[AnthonyW8822]

Picked up a Siamese flying fox today to help eat the sappy stuff coming out of some of my wood. Good looking fish - looks a lot like an oto haha.

I really know nothing about them - though. I don't even know how large they get - or why they're "flying" foxes.

Anyone know much about them? There isn't much info about them online. Every time I punch it in I see "siamese algae eaters"

Also - one of my dwarf puffers died. He wasn't eating - even in quarantine. My other DP is fat and happy, though. I threw him in some ghost shrimp today that I'm sure he'll have fun with.

Also - my decorating in the 30 gallon is finished. I just need to plant it and get a better light (which might take a while since I need a new clutch for my Mustang). The corkscrew val is doing well in spite of my clown pleco routinely mowing it. He literally just snaps the leaves off at the base and lets them float. Its gotten a little better since I started dropping in the occasional algae pellet.

 

[Sierra255]

I believe you're actually referring to a Siamese Algae Eater (SAE). It is often confused with the Flying Fox, which is why it's called the Siamese Flying Fox, to cover all the bases. The Siamese Algae Eater grows to a max of about 6" and can be somewhat territorial with its own kind, but shouldn't mess with other fish too much. The Flying Fox is reported to be more aggressive (especially with other flying foxes) and will likely aggressively defend its territory from all other fish. Hopefully, you got a SAE.

 

[AnthonyW8822]

I believe you're actually referring to a Siamese Algae Eater (SAE). It is often confused with the Flying Fox, which is why it's called the Siamese Flying Fox, to cover all the bases. The Siamese Algae Eater grows to a max of about 6" and can be somewhat territorial with its own kind, but shouldn't mess with other fish too much. The Flying Fox is reported to be more aggressive (especially with other flying foxes) and will likely aggressively defend its territory from all other fish. Hopefully, you got a SAE.

Looking at pictures it looks like I did

I hope the little guy is hungry - I have a lot for him to eat.

 

[flight50]

Neither are really good in my opinion. Foxes are just known to be too aggressive in community tanks. SAE's just flat out get lazy as they grow. They eat less and less algae as they age and become too dependent on being spoon feed. They do get territorial especially in smaller numbers. I ditched mine because they started hogging all the food from my cories. I can't have that, lol. Anything messes with my cories, has to go.

 

[Diana]

Common names are misleading.
Flying Fox, Epalzeorhynchos kalopterus. Some much rarer relatives may also be called Flying Fox. This one tends to be a bit more aggressive, especially toward other 'Shark' types of fish, and can usually only be kept one per tank. The red tailed shark is a close relative: Epalzeorhynchos bicolor. They may nibble a little algae but they are not really noted as great algae eaters.

Siamese Algae Eater, (Latin name has been changing) Crossocheilus oblongus or syn. Crossocheilus siamensis. These guys tend to be more peaceful, and are good algae eaters, though, as mentioned above, if you keep feeding them easy to eat foods like flakes and pellets they do not work very hard on the algae. They can usually be kept several in a tank. (as long as the tank is big enough, of course- they are not small fish)

The 2 fish listed so far look similar: Both have bands of dark (charcoal/black) and yellow (or light yellow) running the length of their bodies, and down turned, but normal mouths. To me they are easy to tell apart, but if I did not know how I would take a picture into the store to properly ID the one I wanted.

There is a Chinese Algae eater. Gyrinocheilus aymonieri. This one is the most like an Otocinclus with a mottled body and sucker mouth. The darker mottling sort of lines up into an irregular band, but I would not call it a stripe the same way the fish above are striped. There is a golden variety, too. They are good at eating the flat, stuck-on algae, not good for the stringy sorts. They can get aggressive as they mature.