Is This A Real Sae? (PICS)

[dapellegrini]

from your links... this is SAE:



this is not:

[Natty]

Originally Posted by BiscuitSlayer

I don't think thats a picture of a flying fox natty. I think that might be a false sae or some other fish. The black stripe doesn't continue all the way through the tailfin. LOL

Just goes to show you that you have to be careful where you draw your information from on the Internet.


I think dapellegrini's picture is a great one and it describes some of the differences perfectly.

I would still like to know about the barbel difference if anyone knows. SAEs have one pair? and flying foxes (or some other look alike) has two?

Actually it does though! If you look, the stripe does go past and through the tail area.

Hey dapellegrini

From that link you gave me of the other thread, I have flame moss in my tank will they destroy it? If they do I'm moving them out.

Does anyone here know what gobies look like? The fresh water type.

Whats the best algae eating fish that wont destroy your plants then?

[BiscuitSlayer]

Originally Posted by Natty

Actually it does though! If you look, the stripe does go past and through the tail area.

I see something, but to me it isn't defined enough to be a SAE or a Flying Fox. The black line continuing through the tail fin is obvious on both of those fish.

Also, the Siamese Flying Fox is another name for SAE, not the Flying Fox.

Originally Posted by Natty

Whats the best algae eating fish that wont destroy your plants then?

I like ottos. From what I have seen though, they only eat GDA. I haven't seen them touch GSA, BBA, BGA, hair algae, staghorn, or any other type. The best defense for most algae, IMO, is good CO2 levels.

[Natty]

Originally Posted by BiscuitSlayer

I see something, but to me it isn't defined enough to be a SAE or a Flying Fox. The black line continuing through the tail fin is obvious on both of those fish.

Also, the Siamese Flying Fox is another name for SAE, not the Flying Fox.




I like ottos. From what I have seen though, they only eat GDA. I haven't seen them touch GSA, BBA, BGA, hair algae, staghorn, or any other type. The best defense for most algae, IMO, is good CO2 levels.

About the flying fox thing:

Yeah they both have a line going through them and a little past the start of the tail, but flying foxes have a black stripe going from front to back of the top of their body, while SAE's don't. That's why I'm thinking its a flying fox. It's also shown in one of the links you gave me with the diagrams.

For Algae eating fish, how do u get rid of BBA when they're in your moss etc? Just take out all the infected portions and turn up CO2 or will turning up the CO2 automatically kill the BBA?

LMAO I just looked at my clock, 1:23 in the morning hahha!

[KatjaT]

That "fat" fish looks Crossocheilus atrilimes to me, not FF or SAE.

[BiscuitSlayer]

From my experience, stopping the spread of BBA is the first step. Once it stops spreading, that is a good indication that your CO2 is at an optimal level. After that, the eradication is somewhat manual. You can spot treat with excel or manually remove the tufts of algae.

In the past, I leave the BBA intact in my tank. I monitor growth as I SLOWLY adjust my co2 level over a period of a few weeks. BBA will dissappear if your CO2 levels are good, but it takes a long time.

Here is a good thread concerning the use of excel to eradicate BBA.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/al...periences.html

[Natty]

Originally Posted by BiscuitSlayer

From my experience, stopping the spread of BBA is the first step. Once it stops spreading, that is a good indication that your CO2 is at an optimal level. After that, the eradication is somewhat manual. You can spot treat with excel or manually remove the tufts of algae.

In the past, I leave the BBA intact in my tank. I monitor growth as I SLOWLY adjust my co2 level over a period of a few weeks. BBA will dissappear if your CO2 levels are good, but it takes a long time.

Here is a good thread concerning the use of excel to eradicate BBA.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/al...periences.html

K, I'll check it out tomorrow. They even made a sticky out of BBA haha!

I'm sooooo sleepy. I'm going to wake up late tomorrow. Night Biscuit, thanks for the talk everyone.

Natty signing out

[dapellegrini]

BiscuitSlayer is correct. SAE will not solve your algae problem, nor will any other fish, or invert. You need to find the problem (inconsistent CO2 levels is highly likely with BBA) and fix that.

I am not sure if your SAE will eat your flame moss, but it would not surprise me. They did eat my Java and Taiwan mosses in the past. IME they will not eat living BBA in any real quantity, but they will eat it if you first kill it (spot treatment with Excel or similar), as will amano shrimp.

Some brief comments on my experiences with algae crews:

Florida Flag Fish (FFF): will devour thread algae, but will also nip at other plants and will eat baby shrimp
Amano Shrimp: extremely aggressive eaters - will eat ANYTHING including algae, but they really only do much to algae once it is dead. They will also attack fish (mine would try and eat the slime off of my Farlowella), will kill other smaller shrimp and are generally much more interested in whatever else you are feeding your tank.
SAE: see my other thread
Nerites: extremely efficient at cleaning your glass and rocks when you first add them, but for some reason this never really keeps up. They are pretty expensive and will eventually disintegrate in a low pH tank (under 7.0). They also go through bouts of massive egg laying and their eggs are unsightly and difficult to removed.
RCS: not avid algae eaters, but they do roam around eating whatever they can find. Only downside (for some) would be that they are prolific breeders
Ottos: great fish for almost any tank. They do eat algae, but not typically in any quantity that you would notice. No real down side though

None of these critters are an end all for algae control and IME many have downsides that outweigh any benefit they might bring. Balance your light, CO2 and ferts and your algae problems should subside. Then add whatever fish you like to watch/look at.

[Natty]

Is there any certain species of snails that are real good at eating algae and arent egg layers and won't litter your substrate with shells?

[dapellegrini]

While there are downsides to Nerites, IMO their upsides outweigh the down and I use them in most of my tanks. Your standard pond snail and ramshorn will also eat detritus and perhaps some algea, but not something most people seek out.

[Natty]

Originally Posted by dapellegrini

While there are downsides to Nerites, IMO their upsides outweigh the down and I use them in most of my tanks. Your standard pond snail and ramshorn will also eat detritus and perhaps some algea, but not something most people seek out.

What about MTSs?

U think I should get nerites too in my planted tank? It does get as low as 6.5 and as high as 7.5ph. You think the eggs are that bad?