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Ok here is a link to a picture: Tell me which species of fish this is. I thought he was a SAE at first, but doesnt appear so. I also thought he was a flying fox, but I dont think so either, he lacks some definite characteristics, as I saw some Flying Foxes (epalzeorhynchus kallopterus) today!
Let me know what you all think!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/SneakyPete79/Pictures2029.jpg
If it helps any, he has 2 small whiskers under his nose, they are white, thin, and point backwards toward his tail, like a danios whiskers do.
He is completely non aggressive.
I am wondering because I would like to buy a true SAE to get rid of my hair and beard algae in my 90g, and I dont want this fish to be assaulted by my "flyingfox sae falsesae".
Thanks.

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How big is he? Does he have a sucker mouth?

p.s. I've never seen whiskers on danios.


Kim

Kim, Danios do have barbels. They are just so tiny it's almost impossible to see them. Plus it's not like Danios sit still long enough to get a good look. I've tried looking many times and still have never actually seen them.

Im still new so im not sure but it really looks like a flying fox from here. What makes you think its not that im missing? seems to look just like the pic.

Anyway nice fish 8-).. good luck with the ID!!!

-CJ

Bad news -- It's a false siamensis...

Look closely at the tail -- see how the black lateral line ends before the tail? A true SAE would have a black line that continues thru the tail.

Check this site:

http://www.theaquarians.net/html/fishguide/fishguide_fish.php?FC=88

This shows a true SAE.

It also says, "The most distinctive differences are that the true SAE has 1 pair of barbels, the false having 2 pairs, the true SAE has completely transparent fins, and the false has black bands across the dorsal and anal fins."

It took us about six months to happen upon a true SAE -- and that was completely by accident. We even argued with the manager at the fish store over which were true SAE's. We wouldn't buy it until he let us borrow his store copy of Axelrod's book just to make completely sure. :%)

Hey there,

based on the tail, I'd say I agree with just_one_more, it looks like a False siamensis.

For more info on identifying SAE and similar fish, have a look at this article:

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

Regards,
Dex

Well, what do you mean by "False Siamensis" and why is this a bad thing? I DO NOT believe this fish to be Epalzeorhynchus Kallopterus, Flying Fox. This is why, one Flying Foxes, the black stripe continues all the way to the end of the tail, my fish does not. The stripe above the black one is gold and bright, my fishes stripe is not gold, it is white. They have FORWARD facing barbels, mine has 1 pair,only 1, and they are BACKWARD facing. I mean towards his tail they point, not out in front of him. Flying foxes have distinctive golden top fin with red edges, my fish does not, his top fin is translucent. He does not have a sucker mouth, he has a mouth that looks almost identical to a queen botias, but without the whiskers around it. Round, flat, but not a sucker. He does eat some algae, but only the green stuff. He is around 3 and a half inches in length, minus the tail.
All I know is I saw a dozen Epalzeorhynchus Kallopterus at the fish store, and he looks not at all like them, but he looks not at all like a true SAE. He is not a CAE.
What is he??


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You have the False SAE, Garra taeniata. They are not too much different than real SAEs, but they are solitary fish (and actually aggressive to each other), and they do not eat algae (at least not very well).

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

It looks like a false SAE alright. But Sneaky, I understand your confusion. Flying Fox is not a False SAE. It's all part of the mis-labeling of SAE/Flying Fox/False SAE that goes on in LFS's.
So It's not a true SAE, it's not a Flying Fox but seems to be one of the 2 species of FAlse SAE. I think Cory addict as the right one (forgotten the latin name for the other.)

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Cool Cory and Bensaf.
Do you think I could pop a True SAE in there with him? It is a 90g so I think they could each have their own space. I have some nasty hair/beard/ whatever you wanna call it, looks like bluey greenish fur on the plants closest to the light, and I think a true SAE may eat it.
What do ya think?

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If you want something that will munch down any kind of algae in your tank, get american flag fish. I have 5 of them i use in my planted tanks and they have eaten every kind of algae that has grown in there so far. I think they are by far the best algae eaters ive come accross.

Last edited by Gourami at 10-Oct-2004 18:12

It should be fine to mix them. Part of the problem with trying to identify and buy a true SAE, is that very often the batches on sale are mixture of true and false. They can get a bit rowdy with their own kind but are ok with every other fish. I think it would be fine with a true SAE.

Gourami,
I've heard that Flag Fish are pound for pound probably the best algae eater out there but I've also heard that they can be very very nippy, making them unsuitable for a lot of tanks. Any truth to this ?

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.