and 2 marbled orange/yellow).

Go mollies go !

Roger the Dodger

 

Mollies are definitely good for algae control, and cheap, but they're live bearers, so their population is going to expand quite quickly if you don't have all one sex. And even then, the females might be pregnant when you get them, as was the case with mine